Mayar's Halal Meat Processing: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.1

On Wednesday May 22, 2024, at approximately 10:06 a.m., the CSI observed a humane handling noncompliance. While observing the plant’s ritual (Halal) slaughter, the CSI observed three large, mature sheep had been shackled by its hind leg and they were being hoisted prior to the ritual cut as per their halal slaughter procedure. The employee repeatedly tried to hoist the animals and he was looking up at the hoisting apparatus and appeared to have a hard time performing his work. While the employee was paying attention to the hoist, the CSI observed that one of the three hoisted animals had its front leg lodged in the kill box side door gap. The animal appeared to be experiencing a lot of unnecessary pain and there was a concern the leg would be broken without immediate intervention. The CSI instructed the employee to stop and showed him where the animal’s leg was stuck. Assistant Manager Mr. REDACTED was also called to the slaughter floor. The employee freed the animal’s stuck leg, lowered all three sheep, and then hoisted the same group of three sheep again for ritual slaughter. The CSI observed that a front leg from another one of the three hoisted animals was stuck underneath the bottom of the kill box and the employee kicked the leg back into the kill box. Once slaughter was finished, the CSI brought her humane handling concerns to Plant Manager Mr. REDACTED, Owner Mr. REDACTED, and the SPHV. Corrective action was rapidly taken by Owner Mr. REDACTED who instructed his employees to hoist one sheep at a time due to their size and that only lambs and goats should be hoisted in groups of two. Mr. REDACTED stated that a stainless-steel plate would be installed to cover gaps in the knock box. The CSI informed Mr. REDACTED and Mr. REDACTED that failure to have the kill box in good repair and without unnecessary openings where the head, feet or legs of an animal may be injured is a noncompliance to Title 9 CFR 313.1(a).