Harris Ranch Beef Company: 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 Harris Ranch Beef Company slaughterhouse establishment in 2022.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2022.
313.15(a)(2)
At 1444 on December 17, 2021, the CSI was performing Humane Handling HATS tasks Stunning Effectiveness and Conscious on the Rail inside the center track restrainer (CTR) room. A steer was observed at the end of the center track conveyor. As soon as the animal was released to the conveyor belt below, it was laying on the conveyor belt and the left rear leg was shackled. The animal began to vocalize and make attempts to rise. The establishment stunner employee assessed the situation and immediately went down to the conveyor belt and stunned the conscious animal with the backup handheld captive bolt gun. The animal was rendered unconscious immediately. A safety stun was performed, as per company policy when using the handheld device. At 1446, U.S. Rejected Tag B37408004 was placed on the stun box until appropriate corrective actions were received. The Harvest Supervisor was informed of the regulatory control action. After an investigation by the establishment, a stunning blow had not been applied to this steer before it was released to the conveyor belt. IIC confirmed this after the skull was observed with only two holes. The establishment failed to meet the requirements set forth in 9 CFR 313.15(a)(2); The driving of the animals to the stunning area shall be done with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals. Corrective Actions were received at 1629 and the U.S. Rejected Tag was removed from the stun box.
313.15(a)(2)
HATS IV: HANDLING At 0835 on December 16, 2021, the SPHV was performing Humane Handling HATS task Electric Prodding / Alternative Object Use just outside the center track restrainer (CTR) room. I noted the forward movement of cattle had stopped. I proceeded into the CTR room to investigate. I noted two animals on the center track restrainer and one animal in the step-down area, as well as three animals in close contact behind. The establishment employees began actively moving those three animals in reverse as I walked by. Upon further evaluation, I saw Animal #1 was backwards on the center track and Animal #2 was forward-facing, with both heads together and stuck below the center track on the off-side. Animal #1 had not been stunned and Animal #2 had been stunned. The establishment employee stunner attempted multiple times to jostle the conscious animal to get it’s head up by moving the center track conveyor forward and back. The animal vocalized once during this process. About 2min into this process, I noted the distal aspect of Animal #1’s tail had been freshly degloved and was hanging between the gapping links of the end of the center track. An additional 2-3 more attempts were made at moving the center track conveyor forward and back and eventually the animal moved enough to free it’s head. It was immediately stunned without incident. While the animal was checked for consciousness on the rail, I verified the degloving injury of the tail. The Food Safety Systems Manager was notified of the forthcoming non-compliance. The establishment failed to meet the requirements set forth in 9 CFR 313.15(a)(2).
