Fayette Packing Company, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1),313.15(a)(3)

HAT Category VIII - Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 0930 hours I, CSI REDACTED, observed Fayette Packing establishment M6555 stunning a beef cow. The beef cow was driven into the knock chute, the head gate closed, and the nose clamp applied to control the head. The first stun attempt with a hand held captive bolt device was ineffective, as evidenced by the animal remaining standing and vocalizing. A second establishment kill floor employee delivered an immediate and effective corrective action stun with a backup hand held captive bolt device, rendering the animal insensible, and it remained so thereafter. A US Reject tag No. B43049250 was applied to the knock box and REDACTED, establishment owner, was notified of the noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) and 9 CFR 313.15(a)(3)

313.2

On 7/19/2022 at approximately 1150 hours I observed an establishment employee moving a hog between holding pens. The hog was lame and moving slowly. The establishment employee lifted his foot and delivered two kicks to the animal. I told the employee to stop and notified Plant Owner REDACTED of the noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.2(a).

313.1

HATS Category II - Truck Unloading On 04/26/2022 at approximately 12:00 while performing humane handling verification task, HAT category II - Truck Unloading, I, CSI REDACTED observed the following non-compliance violating 9 CFR 313.1(a). Specifically, I, observed a cow’s hoof on the ground under the trailer, upon closer inspection I observed that floorboards that run from side to side in the trailer were missing/broken. I took immediate regulatory control of the trailer by applying tag number B-45400393 and went to get Mr. REDACTED, kill floor employee, to come unload the 2 cows off of the trailer (this truck arrived during the establishments lunch time). Mr. REDACTED unloaded the first cow to the scale no issues were observed. I notified Plant Owner Mr. REDACTED of the noncompliance and he came over to the animal unloading area to see the trailer. Mr. REDACTED told the driver that he could not return with that trailer until it was repaired. The cow in the front compartment of the trailer was moving around with a lot of excitement causing the broken floorboard to fall to the ground and the driver pulled the floorboard out of the bottom of the trailer. The floorboard appeared to be very worn and had jagged end pieces where it had broken in half. The gate separating the 2 cows was then opened and while the cow that was in the front compartment started to walk out of the trailer, its back leg went into the hole in the floor. The animal stumbled but was able to walk out of the trailer onto the scale. I checked the cow on the scale as well as in the holding pen and no injuries were observed. Once the driver pulled forward allowing an open view of the trailer the floorboards looked to be approximately 10 to 12 inches wide by approximately 5 to 6 foot long by approximately 1 inch thick and there were 2 full floorboards missing. There was a rubber mat in the center of the trailer approximately 2 foot wide that went the length of the trailer that the animal had stepped on and pushed to the ground through the hole in the floorboards.