Sturgis Meats 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 Sturgis Meats LLC slaughterhouse establishment in 2023.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2023.
313.15(a)(1),313.16(a)(1)
HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness, 9CFR313.16(a)(1) and 9CFR313.15(a)(1). At approximately 7:55am on Thursday, February 2, 2023, while on the slaughter floor, IPP observed a plant employee stunning a market hog. The hog was standing in the stunning area approximately 5 x 5 feet without restraint. The stun operator used a .22 Mag rifle. Immediately after the first ineffective stun attempt, the hog remained standing and squealed very loudly. A second ineffective stun attempt with a hand-held captive bolt was used. The hog remained standing after the 2nd stun and squealed. The hog tried to run out of the knocking area. A third effective stun was attempted with the same hand-held captive bolt device which rendered the hog unconscious. IPP took regulatory control action by placing a US Reject Tag (B43051627) on the stun box. The slaughter supervisory was verbally notified a noncompliance record would be documented. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. The establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to humane handling of livestock. A review of PHIS did not identify any previous noncompliance’s with a similar root cause.
313.16(a)(1)
HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness, 9CFR313.16(a)(1) At approximately 8:30am on Monday, January 9, 2023, while on the slaughter floor, IPP observed a plant employee stunning a market hog. The hog was standing in the stunning area that is approximately 2 x 5 feet. The stun operator used a 22 hollow point firearm for the first stun attempt. The hog remained standing and squealed twice. The stun operator readily retrieved the back-up hand-held captive bolt device and rendered the hog unconscious on the second stun attempt. IPP took regulatory control action by placing a US Reject Tag (A5387474) on the stun box. The slaughter supervisory was verbally notified a noncompliance record would be documented. Upon inspection of the dressed head, both stun applications were within the target zone, but only one stun application fully penetrated the skull. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. The establishment has not 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.
