Pure Country Harvest LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On Friday May 10, 2024, at 0803 hours, IPP observed a Humane Handling noncompliance. IPP observed the bovine restrained in the stun box with its head restrained in the head catch. The establishment stun operator executed three captive bolt stuns before unconsciousness was properly rendered. The stun operator utilized the primary hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device to apply the first stun attempt, which appeared to be below the target zone. The stun attempt was ineffective and did not penetrate the skull, only piercing the skin. IPP observed the HHCB device kick back towards the establishment employee. The bovine did not drop and remained standing, fully conscious. An audible vocalization was made, and the bovine moved its head about in the head restraint, shaking its head left/right and up/down. The stun operator readily retrieved the preloaded backup HHCB device, and a 2nd captive bolt stun was attempted. IPP observed the HHCB device kick back with an audible sound of an incomplete discharge. The bovine moved its head slightly at the moment of HHCB device discharge. After the captive bolt discharged, the bovine dropped its body downward. Although the bovine did not vocalize, conscious eye movement with tracking while blinking was present and had visible and audible labored breathing. The bovine did not return to a full standing position. Placement of the captive bolt gun was in the target zone. The stun operator reloaded the primary HHCB, and a 3rd stun was attempted. No issues with the execution of the stun was noted and the placement was in the target zone. The bovine dropped immediately to the floor and was fully rendered insensible. The stun operator pithed the bovine through the HHCB hole (#3 stun). All movement was noted to be ceased. The stun operator reloaded the primary HHCB device, and a 4th security stun was executed. The placement was in the target zone. A regulatory control action was initiated and U.S. Rejected Tag #B33340525 was applied to the stun box. Establishment management was verbally notified of the Humane Handling occurrence and the situation was discussed, to include notification of the forthcoming noncompliance. The regulatory control action was relinquished at 1015 hours and the establishment resumed slaughter operations. A postmortem inspection of the dressed bovine head showed non-penetrating captive bolt contact below and to the left of the target zone. Another captive bolt attempt was in the target zone and penetrated the skull but did not effectively penetrate the brain cavity. Two more stun attempts were in the target zone and fully penetrated the skull and brain cavity. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued with the past 90 days for the same root cause. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.