Alsager Meats: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)
See the detail of the non-compliance of humane livestock handling that the USDA observed at the Alsager Meats slaughterhouse establishment in 2023.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2023.
313.16(a)(1),313.15(a)(1)
On 07/24/2023 while observing a routine humane handling verification task, HATS task VIII Stunning Effectiveness, the following noncompliance was found. The first beef heifer of the day was brought in the establishment restrainer at 1335 hours and the handheld captive bolt (HHCB) was used to apply the initial stun. When the stun was applied with the handheld captive bolt the animal dropped to a sternal position but remained conscious. The beef struggled against the retainer, pulling back against the head restrainer with all four legs. A second stun was immediately applied with a .22 magnum rifle, and after the stun was applied the animal remained conscious. The cow’s eyes were blinking regularly without applying stimulation, the nostrils were flaring with repetitive breaths, When IPP approached the animal there was tracking eye movement, and the cow was standing on its rear legs. A third shot was applied with the same .22 magnum rifle and rendered the animal unconscious. The cow dropped, the cow’s eyes rolled back, and the eye closed weakly when stimulated. A fourth stun was applied with the same .22 magnum rifle for security. IPP later inspected the skinned skull. The larger diameter HHCB stunning wound was 1.5 inches above a line between the eyes and 1 inch right of midline. This wound channel angled into the sinus cavity, but missed the brain cavity off to the right. There were two .22 caliber sized holes in the skull. One hole was left of midline by two inches and was 1.5 inches lower than the HHCB stunning wound. A second hole was three inches above the previously described .22 caliber sized hole, left of midline by a similar distance. After observing this noncompliance, IPP contacted the district office through supervisory channels for guidance and notified establishment Plant manager REDACTED was informed of the noncompliance. Due to a delay in communication IPP placed USDA reject tag # B37525924 to the restrainer at the end of the slaughter shift.
