White Oak Pastures: 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 White Oak Pastures slaughterhouse establishment in 2022.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2022.
313.2
At 0725 while performing antemortem inspection on bovine livestock, IPP observed in the following non-compliance. IPP observed no accessible water provided for livestock in the loading pen. The loading pen located where livestock is received after transport to the establishment had one water container with a float system. After further inspection by the IPP, IPP observed no water in the water container. IPP tagged the pen with U.S reject tag # 383483 and informed Mr. REDACTED HACCP Coordinator, of the non-compliance. Mr. REDACTED took immediate action turning the water on going to the water container and this provided accessible water for the livestock in the pen. I informed Dr. REDACTED PHV, of the non-compliance and the immediate corrective action the plant had taken, and he gave me the go ahead to allow the establishment to start the day. I removed the reject tag and the establishment began their production day in the slaughter room. Mr. REDACTED informed me that the employees that unloaded the livestock did not check to see if water was accessible and those employees will be made aware of the non-compliance. No product was adulterated.
313.15(b)(1)(iii),313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.15(a)(1),313.16(a)(1)
On Wednesday, June 1st, 2022 at approximately 1500 hours at White Oak Pastures Establishment 34729, IPP observed a humane handling non-compliance during routine slaughter of goats. 2 male intact goats with large horns were moved into the cattle-sized stunning area. IPP heard one distinct shot and then heard vocalization coming from one of the goats. The employee was seen on the catwalk leaning over into the stunning area. No employee was in the stunning area holding or restricting the goats’ movement. No head gate or smaller pen was utilized to restrict movement of the goats. IPP then saw the employee reload a firearm and take a second shot toward the goats in the stunning area. IPP heard vocalization coming from one of the goats. IPP then heard a third shot and heard additional vocalization from a goat. IPP then stepped onto the catwalk that is adjacent to the stunning box and saw 2 goats still standing with blood coming from each of their nostrils. The goats were still able to move about the box freely and were seen to move back and forth. IPP saw the employee load a captive bolt and take a poll shot on the first goat, successfully rendering the goat unconscious. IPP and the employee then stepped down off the catwalk and the door to the stunning box was raised to facilitate access to the remaining conscious goat. The employee used the captive bolt to render the second goat unconscious. U.S. Reject tag NO. B43 383298 was immediately placed on the stunning box and all slaughter operations were halted. These two goats were the last of the lot to be stunned for the day. Plant management was notified of the reject tag being placed. This non-compliance represents a violation of the CFR 313.15 (a) (1), (b) (1) (iii), (iv); 313.16 (a) (1), (b) (1) (iii). On postmortem examination it was noted that one goat skull had three distinct points of entry and the second goat skull had one distinct point entry.
313.15(a)(1)
On Monday, May 16th, 2022, at approximately 0955 hours at White Oak Pastures Establishment 34729, IPP observed a humane handling non-compliance during routine slaughter of cattle. A single bull was moved into the stunning area. The employee used a captive bolt to render the bull unconscious. The first blow to the head knocked the bull down to the ground. The stunner then opened the stun gate, after that the animal rolled out onto the kill floor. As the stunner was trying to place the chain around the back leg of the animal the bull half-way stood up on its front two legs and did not vocalize. The secondary (back-up) stunner took immediate effective corrective action by delivering a second knock with the captive bolt to the bull’s head and rendered it unconscious. U.S. Reject Tag # B43 383306 was placed on the stunning area, plant management was notified of the noncompliance and the Atlanta District Office (ADO) was notified. The establishment does maintain a Robust Systematic Approach (RSA) for humane handling of livestock which was effectively implemented. Postmortem inspection of the skinned head revealed that there were two distinct point of entry into the bull’s head. After discussion with ADO, it was determined that a Notice of Intended Enforcement (NOIE) would be issued and plant management was notified.
313.2
At approximately 7:35am on April 13th 2022, IIC was performing a Humane handling task on the animals presented for slaughter for that days slaughter, when the following non-compliance was observed. When you walk out to the pens, the very last pen, labeled as #6, was stocked with 6 cows presented for slaughter. When IIC reached that pen, it was observed that the 55 gallon barrel used to hold water for the animals was basically empty, with maybe an inch to two inches of water at the bottom of the barrel. This noncompliance was immediately brought to the attention of the HACCP coordinator Mr. REDACTED who took immediate action and filled the barrel with water. This noncompliance falls under regulation 313.2 (e) handling of livestock and states - Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens at all times, if held longer than 24 hours, they need access to feed. As immediate corrective action was taken no tag was applied, and the noncompliance was closed out.
313.15(a)(1)
On Monday, April 11th, 2022 at approximately 1530 hours at White Oak Pastures Establishment 34729, IPP observed a humane handling non-compliance during routine slaughter of cattle. One cow was moved into the stunning area. The employee used a captive bolt to attempt to render the cow unconscious. The first blow to the head knocked the cow down to the ground but failed to render it unconscious. The cow immediately stood back up and did not vocalize. The same employee took immediate corrective action by delivering a second blow with the captive bolt to the cow’s head and rendered it unconscious. Due to immediate corrective actions, no reject tag was placed on the stunning area and slaughter continued. This non-compliance violates CFR 313.15 (a) (1). On postmortem examination it was confirmed that there were two points of entry into the cow’s skull.
