North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.16(a)(3),313.16(b)(1)(iii)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On 8/16/2022, at approximately 1010 hours, while verifying stunning effectiveness, the CSI observed an ineffective stun on a hog while inspecting Est 46010. IPP observed a hog in an open pen, not constrained in a squeeze chute, stunned with a .22 magnum rifle. The first stun attempt appeared to make contact with the hog in the proper location, there was a small amount of blood present on the forehead of the animal but none from the nose. IPP observed the hog stumble, vocalize but remain standing. The hog walked around the pen until a second stun attempt with the .22 magnum rifle could be applied. IPP observed the hog collapse to the ground and the stun operator checked its eyes to confirm no reaction or movement. The stun operator applied two more security stuns with the same firearm. IPP called the FLS to confirm the incident. The stun box was tagged with USDA Retain/Reject (Tag #B39028484). IPP verbally notified the establishment management of the noncompliance. The Denver District Office was notified through supervisory channels. The dressed head was inspected. IPP observed a penetrating stun hole in the center of the forehead and another behind the left ear, but not the two security stuns which were placed on the right side of the skull. This noncompliance is being associated with NR #IGN5710065910N / 2 issued on 6/9/2022 for same root cause. This establishment is operating within the abeyance period for a Notice of Suspension issued on 6/9/2022.

313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(1)(iii)

At approximately 1:35pm at Est. M42010 located at the 27444 Burmaster Road Sedro Wooley site, the fourth animal to be slaughter, a market hog, was moved into an approximately 10ftx10ft pen. The animal was not restrained. A mobile slaughter unit employee, went to stun the animal with a hand-held captive bolt device (HHCBD). The first stun attempt with the HHCBD did not render the hog unconscious. I observed the hog to remain standing, vocalized and proceeded to move around the pen. Another employee readily grabbed the backup captive bolt device, located approximately 5 yards away on the other side of the wall and handed the device to the stun operator. The hog continued to run around the pen in which the stun operator attempted to move it into a corner of the pen. Once the animal became stationary, the stun operator applied a second captive bolt stun, which was which was also ineffective. I visualized two holes located approximately 1 inch above the eyes in the center of the head. At this time the stun operator asked USDA personnel what to do, and left the pen to reload the HHCB. The hog escaped the pen while the stun operator was trying to leave the pen. At this time, the pig was moving quickly in a circle in a stressed manner in the driveway adjacent to the pen. Establishment President and USDA personnel offered an alternative stunning method of the .22 rifle, to which the stun operator declined. The stun operator reloaded the HHCB. The stun operator then moved the pig back into the pen and applied a third stunning attempt, which did not render the hog unconscious. The hog vocalized, remained stationary and urinated. The Establishment President handed the stun operator the .22 rifle. The stun operator then attempted a 4th stun attempt in which the rifle was not loaded. Another employee grabs ammunition, located approximately 5 yards away from the pen, and handed it to the stun operator. The stun operator loaded the rifle and placed it within inches of the head of the hog, and applied a 4th stun attempt, which rendered the animal unconscious. I, the CSI, verified that the animal was rendered unconscious and then immediately called my SPHV supervisor. Regulatory control was taken by applying US Reject Tag B39028462 to the stunning box at 1:42pm. The Denver District Management Team was contacted via supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days.