Gentle Harvest: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

On 9/6/2024 at approximately 1000 hours I (CSI REDACTED observed the following noncompliance with HATS Category VIII - Stunning Effectiveness. A black colored steer was loaded into the knock box to be stunned, after briefly fighting once it was in the head catch, the animal laid down on the floor. REDACTED (Establishment Employee/Shooter) lined up a REDACTED .25 caliber cylindrical captive bolt pistol and attempted a shot. When Mr. REDACTED placed the end of the pistol against the animal it jerked its head suddenly and the shot went astray and hit the animal towards the top of the head. The animal stood up slightly from the floor with its mouth open and head tilted slightly back and continued to show active signs of consciousness including rhythmic breathing and tracking with the eyes. Mr. REDACTED immediately retrieved the standby weapon (same make, model, and caliber as the first) and delivered an immediate and successful stun to the animal, the animal fell to the floor unconscious. Upon postmortem inspection after the hide was removed, I observed that the first shot had slightly penetrated near the top of the frontal bone and slightly to the right of the eminence as observed from the dorsal view. The second shot was placed centrally in the frontal bone and had penetrated fully. I informed Mr. REDACTED (Establishment Manager) of my observations and informed him of the noncompliance. The above noted observations are noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1).