Producers Partnership: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(2)(i)

HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On 05/03/23, at approximately 1310 hours, while performing slaughter activities, I observed the following HATS Stunning Effectiveness noncompliance: While the plant was performing the stunning of a swine sow, the plant’s primary stunner at the stun box attempted the first stun with a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device, which was ineffective. The sow remained standing, had no vocalization, and the eyelids were closed. The stun operator applied an immediate second stun with the readily available backup 410 firearm, which rendered the sow unconscious. The animal remained unconscious throughout the shackling, hoisting, and bleeding process. I did not take a regulatory control action due to the plant’s observed immediate and effective corrective actions. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days. I notified the plant manager verbally of the noncompliance. I notified the plant owner and the plant manager in writing with the issuance of this Noncompliance Record.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII - Stunning Effectiveness On 04/5/23, at approximately 09:05 hours I, while performing a HATS Stunning Effectiveness procedure, observed the following noncompliance: While observing the plant performing the stunning of a beef, the plant had the primary stunner at the stun box with the stunner trainee stunning the beef. The first stun attempt with a pump 12-gauge shotgun was ineffective, about 1.5 to 2 inches low and about a 1inch to the right. The Beef was restrained in the stun box and in the head catch. The beef remained standing and pulled back and up after the initial stun attempt and locked up against the head catch; then the primary stun operator applied an immediate second stun attempt with the shotgun, which rendered the beef unconscious. The animal remained unconscious throughout the shackling, hoisting, and bleeding process. I tagged up the stun box with U.S. Rejected tag# B-46 511507 after ensuring that the beef was not showing signs of returning to consciousness. The Denver DVMS and District Management Team were notified of the incident through supervisory channels. After a supervisory conversation with the DVMS, the US Reject tag was removed and slaughter operations resumed. I notified the Plant Manager verbally and in writing with the issuance of this Noncompliance. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days. The establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.