Florida Beef, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.2

While observing truck unloading, a cattle hauler removed a newly born calf without minimizing excitement. The hauler attempted to remove the calf from the truck. The animal vocalized during first attempt at movement of the animal.  I immediately stopped the situation. The calf was then appropriately carried to the nearest pen, and I observed the calf slide from the arms of the person carrying it to the ground. The person carrying the animal was bending at the knee and attempting to place the animal on the ground.  The animal fell the last part from his arms to the ground, I noted the person carrying the animal to have some forward motion on his arms. Plant was notified of the forthcoming non-compliance record.

313.2

While performing the humane handling task, I observed an isolated calf in a small pen without access to water.  The calf did not appear in distress and the barn management was notified.

313.1,313.2

At approximately 0700 hours, while performing ante-mortem inspection, I observed the following livestock humane handling noncompliance. During inspection of livestock pen number 9, I became aware of a cow having her head trapped between the side-rail and concrete wall of the pen. I instructed plant personnel to stop inspection and to free the animal as soon as possible. Ante-mortem inspection was stopped, cattle in pen 9 were relocated and maintenance personnel were called to attempt to free the animal. The metal rail was removed, and cow head released, the animal was not injured during the process.  This is noncompliance under CFR 313.1 Livestock pens, driveways and ramps. (a) Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good repair. They shall be free from sharp or protruding objects which may, in the opinion of the inspector, cause injury or pain to the animals. Loose boards splintered or broken planking, and unnecessary openings where the head, feet, or legs of an animal may be injured shall be repaired. During inspection I also observed animals loose their footing as they were being presented, four of them slipping and falling as they entered the alley. This is noncompliance under 313.1 Livestock pens, driveways, and ramps. (b) Floors of livestock pens, ramps, and driveways shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide good footing for livestock. Slip resistant or waffled floor surfaces, cleated ramps, and the use of sand, as appropriate, during winter months are examples of acceptable construction and maintenance.  By allowing this deviations to exist the establishment failed to meet regulatory requirements. I notified livestock supervisor of the REDACTED of the non-egregious concerns and that I would be issuing a humane handling noncompliance. no animals were injured during inspection and no other deviations were observed.

313.2

On January 27, 2022, at approximately 0900 hours, while I was en-route to perform HATS verification, a noncompliance was observed: I observed that cows were located in the circle pen and chute to be moved into the facility. Inspection completed ante-mortem at approximately 0658 hours and the floor had not yet been released by inspection personnel from pre-operational sanitation standard operating procedures. Upon further investigation, I observed water running on the ground from the automatic wash system in the chute and circle pen. There were approximately twenty five (25) animals beginning from the knock box area with no access to water. After notifying REDACTED, SPHV we both proceeded back to the area to access the situation. The SPHV, Dr. REDACTED and I questioned Management in the pens as to how long the animals had been in the chute and circle pen and they stated, “since around seven thirty”. The cows had been inside the chute and circle pen for approximately 1 1⁄2 hours. It is to be noted that running water on the floor or sprinkler systems, are not acceptable means of providing access to water. REDACTED, Plant Manager was notified of the noncompliance. Failure to provide water to be accessible to livestock at all times ....is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2(e).

313.2

At approximately 0658 hours, while performing livestock ante-mortem inspection, I observed the following noncompliance. As I was presented pen #8 for inspection, I noticed that the employee on the far end of the alley failed to open a pen for the animals to turn around during inspection. The animals were allowed to walk to the end of the alley and attempt to turn around at the end. As the animas were passing in front of me on the way back to the original holding pen, two cows lost their footing and came to rest in a sitting position. I immediately directed the employees to stop driving of animals to allow them to regain their footing. The animals were not injured, and no further deviation were observed. QA REDACTED walked up to me as animals were placed back to their original pen and I notified him of the non-egregious noncompliance under CFR 313.2. I informed the establishment operator and his immediate supervisor REDACTED of the incident and requested that they take the necessary steps to prevent reoccurrence. Plant management assured me that proper steps would be implemented to prevent reoccurrence.

313.1,313.2

At approximately 1030 hours, while performing ante-mortem inspection, I observed the following noncompliance. I observed a plant employee present cattle from pen #5 for inspection. During presentation I observed 10 animals suddenly lose their footing from upright position, causing part of their bodies to touch the ground. No animals were hurt during the process, no tags were used, and no other deviations were observed. This deviation is a noncompliance under CFR 313.1 (b) and 313.2 (a) Plant manager REDACTED and Harvest manager REDACTED were notified of the non-egregious noncompliance. At approximately 1400 hours, during ante-mortem inspection, IPP observed a similar incident. During presentation of pen #10, approximately 9 additional cows lost their footing, causing part of their bodies to contact the ground. Plant management was notified of this incident as well. At approximately 1600 hours, plant management provided IPP a verbal response to the noncompliance.

313.2

On November 10th, at approximately 1658 hours, while performing the Stunning Effectiveness element of HATS verification task, I observed the following noncompliance. Standing at the top of the stairs, above the bleeding station of the slaughter floor, I observed two beef cows enter the stunning box, one was completely inside and the other was halfway in. The employee stunning the livestock attempted to drive the trailing cow back out of the box by waving his hands at the cow. Another employee came inside the area and proceeded to use an electric prod to coerce the cow to back up. I observed the employee use the prod twice on the left shoulder in rapid succession. This caused the cow to become extremely excited and the cow moved backwards rapidly and began to bellow loudly. I immediately instructed the employees to stop to avoid further excitement to the animal. I walked over to the area and proceeded to apply tag #B45468696 to the stunning area, notified plant management and reached the USDA office to notify Dr. REDACTED, SPHV of the noncompliance. This deviation is a non-egregious noncompliance under 9 CFR section 313.2(b) Electric prods, canvas slappers, or other implements employed to drive animals shall be used as little as possible in order to minimize excitement and injury. Any use of such implements which, in the opinion of the inspector, is excessive, is prohibited. Plant manager REDACTED, REDACTED, and REDACTED discussed the deviation with inspection personnel and provided assurance that proper steps would be implemented to prevent reoccurrence. Rejected tag was removed by inspection personnel at approximately 1730 hours.