Eastern Montana Meats: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)
See the detail of the non-compliance of humane livestock handling that the USDA observed at the Eastern Montana Meats slaughterhouse establishment in 2022.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2022.
313.1
HATS Category I and VII: Inclement Weather & Slips and Falls At approximately 0730 hours, while performing antemortem inspection, I observed a sheet of ice on the flooring in pens 2 and 3 directly inside the entrance of the pen. This ice was covered with a thin layer of dirt and was approximately 12 ft x 12 ft in pen 2 and 12 ft x 24 ft in pen 3. I observed almost all cattle (approximately seventy-six cattle) in both pens slipping during antemortem inspection and I observed 2 cattle slip and fall completely fall on the ground in pen 3. I applied US Reject Tag No.B-45946140 to pen 3 and notified the Kill Floor Supervisor that I was rejecting the pen due to icy floor conditions resulting in slips and falls. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records documented in the past 90 days for the same root cause.
313.15(a)(1)
HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 11:15am on 11/15/2021 I observed the stun operator at Eastern Montana Meats (EST# M47277) apply a stun to a steer using a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device. As the stun was applied, I observed the steer tilt its head up. I observed the captive bolt make contact and pierce the skull. I observed the steer remain standing and vocalize. The stun operator immediately retrieved a backup HHCB device to apply a second stun to the steer. I observed the steer fall limp with no further signs of consciousness. I applied USDA Reject tag NO. B-45 632130 to the stun box and verbally notified the stun operator that stunning was to discontinue. I verbally notified the slaughter foreman of the event and my regulatory control action over the stun box. I verbally notified the foreman that failure to produce immediate unconsciousness with a captive bolt is noncompliant with 9CFR 313.15(a)(1) and of the impending NR. I inspected the dressed head and verified two penetrating stun holes. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days.
