Eagle Grove Cooperative: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(1)(iii)

At approximately 1:50pm on April 6, 2022, I was entering the barn to perform the final HATS Category IV- Ante-mortem inspection task when I observed a noncompliance with HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness. An establishment barn employee was preparing a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device for stunning of a hog standing on all four feet next to him near the gate to pen 230. He positioned the HHCB device captive bolt and made an initial stunning attempt. The hog was conscious, standing still and appeared dazed but did not go down. I went and examined the head, and the skin was not broken. On the second stun attempt with the same HHCB device, it went off and the bolt penetrated the head. The hog dropped to its stifles and hocks and was conscious and began to move away from the employee. The hog could not walk and was crawling and dragging itself on its hocks and stifles and maneuvered itself from the front alley gate of pen 230 to the entry gate of the non-ambulatory pen, which is approximately ninety (90) feet. I called for the Barn Supervisor, Ms. REDACTED, who was nearby. Ms. REDACTED took the HHCB device from the employee, who had reloaded it and used this same captive bolt to perform the third stun which rendered the animal unconscious. I applied U.S. Rejected tags B-45 098810 and B-45 098812 to the two REDACTED alleys. Food Safety Manager, Ms. REDACTED was informed of the noncompliance, forthcoming noncompliance record and that I would be contacting the district office for further guidance.