Braggs Corner Meat Corp.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.2

At approximately 7:45am on Thursday, 1/20/22, I, SPHV-Dr. REDACTED, while performing humane handling verification, observed noncompliance with HATS Category IV (ante-mortem handling). Two heavy calves were driven from the holding pen into the chute. The first animal was ritually (Halal) slaughtered. While bleeding out, the animal fell to the ground with all limbs thrashing. The dying animal kicked the other calf standing in the chute approximately six times. The calf vocalized in distress and did not have space to move away from the kicking animal. After approximately 30 seconds the employees were able to restrain the second calf and ritually slaughter it. Plant Owner, REDACTED, was notified of this noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.2(a).

313.1

At approximately 7:15am on Wednesday, 11/24/21, I, SPHV-Dr. REDACTED, while performing humane handling verification on the slaughter floor, observed noncompliance with HATS Category VII, Slips/Falls. A calf was driven into the chute and an employee was standing on the support beam outside of the chute, reaching over and into the chute and using his hands to drive the animal forward into the head catch. Because the chute is large, the calf was able to turn around in the chute and it slipped and fell. The calf landed with both forelimbs under its body and a hindlimb extended outside of the side of the chute, kicking, and the calf was now facing the rear of the chute. It struggled and did not immediately rise from this position. When another employee walked up to the calf, it stood up and and turned around again and walked into the head gate and was ritually slaughtered. Plant Owner, REDACTED, was notified of this noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.1(d) that "direction reversal of driven animals is minimized."