Modern Heritage Wholesome Foods, LLC: 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 Modern Heritage Wholesome Foods, LLC slaughterhouse establishment in 2023.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2023.
313.15(a)(1)
On 09/07/2023 at approximately 1340 hours I, SPHV REDACTED, observed the following humane handling noncompliance while observing the establishment’s stunning procedures: An establishment employee attempted to stun a cow with a captive bolt gun. The captive bolt discharged and I observed that the cow remained standing and alert; the cow had tracking eye movements and backed away from where the establishment employee was standing. The employee took immediate effective corrective actions and stunned the cow via firearm; the cow dropped to the ground, had no tracking eye movements, righting reflex, vocalization, etc. The animal was then immediately bled by another employee. I examined the head on postmortem. I observed two circular depressions in the skin - one larger and one smaller - on the forehead. When the head was skinned, I observed one small circular hole in the middle of the forehead, and one larger hole towards the left side of the animal’s forehead above the eyes. The establishment does not have a robust, systematic approach to humane handling. Plant Owner REDACTED was notified of the incident.
313.15(a)(1)
On 6/21/23 at approximately 11:40 a.m., while verifying the establishment’s stunning procedures, I, SPHV REDACTED, observed the following noncompliance: An establishment employee attempted to stun a bull with a captive bolt gun. The captive bolt discharged and I observed the bull still standing. The bull was looking at the establishment employees through a hole in the knock box. The backup captive bolt was quickly used to attempt to stun the bull again. It discharged, but the animal still remained conscious, standing in the knockbox. The two captive bolt guns were alternated with a total of five attempt to stun the bull. After these attempts were ineffective, the establishment employee used a 9 mm pistol to shoot the bull. After the shot, the bull dropped to the ground, had no eye movement, and was not rhythmically breathing. It was immediately bled by another employee. U.S. Rejected Tag No. B40476170 was applied to the knockbox. I examined the head after the bull was bled out. I observed four circular depressions in the skin around the middle of the forehead above the eyes. When the head was skinned, I observed two small, circular holes and one large hole in the middle of the forehead where the skull was penetrated. I also observed a semicircular hole at the bottom of the larger hole that was the fourth point of penetration. The establishment does not have a robust, systematic approach to humane handling. Plant Owner REDACTED was notified of the incident.
