Ganaderos Borges Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Humane Handling; 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, I, CSI-IIC REDACTED was performing the Humane Handling verification activities as part of the establishment Humane Handling Verification Plan. While reviewing the Stunning Monitoring Report, I observed that one of the hourly data was taken by the Quality Control official at 0938 hours. I was at the stunning area from approximately 0935 hours to 0945 hours, and I did not observe Quality Control personnel in this area at that specific time. As part of the establishment’s proposed corrective actions and preventive measures proffered in response to the Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance (NOSHA) issued on March 18, 2024, Quality Control personnel will be monitoring stunning effectiveness once an hour (+/- 15 minutes) and will document the results of their observations on the Stunning Monitoring Report. The Quality Control Manager was verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.2

9 CFR 313.2 (a), 313.2 (b) and 313.2 (c) - Handling of livestock. On Thursday, July 25, 2024, at approximately 10:30 am, at establishment #M32170, I was performing Humane Handling verification activities at the stunning area. Through the animal’s entrance door from the pens area, I observed an employee using a pointed object, broken knife, on a cow’s hip (ID #055) to force it move. Using the knife, the employe was prodding multiple times the cow’s hip, causing discomfort to the animal, which started kicking. The knife had a yellow handle, and the blade area was approximately 1 inch long (it was broken, and part of the blade was missing). Plant Supervisor was in the area when this event was happening. The Quality Control Manager and the Plant Supervisor were verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.2

HATS Category VII - Slips and Falls; 9 CFR 313.2 (a) and 313.2 (b) - Handling of livestock. On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at approximately 9:00am, at establishment M32170, I was walking through the holding pens area, and I observed one of the employees was trying to segregate a group of cattle. The animals were excited while walking. The employee had a wooden stick of approximately 3 feet long (similar to a broom stick) and he was making movements with it and making sounds with his voice to force livestock to move faster than a normal walking speed. Livestock were slipping and almost running along the main hallway, from Pen #5 to Pen #12. Using the wooden stick, the employee hit a cattle (Dairy Cow) three times. At the third time he hit the cow on the column so hard that he broke the stick. The Quality Control Manager and the Plant Supervisor were verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Humane Handling; 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, SPHV and I, CSI REDACTED were performing the Humane Handling verification activities as part of the establishment Humane Handling Verification Plan. While reviewing the Stunning Monitoring Report, I observed that one of the hourly data was taken by the Quality Control official at 11:21 hours. SPHV and I were at the stunning area from approximately 10:30 to 11:26 hours (until the last animal was slaughtered before the 11:30 hours lunch break) and none of us observed Quality Control personnel in this area at that specific time. As part of the establishment’s proposed corrective actions and preventive measures proffered in response to the Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance (NOSHA) issued on March 18, 2024, Quality Control personnel will be monitoring stunning effectiveness once an hour (+/- 15 minutes) and will document the results of their observations on the Stunning Monitoring Report. The Quality Control Manager was verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Humane Handling; 9CFR 313.15(a)(1). On Monday, June 3rd, 2024, at approximately 8:54 am while performing Humane Handling verification activities, I observed that the document “Stunning Monitoring Report” of this day has no data documented on it. The slaughter process started at 7:34 am and this record shall be documented once an hour +/- 15 minutes. The Quality Control Manager was verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII Humane Handling; 9CFR 313.15(a)(1). On Wednesday, May 29, 2024, while verifying the Humane Handling records, I observed that the document "Stunning Monitoring Report" of May 28, 2024, was not monitored at the established frequency. According to the corrective actions and preventive measures provided under the Notice of Suspension Held in Abeyance, the quality control personnel shall monitor the stunning effectiveness once an hour +/- 15 minutes, and during this day, this activity was monitored every two (2) hours +/- 15 minutes. The Quality Control Manager was verbally informed about this noncompliance (NR).

313.15(a)(1)

On May 13, 2024, at approximately 7:45 am while performing humane handling verification activities Inspection Program Personnel (IPP) observed the following humane handling incident: an employee placed two (2) sheep in the knock box and stunned both sheep with a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB). When the employee opened the knock box one (1) of the sheep stood up, looked around the area while bleeding from the head. The employee then verified the eye reflexes and the animal reacted. The stunner retrieved the HHCB and stunned the sheep a second time which effectively rendered it unconscious. The knock box was tagged with U.S. Reject Tag: B-45642517. The establishment was currently operating under a Notice of Deferral (NOD) which was issued on April 12, 2024, due to a humane handling incident. This does not comply with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). The Quality Control personnel was verbally informed about this non-compliance (NR). This NR is linked to NR #FNL3810050201N and NR #FNL0712053803N.

313.15(a)(3),313.15(a)(1),313.15 (b)(1)(ii)

HATS category VIII Humane handling; 9 CFR 313.15 (a)(1). On Thursday, May 2, 2024, at approximately 10:45 am hours; while CSI REDACTED was performing Humane Handling Task in the slaughter area at establishment #M32170, Ganaderos Borges, observed the following non-compliance: Today Thursday, May 2, 2024, while performing Humane Handling verification activities CSI REDACTED observed the employee in charge of the stunning applied a first stunning attempt to the animal with ID #075 (Bull) using the pneumatic stunner. CSI REDACTED observed that the employee did not open the knocking box, and the animal did not fall on the dry landing area. The employee continued trying to find the brain target area, and CSI REDACTED observed when he applied a second stunning attempt, approximately 30 seconds after the first attempt. After this second attempt, CSI REDACTED observed that the employee took the stunner standard bolt (REDACTED) and applied a third stunning to the animal. Once he verified that it was effective, he opened the knocking box, and the animal fell on the dry landing area. The employee informed that when he applied the first stunning attempt, he saw that it was not effective and applied it a second time. As he observed that it was not effective, he realized that the air compressor that operates the equipment was not working and, on this occasion, he took the stunner standard bolt (REDACTED) and applied the third stunning attempt in the same place where he applied the second one. The Maintenance Department explained that it was a mechanic problem with the air compressor and that was the reason the pneumatic gun was not working properly. Establishment personnel were notified about the noncompliance to implement appropriate corrective actions. Failure to comply with regulatory requirements could result in additional regulatory or administrative action.

313.15(a)(1)

On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at approximately 10:49 am, while performing Humane Handling verification activities, I observed the employee in charge of the stunning applied a first stun to the animal with ID #074 (cattle). The employee observed that this first stun attempt was not effective, and the employee immediately and effectively renders the animal unconscious on the second attempt. I observed the head of the unconscious animal, and the first stun attempt was applied to the right area of the brain target area, and the second attempt was applied to the center of the head, which is the brain target area. This does not comply with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). The Quality Control personnel was verbally informed about this non-compliance (NR).

313.2

On March 26, 2024, at approximately 1430 hours, while performing humane handling verification activities the Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV) observed the following humane handling noncompliance at Est. M32170: An establishment employee was striking and poking an excited, stressed, and difficult to handle bull with an electric prod. The bull was very excited, was squealing, bellowing and raising to the top of the knocking box trying to get out of the box. The employee struck the bull in a fast, continuous manner, more than six times and we could hear the buzzing sound of the electric prod every time the prod contacted the bull. The points of contact include the right cheek, the right eyelids, the right side of the mouth and muzzle, the right ear and the top of the head. Other establishment employees from adjacent working stations were yelling at him to try to get him to stop. No supervisors were observed in the area during the incident. US Rejected Tag # B43276648 was applied to the knocking box and plant management was verbally notified of the noncompliance. The incident represents a violation of 9 CFR 313.2(b). This document serves as written notification that your failure to comply with regulatory requirements could result in additional regulatory or administrative actions.

313.2(f),313.15(a)(3),313.15(a)(1)

Today at 1545 hours, during pork slaughter operations, while performing Humane handling the following non-compliances were observed: 1. Multiple animals with excessive kicking or padding movements immediately after stunning and show signs of trying to stand up. 2. Multiple animals show regular rhythmic breathing movements after stunning. 3. The plant employee does not check eye reflexes and eye blinking in response to touch. The establishment does not follow the Humane Handling and Slaughter Protocol as written. Mr. REDACTED, QC Manager notified about non compliances. Failure to comply with the above mentioned non compliances could result in additional regulatory actions

313.1

Today, February 21, 2024, at 0700 hours a Humane Handling Verification visit at E32170 Ganaderos Borges Inc. was scheduled, as per Agency requirements. The Humane Handling Verification visit was performed by Dr. REDACTED, DVM-SPHV. While performing PHIS Task – Livestock Humane Handling (Review and Observation) during Antemortem Inspection, the following was observed at the pen’s facilities: 1. Pen #20 – No sign with number ID 2. Outside Scale – Steel frame with significant rust and sharp edges. Steel beam approximately 3’-4’ feet tall. 3. Pen #8 and #9 – Missing divider steel tube between the two pens. Animals can cross from pens. No sharp edges felt. 4. Pen #16 – One missing floor drain in which animals’ legs can get stuck. 5. Stunning Box - Overhead frame of the box (close to electric pipes) with significant rust and sharp edges. Need to be repair or replaced. This is considered a HATS Category IV – Handling During Ante-Mortem Inspection. This is a noncompliance with 9 CFR Regulation 313.1(a) that states “Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good repair. They shall be free from sharp or protruding objects which may, in the opinion of the inspector, cause injury or pain to the animals. Loose boards, splintered or broken planking, and unnecessary openings where the head, feet, or legs of an animal may be injured shall be repaired.” Failure to comply with regulatory requirements could result in additional regulatory or administrative action.

313.2(f)

Today 10/16/2023 while performing record review with CSI REDACTED, at approximately 1400 hours, the following noncompliance was observed: The "CORRECT STUNNING MONITORING REPORT" indicates that a change in slaughter species occurred. The change of species was from cattle to pork, the record was filled out without the swine specie being stunned at the kill floor. All the record entries were filled/completed, for example: back and head are hanging without reflexes that column was mark as "Yes" without the pork carcasses presented on the slaughter line. The time column was empty/blank, not completed, and without the pork being stunned. Mr. REDACTED was notified about the recordkeeping finding. This is a noncompliance with regulatory requirements of 9CFR 313.30 Recordkeeping component, Failure to comply with regulatory requirements could result in additional regulatory or administrative action.