Ida-Beef LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.2

HATS Category III - Water and Feed Availability On September 18, 2024 at approximately 12:35PM the SPHV observed a non-ambulatory dairy cow laying in the center drive alley with no access to water. There were no establishment personnel in yards at the time. The establishment yards employee was located and euthanized the non-ambulatory cow at approximately 1PM. By reviewing the establishment receiving logs and speaking with the establishment yards employee, the SPHV determined that the animal was from a load of 7 mature cows delivered to Establishment M45948 at 12:20 PM. This non-ambulatory Jersey cow was included in the lot and was left in the drive alley by the individual delivering the cattle. The non-ambulatory Jersey cow remained in the drive alley, which was serving as this animal’s holding pen, from 12:20 PM until approximately 1:00PM with no access to water. After a brief search, USDA personnel located the slaughter floor supervisor and verbally notified him of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as the firm was not unloading additional animals during this time frame. A review of recent noncompliance records identified NR number AKL5011082321N dated 8/21/24 with a similar root cause and this NR will be associated.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On September 10, 2024 after completing antemortem at approximately 3PM I was observing the establishment stun an antemortem condemned dairy cow. The cow was moved into the head catch by the establishment yards employee who used a hand-held captive bolt device to apply the first stun attempt. After the attempt, the animal remained standing, took a step backward, and continued breathing rhythmically. The establishment yards employee immediately reloaded the same hand-held captive bolt device and applied a second stun to the animal. The second stun rendered the animal insensible. The Kill Floor Supervisor was verbally notified of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as the corrective actions were immediate and effective. The District Office was notified via supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days. The establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On September 21, 2024, at approximately 0914 IPP was walking the pens to performing Humane Handling on Live animals. While walking the pens, IPP observed no water in water trough for pens 3. Cattle was present in pens 3. I verbally notified Herdman’s REDACTED of the noncompliance being issued. No regulatory control action was taken as the establishment employees refilled the water trough immediately upon notification of the noncompliance. There has been no similar noncompliance at the establishment in the past 90 days. Therefore, this NR will not be linked as repetitive.

313.2

HATS Category III - Water and Feed Availability At approximately 11:47AM on 5/29/24 I was in yards to verify feeding of cattle held longer than 24 hours in the pens. According to the firm's receiving logs the 8 head of cattle currently held in outdoor holding pen 3 had arrived at 11:07 on 5/28/24 and the 9 head of cattle currently held in outdoor holding pen 7 had arrived at 11:32 on 5/28/24. Although there was no indication of am or pm on the receiving log, based on the rest of the log and the firm's slaughter schedule, it could be determined that both arrival times were am. I verbally notified the QC Manager of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as the establishment yards person fed the cattle. A review of recent records identified NR number AKL1716045212N dated 4/12/24 with a similar root cause and this NR will be associated.

313.2

HATS Category III - Water and Feed Availability At approximately 1:45PM on 4/12/24 I was in yards checking on water and feed availability. According to the firm’s receiving logs, the 25 head of cattle in outdoor holding pen 7 and 30 head of cattle in outdoor holding pen 8 were received at 1:21 on 4/11/24. Although there was no indication of am or pm on the receiving log, based on other arrivals and the firm’s slaughter schedule it could be determined that 1:21PM on 4/11/24 was the arrival time. No feed or evidence of feed was observed in either pen. No regulatory control action was taken as an establishment yards employee moved the cattle in pen 7 to slaughter and moved the cattle in pen 8 to a pen that had feed available. The Slaughter Floor Supervisor was notified of the noncompliance at approximately 1:50PM. A review of recent records did not identify a recent noncompliance with the same root cause and this NR will not be associated.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On January 23, 2024, at approximately 0715 IPP was walking the pens to perform Humane Handling of Live animals. While walking the pens, IPP observed no water in water trough for pens 3 and 4. Cattle was present in pens 3 and 4. I verbally notified Kill floor supervisor REDACTED of the noncompliance. No regulatory control was taken as the establishment employees refilled the water trough immediately upon notification of the noncompliance.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water and Feed Availability On January 16, 2024, at approximately 7:16AM while walking in yards, I observed that the water in the trough that supplies water to the outdoor holding pens 3 and 4 was frozen. Cattle were present in both holding pens. The Kill Floor Supervisor was verbally notified of the noncompliance at approximately 7:24AM. No regulatory control action was taken as I observed the establishment employee break up the ice immediately upon notification of the noncompliance. Later in the day at approximately 1:21PM while walking in yards, I observed that the water in the trough that supplies water to the outdoor holding pens 3 and 4 was frozen. Cattle were present in both pens. No regulatory control action as taken as I observed the establishment employee break up the ice immediately upon notification of the noncompliance. The QA Manager was verbally notified of the noncompliance. A review of recent records identified NR # AKL2617011109N dated 1/09/24 with a similar root cause and this NR will be associated. Although the establishment operates under a Robust Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock, this event is evidence that the program is not being maintained as implemented.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water and Feed Availability On January 9, 2024, at approximately 7:25AM while performing antemortem inspection I observed that the water in the trough that supplies water to the outdoor holding pens 5, 6 and the corner pen was frozen. Cattle were present in all three holding pens. While continuing antemortem inspection at approximately 7:33AM I observed no water present in the water trough that provides water to pen 9, pen 10, pen 7 and pen 8. Cattle were present in outdoor holding pens 7, 8, and 10. The Kill Floor Supervisor was verbally notified of the noncompliance at approximately 7:38AM. No regulatory control action was taken as I observed the establishment employees break up the ice immediately upon notification of the noncompliance and move the animals into pens that had water available. A review of recent records identified NR # AKL0617104327N dated 10/27/23 with a similar root cause and this NR will be associated.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water and Feed Availability On October 27, 2023, at approximately 7:14AM I arrived in yards to perform antemortem inspection. While walking around the live animal holding pens, I observed that the water in the water trough for holding pens 1 and 2 was frozen. Cattle were present in pen 1. The Kill Floor Supervisor was verbally notified of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as the establishment employees broke up the ice immediately upon notification of the noncompliance. A review of recent records identified NR # AKL009102917N dated 10/17/23 with a similar root cause and this NR will be associated.

313.1

HATS Category VII – Slips and Falls On October 19, 2023, I was in the yards performing antemortem inspection on six head of young dairy cattle in holding pen 1 at approximately 7:22AM. During antemortem inspection I observed one of the animals slip and fall with its hind end coming into contact with the concrete ground as it moved towards the pen gate to exit holding pen 1. A large amount of manure and left over feed from two days prior was present in the pen where the animal had slipped and fell. Pen 1 was US Rejected with tag# B-45773626 and the QA Manager was verbally notified of the noncompliance and the regulatory control action. I proceeded with antemortem and at approximately 7:46AM I was performing antemortem inspection on 11 head of dairy cows in holding pen 9 when I observed one cow slip on its right hind limb with the back of the leg between the hoof and the tarsal joint touching the concrete ground as it moved out of the pen into the drive alley. A large amount of manure and left over feed from two days prior was present in the pen at the location where the animal had slipped. Pen 9 was US Rejected with tag# B-45773625 and the Kill Floor Supervisor was verbally notified of the noncompliance and the regulatory control action. At approximately 9:25AM the Kill Floor Supervisor notified me that the pens had been cleaned. I evaluated the pen flooring, the manure and left over feed had been scraped off. At that time, I removed the US Rejected tags from holding pens 1 and 9. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified of the humane handling noncompliance. A review of recent noncompliance records (NR) did not identify any noncompliance with a similar root cause and this NR will not be associated. This establishment has implemented a Robust Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On October 17, 2023 at approximately 7:14AM I went to yards to perform antemortem inspection. While walking around the yards, I observed that there was no water in the trough that provides water to pens 3 and 4. Cattle were in both pens. I verbally notified the establishment co-owner of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as he immediately provided water to the animals. A review of recent records did not identify any recent noncompliance with the same root cause and this NR will not be associated.