The Pork Company: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2023 (USDA)

313.30(a)(1)

At approximately 1012 hours while performing the Livestock Humane Handling task (HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness), Dr. REDACTED, (DMVS) and I (REDACTED, SPHV), observed the following humane handling noncompliance. An establishment employee failed to render a market hog unconscious. After the employee attempted to stun the hog using an electrical stunning device and before being placed on the shackle, the hog began showing signs of consciousness, as observed by tracking eye movement. After observing the hog’s eyes, it was determined they were still moving, the hog was still conscious. The stun operator took immediate control of the situation and used a hand-held captive bolt gun to render the animal unconscious. The animal was then immediately shackled, stuck, and bled. After minimum movement and excitement, the animal’s eyes and corneal reflex were checked and it was determined, hog was rendered effectively unconscious. Mr. REDACTED, establishment plant manager, was notified of the establishments failure to comply with 9 CFR 313.30(a)(1). The corrective action of the ineffective stunning was immediate and effective. No other animals were ineffectively stunned during the remainder of the observation.

313.2

At approximately 0906 hours on November 14, 2022, while performing a Human Handling Task I observed the following non-compliance at The Establishment’s Barn: While signing the last pin card, an employee aggressively closed a metal gate on a hog. The metal gate, that leads to the stunning alley, was closed on the hog mid-rib, causing the hog to screech of discomfort. I did not observe an open wound or the hog to walk differently. A small group pf hogs were being walked to the Stunning Gate and this hog walk alongside with them with little to no discomfort. I immediately notified my supervisor, SPHV REDACTED and Production Supervisor, REDACTED of my concerns and I stopped the stunning process with the US Reject Tag No. B34 721041. The establishment was not in compliance with 313.2- Handling of Livestock. Corrective Action: Employee was immediately fired. Preventative Measures: Never re-hire this person for “The Pork Company”. I relinquished Regulatory Control at approximately 0920 hours.

313.30(a)(4),313.30(a)(3)

On 10/14/22 at approximately 16:20 I (REDACTED, DVM SVMO) while performing HATS Humane Handling Categories VIII Stunning Effectiveness and IX Consciousness on the Rail, I observed the following egregious humane handling noncompliance. I observed a hog that had emerged from the electrical stunner lying on its side on the shackling area picking its head up, looking around, with its mouth open and breathing rhythmically. A production employee captive bolted the hog in its forehead region. The hog was shackled and hoisted but continued to try to right itself in the shackle and was looking around, tracking its surroundings and so the production associate captive bolted the hog a second time. The kill line was advanced a few feet and the hog, shackled and hoisted, continued to try to right itself in the shackle and continued to visually track its surroundings. Both a production lead and I checked for palpebral response which it also strongly exhibited, still obviously looking around and visually tracking us, trying to pull its head away when I held its ear and approached with my hand to perform a palpebral response test. The hog continued to attempt to right itself. A production lead came over with another captive bolt gun, again applying it to the forehead. After this fourth stun attempt, the hog lost consciousness. The hog was then stuck and bled out and died. I immediately notified Mr. REDACTED, Plant Manager, of the noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.30(a)(3) immediate insensibility and 9 CFR 313.30(a)(4). This establishment is currently under a Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance due to prior Humane Handling noncompliance and under a verification plan. I took regulatory control by placing US Reject Tag # B-45133590 on the gate and alleyway in the barn which leads to the stunner. Corrective actions and preventive measures will be forthcoming. Frontline Supervisor REDACTED and Raleigh District Veterinary Medical Specialist Dr. REDACTED were notified of the noncompliance, and Dr. REDACTED advised that the suspension was now reinstated. This noncompliance has been associated with KVC0609103711N/1 on 10/11/22 where a hog was not rendered unconscious via captive bolt on the initial stun attempt.

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

At approximately 09:25 hours, while performing HATS Category VIII - Stunning Effectiveness, I observed the following non-compliance in the front pen of the barn. I observed two slow moving market hogs being held in the front pen. The remainder of the hogs that were held in this pen had been driven to slaughter after ante-mortem inspection. The establishment elected to humanely euthanize the two hogs via captive bolt. The first hog was stunned with a captive bolt and was immediately rendered unconscious. The establishment employee then attempted to apply a captive bolt blow to the second hog. During the first application, the gun fired making contact with the animal but did not render the animal unconscious—the animal appeared confused and moved it’s head from side to side after the first application. The gun made a proper sound when fired and placement of the gun appeared appropriate. The establishment employee then immediately grabbed the back-up captive bolt gun and was able to render the animal unconscious on the second application. Maintenance was observing the stunning procedure at this time and immediately began disassembling the captive bolt gun that was used during the first application. Maintenance stated that they had not found any abnormalities to the gun and cited that the cause of the ineffective application was a result of a defective bullet. I then reviewed captive bolt check records for that day that reflected all checks for the day (05:00 hours, 07:00 hours, and 08:00 hours) recorded as ‘Acceptable’. Mr. REDACTED, Plant Manager, was present during the stunning procedure and was notified of the establishment’s failure to comply with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) and 313.15(b)(1)(i). This NR is being linked to NR#KVC2709071627N documented on 07/27/2022 for failure to render an animal unconscious via captive bolt.