Backroad Meats Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

At approximately 11:15 am, while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness, I observed the following noncompliance. Facility Manager REDACTED attempted to stun hog #8 using the handheld captive bolt stunner and the bolt failed to penetrate the skull of the animal. The animal remained standing and vocalized. REDACTED immediately applied corrective action by switching to a .22 caliber rifle and administered a shot that rendered the animal unconscious and insensible to pain. After they had effectively stunned the animal, I inspected the head for the initial attempt and found a depression in the center of the skull just above the stun from the rifle shot but it had not broken the skin. I then informed Facility Manager REDACTED of the forthcoming noncompliance. I was given a verbal response on how they would prevent reoccurrence in the future.

313.2

At 7am the 29th of August 2024 while performing ante-mortem inspection and HATS verification III. Water and Feed Availability for the 1 federally inspected animal (over 30-months, beef cow), I observed the following noncompliance: The animal had been picked up from the grower the previous evening and left on the trailer, which was parked on the official premises, for approximately 10 hours. No water was available for the animal, and no water bucket or water source was identified in the trailer after the animal was offloaded. Failure to provide access to water to livestock in holding pens is a noncompliance of 9CR 313.2(e). I notified REDACTED (facilities manager) of the noncompliance.

313.15(a)(1)

On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at approximately 0850, while observing HATS category VIII, the following noncompliance was observed. There was a small hog present inside the restraint. The hog was observed tossing its head and vocalizing numerous times, as there is no head restraint inside the chute. The employee waited until the animal was calmer to attempt the stun with a handheld captive bolt (HHCB). After the stun was performed, the animal remained conscious, vocalized, remained standing, and was breathing rhythmically. A small stream of blood was observed running down the left side of its head from a wound approximately two inches above the medial canthus of the left eye. The employee immediately reloaded the HHCB gun, and applied a second stun, which was effective in rendering the hog insensible. A verbal regulatory control action was taken, indicating that no additional stunning was to be performed until corrective actions were provided. Mr. REDACTED (Slaughter Supervisor) was notified of the forthcoming noncompliance. Verbal corrective actions were proffered, indicating that the cause of the ineffective stun was the animal moving its head around. Mr. REDACTED indicated that as a preventive measure, he would be implementing a manual form of restraint by means of holding hogs against the side of the restraint, to lessen their ability to move. Once the verbal preventive measures were provided, the verbal regulatory control action was released. The establishment was not in compliance with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1).