HyLife Foods Windom, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

At 4:48pm while performing HATS Category IV. Ante-mortem inspection with area lead REDACTED, I observed the following HATS Category VIII. Stunning Effectiveness noncompliance: An employee restrained a market hog laying on its right side in the main alley way with a sorting board.  The employee then used a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) gun and made an initial stun attempt on the hog’s forehead.  The hog made a vocalization and proceeded to make rhythmic vocalizations while propping itself up, holding itself sternal and remained conscious.  Blood was observed coming from the animal’s forehead.  Another establishment employee immediately applied a second stun attempt with a different HHCB gun, which effectively rendered the animal insensible.  Review of the animal’s head after the event identified a single penetrating wound (1.5cm diameter) half the distance between the eyes and ear base and just to the left of midline with brain material and blood coming out.  A second wound appeared smaller in size, below the previous site (approx. 2inches) and along midline where blood was coming out. The observed ineffective captive bolt stun is a noncompliance of 9CFR 313.15(a)(1). I notified 2nd shift receiving barn supervisor REDACTED of the noncompliance, who went through preventative measures in alignment with establishment’s robust humane handling system.

313.2

HATS Category III Water and Feed Availability At approximately 2240 hours, while verifying dead hogs were slashed and denatured, I observed that the establishment did not have any feed in the feed storage area. I spoke to Mr. REDACTED, Jr., Yards Supervisor, and requested the records for the resale and subject pens. The resale pen contained three market hogs that arrived on January 17, 2022 at 0816, 0921, and 2100 hours. The subject pen contained seven market hogs that arrived on January 17, 2022 at 1419 (2 hogs), 1545, 1830 (2 hogs), 2010, and 2045 hours. The establishment was unable to provide feed records for these hogs that had been held over 24 hours. Mr. REDACTED informed me that he used the last bag of feed on Sunday, January 16, 2022 while feeding hogs held over the weekend and these hogs had not been fed. I informed Mr. REDACTED of the noncompliance. The establishment was unable to feed the hogs because there was no feed on the premises and feed could not be purchased. The establishment failed to meet the requirements of 9 CFR 313.2(e). On January 19, 2022, ante-mortem inspection was completed on the subject pen and the establishment sent them to slaughter. The three resale hogs left the premises on January 19, 2022. A review of feed purchase records showed that feed was purchased on January 18, 2022 at 0800 hours and delivered January 19, 2022. No other hogs were held for 24 hours.

313.2

At approximately 0630 hours, while performing a HATS Category IV task, Antemortem Inspection, I observed the following noncompliance. While walking through the central alleyway I observed holding pen #19 to be overcrowded with market hogs, to the extent that numerous hogs were laying on top of each other with no visible floor space left in the pen. Hogs were not able to reach the water without walking on top of each other. I observed on the pen card that the hogs were received on 12/10/2021 at 10:13am. I also observed a few dead hogs in the pen. I requested Ms. REDACTED, Yards Supervisor to the pen and informed her of my observations and of the forthcoming noncompliance. The gate separating the two (2) halves of pen #19 was then opened to allow sufficient room for the hogs to lay down. The establishment provided verbal corrective actions on this issue. Ms. REDACTED informed me later that there were eleven (11) dead hogs in the pen. The establishment failed to meet the requirements of 9 CFR 313.2(e).