Big Sky Processing, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)

313.30(a)(3)

HATS Category VII: Stunning Effectiveness, 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1) On May 22nd at approximately 1550 hour while on the slaughter floor IPP observed a plant employee stunning an adult hog. The hog was standing in the stunning area. The plant employee stun operator used a 22-caliber long rifle for the first ineffective stun attempt, the hog remained standing and did not vocalize. The plant employee immediately applied a second ineffective stun attempt with the same firearm, the hog remained standing without vocalizing. The plant employee vacated the stunning area to get a 410-caliber shotgun and applied a third effective stun attempt which time the hog went down unconscious with no movement or vocalization. I verbally informed the plant Owner that I would be taking regulatory control action applying a USDA tag B 25 219780 to the stun box and issuing a noncompliance record. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. The establishment has implemented a robust systematic approach to humane handling of livestock. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days.

313.2

Humane Handling Task, HATS Task Category III, Water and Feed Availability On December 5, 2022, at approximately 1330 hours while performing a humane handling task, Inspection Personnel conducted a review of the livestock in the holding pen. While observing the 15 lambs that had been delivered, I observed there were no access to water in the holding pen. Although there was a heated bucked in the pen it was not plugged in nor thawed. IPP notified the HACCP Coordinator, and she immediately instructed an employee to provide water to the lambs. The employee provided water to the animals at approximately 1430 hours; therefore, a regulatory control action was not taken due to direct observation of immediate corrective action. I verbally informed the HACCP Coordinator that I would be documenting this noncompliance. This nr is being linked to another nr within the last 90 days and with same root cause. The Denver DVMS were provided a record of this event.

313.2

Humane Handling Task, HATS Task Category III: Water and Feed Availability On November 16, 2022, at approximately 0830 hours while performing a humane handling task, Inspection Personal conducted a review of the livestock in the holding pen. While observing the 1 bull presented for slaughter, I observed there was no access to water in the holding pen. IPP notified the HACCP Coordinator, and she immediately instructed an employee to provide water to the bull. The employee provided water to the animal at approximately 0900 hours; therefore, a regulatory control action was not taken due to direct observation of immediate corrective action. I verbally informed the HACCP Coordinator that I would be documenting this noncompliance. There have been no noncompliance records issued in the past 90 days for the same root cause. The Denver DVMS were provided a record of this event.