HK Cooperative, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)

313.1

On August 7, 2023, at approximately 0745, while conducting the Humane Handling task I, CSI REDACTED, made the following observation. While walking down the center aisle of the barn I observed a gate between pens 2 and 22 that had jagged rusty pipe as its frame. This gate was shown to plant Vice President Mr. REDACTED on Friday. Mr. REDACTED told SPHV Dr. REDACTED the gate would be fixed over the weekend. As this Noncompliance Record shows the gate did not get fixed over the weekend. The plant runs hogs down this aisle all day long passing the jagged rusty pipe. This is a potential cutting hazard for the hogs as they pass by. I took regulatory control action and place US Reject tag #B-45736677 on a rope across the aisle. I informed Barn Supervisor Mr. REDACTED the gate needed to be removed, replaced, or repaired before the aisle would be released. This is a failure to meet 9 CFR 313.1(a) and it the reason for this Noncompliance Record. Maintenance replaced the gate, and I removed the tag allowing the establishment to use the main aisle once again.

313.1,313.2

The evening of May 21, 2023, at approximately 2330 hrs., I, CSI REDACTED, while performing a routine Livestock-Humane Handling task in the facilities barn, found one hog running loose in the main aisleway. No representative of the establishment was in the barn at the time of my observation. Upon further inspection, the gate from the main aisle into Pen 11 was found unlatched and slightly open. Though the gate was unlatched and slightly ajar, it was unlikely that the animal could easily find its way back into the pen and back to the water trough if it so desired. The animal did appear to be in good health and willing to move without provocation. I immediately left the barn and notified QC REDACTED. Ms. REDACTED accompanied me to the barn at approximately 2345 hrs. and observed the hog loose in the aisle and the unlatched gate. The animal was placed back into Pen 11 and again had direct access to water. As Ms. REDACTED latched the gate closed behind the animal, she found that the gate latch only latches by catching on the I-beam and has no security latch to ensure the gate does not accidentally unlatch and open. Ms. REDACTED stated that she was going to get with maintenance to get the issue corrected so this issue does not happen again. In an attempt to find out just how long the animal could possibly have been in the aisle without access to water, I asked Ms. REDACTED if she knew when the last employee was in the barn. Ms. REDACTED was unsure. This issue was found on a Sunday evening with the last Harvest Floor production day having been Friday May 19, 2023. Under normal circumstances, animals are not held over the weekend and often times animals are unloaded Sunday afternoon for Monday’s production but, as of this time, according to Ms. REDACTED, it is unclear just how long it has been since an employee has been in the barn and thus just how long the animal could have been loose and without water. This finding is in violation of 9 CFR 313.1(a) and 313.2(e). A similar issue was documented on March 15, 2023, under NR#FYC5401034815N/1.

313.1

Today, May 16, 2023, while conducting my noon antemortem task I, REDACTED DVM SPHV, observed the scales extremely slippery with feces to the point that pigs were slipping while entering the scale area. SPHV Dr. REDACTED also witnessed this slipping. This is in violation of CFR9 313.1(b) – animals must be able to maintain good footing. I took regulatory action by tagging (NO. 736753) the scale and the dock at 12:20PM. I informed Supervisor REDACTED that I had done so. The tag was removed at 12:50PM when the area had been properly cleaned. This issue seems to be a reoccurring issue, MOIs have been written March 7, March 22, April 4, April 17 and April 24, 2023.

313.1

On April 4, 2023 at approximately 3PM while I, REDACTED, DVM, SPHV, was conducting my Humane handling task, specifically the observation for slips and falls portion, I observed 3 different pigs slip in the walkway while being driven into the chute. The pigs were being driven in too large of groups, being rushed and the surface was full of manure. This issue happened during the week of March 20th and I had the same discussion. I took regulation action and stopped the process – had the area recleaned before allowing the process to start again. The corrective action I was told that was going to occur is more hoses being added to the barn. This is a violation of CFR313.1(b) I notified Supervisor REDACTED of the issue.

313.1

On March 22, 2023 at 12:12PM during the observation for slips and falls portion of the Livestock Humane Handling Task, I, REDACTED, DVM, observed several pigs slipping during the walk up to the restrainer. I mentioned it to the plant employee REDACTED who was running the pigs his response was, Oh yes, I know they are, I am slipping.” This is in direct violation of CFR 9 313.1(b), where driveways are to be maintained so as to provide good footing for livestock. I immediately took regulatory action and stopped the stunning process at 12:12PM. I requested Barn Supervisor REDACTED to come to the area – we discussed the issue, and he immediately cleaned the affected area of manure. I released the rejected area at 12:22PM.

313.2

The morning of March 15, 2023, at approximately 0125 hrs., I, CSI REDACTED entered the barn through the barn office in order to perform a routine Livestock-Humane Handling task. As I exited the office into the barn area, five live hogs were found lying directly outside the barn office. The walkway gate to the unloading dock area was open but no gates were open to where the animals had access to water. I immediately notified QC REDACTED and asked him to come to the barn to observe the non-compliance. Mr. REDACTED, upon arrival, agreed with my findings and moved the animals to an empty pen that had a full water trough. While determining the course of action, US Reject/Retain tags were placed on both the entrance to the squeeze chute and the locked gates of the unloading dock. I informed Mr. REDACTED that an NR was being issued for my findings and that I would also be contacting my supervisor. This finding is in violation of 9 CFR 313.2.

313.1,313.2

HATS categories: Category I- Inclement Weather, Category IV- Antemortem Inspection, and Category VII- Slips and Falls. On December 26th at approximately 9:30, I SPHV Dr. REDACTED observed the following while performing a livestock humane handling task. As I entered the barn I noticed a big snow drift near the unloading dock and snow coming through the walls of pens 10 and H. All pens had about 3 inches of water, slush, urine, and feces in them. The aisle ways were a water and ice mixture and very slick as I was walking on them. I observed a handful of slips and falls as pigs were being moved around the pens and walked towards the knock box. Some hogs were observed slipping and falling and then just scooting the rest of the way as they could not get traction to stand. A number of hogs over multiple pens were observed to have frost bite on the sides of their hams and shoulders from where they were laying on the freezing ground. Immediate corrective actions of throwing salt in the aisle ways and moving pigs out of the snowy pens were taken. This is a failure of 9 CFR 313.2a and 313.1b. Vice President of Operations Mr. REDACTED was notified of the noncompliance.