Lazy Acre Meat Corp: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.1

HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls January 18th, 2024, I, the CSI, accompanied by the SPHV was performing the Livestock Human Handling Task at approximately at 9:30 am. I observed the acting establishment supervisor enter the outdoor holding pens to release the single bovine being presented for inspected slaughter from the holding pen. The bovine became extremely agitated while pacing around the pen and charging at the acting supervisor. When the bovine was released in the alley way, it slipped and fell on its right side of hip to the cement floor. The bovine regained its footing on its own and preceded up the ramp of the single file chute into the stun box without further incidence. A regulatory control action was not taken due to this being the only live animal present on official establishment premises. When I inspected the alleyway, I observed a layer of ice under the 1 to 1.5 inches of snow. I verbally inform the acting establishment supervisor of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR). This non-compliance will be associated with establishment meeting MOI#WVY4812012611G issued on 1/11/2024, whereby providing due process to the establishment regarding maintaining good footing for livestock as per Title 9 CFR 313.1(b). The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment is currently operating within the abeyance period for a Notice of Suspension for inhumane handling.

313.2

HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability Approximately at 12:50pm, I, the CSI started to perform a Human Handling Task. I proceeded to the outdoor holding pens and observed that in the south holding pens that the bovine are being held in had solid frozen water in the water trough. I contacted the SPHV, then applied U.S. Reject Tag Number B41 418855 to the south holding pens. I informed verbally the establishment owner of the non-compliance, and that he will receive an NR. I observed the slaughter floor supervisor’s corrective action to fill the water trough halfway with fresh water. Lazy Acre Meats is back into compliance currently and I released the south holding pens at approximately 1:00pm. This noncompliance will be associate with noncompliance record number WVY2412124128 1N issued on 12/28/2023 for same root cause. The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment is currently operating within the abeyance period for a Notice of Suspension for inhumane handling.

313.2

HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability On 12/28/2023 at approximately 9:00 am, two pigs were delivered. The holding pens were empty until the pigs had arrived. At approximately 9:15 am the CSI went outside to inspect the holding pens. The water in the buckets in the holding pens was frozen solid. The CSI came back inside to inspect the kill floor for pre-op and a single bovine was delivered during this time. The CSI returned outside to check to see if the animals had been provided access to water, but the water in the buckets in the holding pens was still frozen solid at approximately 9:30 am. The CSI went back inside to inform the SPHV about the frozen water. The CSI went back again to check water availability (still frozen) and preceded to tag the holding pens with U.S. Reject Tag #B41 418859. The CSI informed the slaughter floor manager of the frozen water and the U.S. Reject tag on the holding pens. When the establishment owner and the CSI returned to the holding pens, the slaughter floor manager was adding more water to the tank to thaw the ice. The CSI released the holding pens by removing the U.S. Reject tag at approximately 9:45 am after observing the corrective actions. This noncompliance will be associated with Establishment MOI, WVY 40161248221 issued on 12/22/2023, thereby providing due process to the establishment regarding providing animals access to water as per Title 9 CFR 313.2(e): Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens and, if held longer than 24 hours, access to feed. There shall be sufficient room in the holding pen for animals held overnight to lie down.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness Approximately at 730am on October 31, 2023, the CSI was performing humane handling task. The stun operator headed to the establishment office to retrieve the 12-gauge 8 round shotgun and back up firearm with 4 bullets apiece. The CSI stood outside the slaughter floor in a safe location and waited for the stun to take place. Once the CIS heard the firearm discharge, the CSI opened the door to the slaughter floor and preceded inside. The Steer (bovine) was haltered rather than restrained via the head gate. The Steer was still standing and breathing. The CSI then moved her fingers in front of the eyes and the bovine responded by blinking and moving its head away from her. The bovine didn’t vocalize but the CSI observed the penetrating stun hole to be low and between the eyes and actively bleeding. The CSI verbally instructed the stun operator to apply a second stun, but the stun operated replied with “No, its ok” and shook his head in a no manner. The CSI instructed the stun operator a second time to stun the animal again and the stun operator looked at the animal and shrugged his shoulders and took no action. The CSI stated that the animal was still alive and needed to be stunned again and the second establishment employee retrieved the backup firearm and applied a second stun before the CSI detected and was able to vacate the slaughter floor. The second stun with the backup firearm by the second establishment employee was properly located and rendered the animal insensible. The CSI applied U.S. Reject tag #B 31 332278 to the stun box and verbally notified the establishment of the noncompliance. Upon inspection of the dressed head, two penetrating stun holes were observed in the skull. One stun hole was observed to be too low and between the eyes, whereas a second stun hole was observed within the target zone. The Denver District Management was contacted through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record (NR) is being associated with NR# WVY1112104018N-1 issued on 10/18/2023 for similar root cause. This establishment has not implemented a Robust Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 9:00 am on October 18, 2023, I, the CSI, headed out to observe the two slaughter floor employees bring a large sow in for slaughter. I waited outside of the slaughter floor for safety reasons for the first stun. The establishment administrator was standing outside the slaughter floor with me. After hearing the firearm (12-gauge shotgun) discharge once, I opened the door to the slaughter floor and observed the sow was laying down inside the stun box. The stun operator was still holding the 12-gauge shotgun. The second establishment employee was just starting to open the stun box gate to roll out the sow and proceed with bleeding. The sow stood up took 2 steps and looked left then right and left and to the right again and made a low grunting sound. The stun operator readily retrieved the backup firearm (.410 shotgun). I stayed on the slaughter floor and observed the second stun with the .410 shotgun. The sow was immediately rendered insensible and remained unconscious during the bleeding process. Upon inspection of the carcass head, I compared a printed picture of proper stun placement for swine to the carcass head. Both rounds from the two separate shotgun stun attempts were placed in the target zone. Live weight of the sow was 696 pounds. I applied U.S. Reject tag #B31 332280 to the stun box and verbally informed the establishment administrator of the forthcoming noncompliance record. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued within the past 90 days for the same root cause. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.16(a)(1),313.16(b)(1)(iii)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On October 2, 2023, at approximately 9am the first bovine of the day, a steer, was driven into the standard rectangular stun box, which does not have additional restraint. I waited outside of the slaughter floor for safety reasons. After I heard the firearm discharge (a 12-gauge shotgun) I immediately opened the door and entered the slaughter floor. A second establishment employee was vacating the slaughter floor. First thing I observed was the bovine still standing in the stun box and there was not a stun hole in the forehead. The stun operator was holding the firearm and a full intact shell, which the stun operator indicated misfired. I inspected the bovine and observed the neck to be bleeding profusely about 4 inches behind the head and 1 inch down. The bovine was conscious and reactive, stomping the floor and eyes tracking but no vocalizing. The second establishment employee came back onto the slaughter floor with another shell. I vacated the slaughter floor for safety reasons and waited outside. I heard the firearm discharge a second time. I preceded to enter the slaughter floor again. The bovine was down and had no reaction to my moving hand, sound or touching of the face; thereby, the animal had been rendered unconscious. I immediately informed the establishment administrator of the violation. I applied U.S. Retain tag no. B 31 332266 to the stun box. Upon inspection of the carcass, there was one penetrating hole in the top of the neck and a second penetrating hole in the forehead of the skull. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued within the past 90 days for the same root cause. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.