The Pork Company: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

On July 27, 2022, at approximately 0835 I was performing a humane handling task (HATS category II, Truck Unloading) at the establishment’s live receiving barns.  A pig was having difficulty walking off the ramp and was moved to an enclosure near the entrance to the barn.  A few minutes later, a plant employee came and using a captive bolt stunner from a box affixed to the wall of the enclosure, he applied the captive bolt to the head of the animal and activated the captive bolt.  I heard the captive bolt go off.  The animal did not drop immediately as is normal but stood up and walked purposely several feet where he stood and looked in my direction.  I could see the hole in the forehead of the animal made by the captive bolt.  The employee turned and walked away and did not render an immediate corrective action.  I asked him where he was going, and he said something about getting another captive bolt.  I stayed with the animal who turned his head to the left and right and walk a few more feet into an alleyway before eventually sitting down on his hindquarters.  The original employee returned with another employee who, after testing the captive bolt instrument he had brought from another location, applied the captive bolt to the pig and restunned the animal, rendering it unconscious.  I was told by the second employee that the first captive bolt was defective and would be repaired.  I applied U.S. Reject tag No. B34722948 to the first captive bolt stunner. At approximately 0855 I notified Mr. REDACTED, Plant Manager, that I was taking regulatory action to the electrical stunning equipment due to an egregious humane handling noncompliance.  The establishment failed to rendered the animal immediately unconscious when stunning and did not institute an immediate corrective action.  I applied U.S Retain tag No. B34722943 to the electrical stunning equipment used for general stunning inside the facility.

313.30(a)(3),313.30(a)(4)

On 05/11/2022, at approximately 09:05 hours, while performing a Livestock Humane Handling task, HATS category IX Checking for Consciousness on the Rail, at the mid-way point of when the animal is stuck for bleeding and where the animal enters the scalder of the M20608 establishment, I observed the following non-compliance. I observed one market hog displaying controlled movements in it’s front and hind limbs, in an attempt to position itself upright, as the animal was hanging upside down by one hind leg on the bleed rail. The hog was also blowing out and taking air in loudly, which was demonstrated by abdominal and thoracic movements. I then conducted a menace response test to which the animal responded to by blinking. The animal then blinked, independently, for a second time after the menace response test had ceased. I then determined that the animal was conscious on the rail. I then immediately notified the establishment employee who conducts the jugular sticking. The establishment employee then immediately walked over and applied one application of a captive bolt to the conscious hog. I then confirmed that the animal was rendered unconscious. Production supervisor, REDACTED, was then notified of the establishment’s noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.30(b) and 9 CFR 313.30(c) and that regulatory control would be taken on the electrical stunner. At approximately 09:07 hours, I took regulatory control of the establishment’s electrical stunner by applying U.S. Retained tag #B40487523. The establishment provided corrective actions, stating that, after evaluating the stunning process, the electrical stunning settings were correct and that the bleeder may have missed sticking the animal appropriately. The establishment stated that an additional establishment associate would monitor the bleed rail to ensure that all animals are properly stunned to increase monitoring of the operation. The noncompliance was then referred to the Raleigh District Office for further review and appropriate action.

313.2

On October 18, 2021 at 1130 hours, I was on my lunch break in the USDA office when I heard continuous, loud vocalization from the live animal unloading area across the parking area. I got on my coat and helmet and went across to the trailer being unloaded to verify HATS Category II, Truck Unloading. I observed an employee on the lower level of the trailer using an electrical prod (hot stick) on each pig in successive order. Each animal immediately squealed when touched and struggled to get away. The employee did not wait for the animals to move towards the exit door of the truck, which was blocked by other pigs, but continued immediately onto the next animal. In his other hand the employee had a shaker paddle which he was not using. He did not have a sorting board. The behavior exhibited by the employee was not consistent with the wording of the establishment’s animal welfare program. I immediately went to the only other employee present, who was at the end of the truck ramp applying tattoo marks to the pigs. I told him that the employee was using an electrical prod on the animals. He got the employee’s attention on the truck and also observed the electrical prod in his hand. I stopped the truck unloading with the door to the remaining approximatly 35 animals on the truck closed and asked to speak to a supervisor. The employee doing the tattooing stated he was a supervisor. He informed me that he would notify the plant manager. I spoke to Plant Manager REDACTED shortly afterwards who told me that the employee moving the animals on the truck worked in another area and volunteered to move the animals because of short staffing. He stated that the employee would no longer be allowed to work with the live animals. I released regulatory control at 1210 and observed the truck being unloaded of the remaining animals.