Los Banos Abattoir Co., Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS VIII: Ineffective Stunning On Monday September 9, 2024, at approximately 0921 hours, I, Dr. REDACTED SPHV, observed the following humane handling noncompliance. At approximately 0921 hours, I was standing near the knock box performing the Livestock Humane Handling Task. I was looking at the kill pens when I heard the captive bolt gun go off. I turned around and saw the knockers immediately grabbing the backup captive bolt gun. I observed the dairy cow inside of the knock box standing, blinking, and moving her head back and forth, exhibiting signs of full consciousness. Approximately 10 seconds after the first knock, the knocker applied the captive bolt gun to the dairy cow’s head and fired again. The dairy cow immediately collapsed and was unconscious. At approximately 0922 hours I tagged the knock box and asked the knockers to call the Quality Control Supervisor. I went to the slaughter floor and verified that the dairy cow (#604, BT# 4318) had two separate knock holes. The first knock hole was on the frontal bone, approximately 1cm medial to the left orbit. The second knock hole was in the center of the forehead and penetrated the brain. At approximately 0925, QC Supervisor REDACTED arrived to the slaughter floor where I showed her the head and informed her of the forthcoming non-compliance. This is a non-compliance of the regulatory requirements of 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1), which states that captive bolt stunners must be applied to produce immediate unconsciousness. At approximately 0944 hours, the establishment provided acceptable corrective actions and the knock box was released.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS VIII: Ineffective Stunning On Wednesday June 5, 2024, at approximately 1051 hours, I, Dr. REDACTED, SPHV observed the following humane handling non-compliance. At approximately 1051 hours, I was standing by the suspect pen performing HATS category VIII (Stunning Effectiveness) for a side door entrance. A plant employee put a dairy cow in the rectangular chute area in the suspect pen. I observed a plant employee apply the captive bolt gun to the dairy cow’s forehead and fire it. The dairy cow remained standing, was blinking, and was looking around, clearly demonstrating full consciousness. The plant employee immediately re-loaded the captive bolt gun and within approximately 5 seconds, applied the captive bolt gun to the dairy cow’s forehead and fired again. The dairy cow immediately collapsed and was unconscious. U.S. Reject Tag# B46542452 was applied to the knock box to stop all further stunning. I informed Plant Supervisor REDACTED of the ineffective stun and that the knock box was tagged. I went to the slaughter floor and observed the dairy cow’s head, and confirmed that there were two knock holes on the dairy cow’s forehead. At approximately 1128 hours, I informed Plant Supervisor REDACTED of the forthcoming non-compliance. Captive bolt stunners must be applied to produce immediate unconsciousness. This is a non-compliance of the regulatory requirements of 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). At approximately 1153 hours, the establishment provided acceptable corrective actions, and the knock box was released.