Texas Natural Meats: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(1)(iii)

HATS Category VIII (Stunning Effectiveness) At approximately 1210 hours I was observing an employee stunning with a captive bolt a steer from the final rail area with is few meters away from the knock box but with a clear sight of it, the animal on the first shot started vocalizing and the head was still up, at approximately 1211 hours a second shot was applied and the animal kept moving and vocalizing and kicking against the cage floor, a third shot was applied seconds later until the animal was rendered unconscious at approximately 1211 hours. I immediately rejected the knock box with U.S Reject Tag B41954882 and explained the plant employee he couldn’t stop killing until I received instructions from my chain of command. Mr. REDACTED (owner) was immediately informed of my actions and the incoming non compliance. This Non compliance is being associated with NR # NMV0908072411 issued on July 11 for the same cause

313.15(a)(1),313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII (Stunning Effectiveness) At approximately 0740 hours I was observing the knocking of a domestic hog from the final rail area which a few meters away from the knock box but had a clear sight of it. The employee used the captive bolt followed by a security knock which is used as a regular practice to render the animal unconscious. However the hog was still conscious (standing, vocalized a little bit). The employee then proceeded to use the gunshot (rifle) which was available for immediate use I was still standing in the final rail area at this time. The hog still remained conscious, alert, vocalized, shaked and moved around few times. I then moved into hallway that is directly in front of the knock box to observe what was going on and was able to see everything through the open space of door frame. After the second gunshot the hog was still vocalizing, shaking and conscious, it wasn’t until the third gunshot shot at (0744 hours approximately) that the plant employee was able to render the hog unconscious. Immediately I told the employee to stop knocking until I got a hold of REDACTED (Plant Manager) and told her of my observations and the establishment was suspended until they can provide a corrective action. I have the chute box rejected and the employees are aware of that. I rejected the knock box with U. S Reject B41954895. The plant has a robust system and previously a Humane Handling NR was issued on April 5 for HATS Category VIII.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII (Stunning Effectiveness) At approximately 0806 hours while waiting for a plant employee to handle a domestic hog in order to conduct a Zero Tolerance inspection task at the final rail, I, CSI REDACTED, observed plant employee REDACTED in the process to knock one of the scheduled hogs, immediately after that I heard the first shot, another shot was fired within seconds which I interpreted as a security knock and closed to a minute after the second shot I heard a third shot all of them with the captive bolt. I thought the employee misfired or had a malfunction from the captive bolt due to the hog small vocalization and not screaming, I waited until the head was presented to me to ensure it was not a malfunction. After inspecting the lymph nodes as part of my procedures I took the head, rinsed it with a garden hose, placed on the standing rail and looked at the shots, I was able to observe three shots were made with two of them next to each other, with the other one right below the two, using my little finger I inserted it to corroborate if there was any malfunction and in all of the holes the finger went thru, shortly after that I went to review the establishment Robust System to assess the situation. I visited with Ms. REDACTED (Plant Manager) and showed my observations and the notification of a forthcoming noncompliance due to the establishment not having the .22 caliber rifle as stated in their Robust System. Due to the hog was not screaming and not observing any other inhumane issue I allowed the establishment keep slaughtering the remaining hogs for the day.