Riverbend Meats, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

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HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls At approximately 0755 hours on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 2023, the CSI was conducting a Humane Handling task and observed the following noncompliance: The CSI observed a pen operator moving cattle from pen one into the holding area. As the pen operator was moving the cattle, the cattle hesitated and stopped walking forward and when the cattle tried to go back into pen one, the pen operator stood his ground waving his arms to stop them, which resulted in one cow falling to its belly. The cow was then observed crawling on its ankles struggling to get back up to gain proper footing as its hooves kept gliding across the cement floor of the pens. The cow eventually did regain its footing and no injuries were observed therefore no regulatory control action was taken. The CSI immediately informed the QC manager and Floor manager of the event and that a noncompliance record would be forthcoming. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record (NR) is being associated with NR#OXT4613050816N / 1 issued on 05/15/2024 for same root cause. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handing of livestock.

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HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls At approximately 11:28 hours on Tuesday May 14, 2024, 2023, the CSI was conducting a Humane Handling task and observed the following noncompliance: As the CSI was conducting Ante-mortem inspection, the CSI observed two pen operators in holding pen number 2 trying to move cattle into the holding pen located prior to the serpentine. The Cows were observed to walk halfway to the new holding pen but then turned around and tried to go back. The two pen operators stood their ground and waved their arms, in which the CSI observed two cows to slip and fall onto their back legs and then another cow to slipped and fell onto its belly. The cow that fell onto its belly was slow to regain its footing, but no injuries were observed therefore no regulatory control action was taken. The CSI immediately informed the QC manager of the event and that a noncompliance record would be forthcoming. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record is being associated with weekly meeting MOI#OXT3411051816E dated 05/02/24 discussing observations of animals slipping. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handing of livestock.

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HATS Category IV: Ante-Mortem Inspection and Facilities At approximately 13:45 hours on Friday January 26, 2024, the CSI was conducting Humane Handling tasks and observed the following: As the CSI was observing the pen operator driving the animals into the staging area, the CSI went over to ensure the cows still had access to water and then observed that one of the cows had gotten its head stuck between the bars of the west gate of pen number one. The CSI informed the pen operator that a cow was stuck. Another plant employee came out to the holding pens with a floor jack. The CSI observed First the pen operator put a clasp on the gate chain, then two plant employees tried to put the jack in between the bars of the gate, but each time the CSI observed the cow become excited and start vocalizing and vigorously attempt to extract its head from between the bars of the gate. The plant employees finally got the floor jack in between the gate bars, but the floor jack failed to pry the bars apart. The plant employees repeated the same steps of trying to get the Floor Jack on the other side of the cow’s head with the same results from the cow. At this point the CIS observed the cow showing signs of physical stress, as the cow gasping for breath and collapsed to one knee on the right front. The plant employees asked the CSI what they could do, and the CSI informed the plant employees that they could stun the animal. The plant employees declined to stun the animal. The two plant employees then called for maintenance to bring a saw out to cut the bars of the gate. Maintenance came out with a Grinder saw along with the Plant Manager and they cut the upper bar of the gate. The CSI observed the cow react poorly to the Grinder saw and become frenzied trying to get its head out of the gate. In the short time it took for maintenance to cut the bar, the cow was out of breath, foaming at the mouth with its tongue hanging out. The plant Manager got the Floor Jack again and jacked up the bar to the gate, but the cow did not attempt to retreat and go backwards away from the gate but was observed pushing forward against the gate. The CSI observed the cow to be stressed, out of breath with its tongue curled up in its mouth and its mouth wide open with blood starting to come out of its nostrils. Also, there was now a gash observed on the left side of its face, next to its eye, approximately three inches long and half inch wide. The Plant Manager tried get the cow to back up so it could dislodge its head, but the cow kept pushing forward on the gate. The Plant Manager then cut the chain holding the gate in place and the cow moved forward then backed up and dislodged its head. This event lasted approximately 20 minutes, during which the CSI was attempting to contact the FSIS supervisory chain of command while observing the incident. No regulatory control action was taken. The CSI verbally notified the QA Plant Manager of the forthcoming noncompliance record. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days. The establishment has implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

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HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability HATS Category IV: Ante-Mortem Inspection On December 13, 2023, at approximately 0636 hours, while performing Ante-mortem Inspection on the catwalk directly above the cattle pens. I, the SCSI, accompanied by the in-plant CSI were presented with 5 pens that had cattle ranging from approximately 34 to 37 head of beef in each pen. In pen #5 I observed approximately 37 beef steers. I observed in the water trough of pen #5 there was frozen water approximately 2’’ inches thick across the top. I informed the establishment Team member, as there was not an establishment supervisor readily available, that the animals of pen #5 had no access to water. The establishment team member immediately moved half the animals to the serpentine area and moved the remaining animals from pen #5 into pen #4 that had a full trough of water; therefore, a regulatory control action was not taken due to the observed corrective actions. Once I located the Slaughter Manager, I verbally informed him of the deviation and a forthcoming noncompliance issuance. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified. A PHIS 90-day noncompliance review was conducted and there have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause. This establishment has implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

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HATS Category I: Inclement Weather HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls At approximately 08:05 hours on Monday November 27, 2023, the CSI was conducting a Humane Handling task and observed the following: The CSI was waiting outside at the holding pens to perform Ante Mortem Inspection and cows were being walked in from the REDACTED feed lot. The CSI observed one of the holding pen establishment employees ahead of the cows open pen 2 and pen 3. The CSI observed that pen 3 and pen 4 had ice on the ground covering the waffled concrete at the east end of the pens. The ice covered the ground the entire width of the pen and approximately 20 feet into the pens. The CSI informed the establishment pen operator that ice was in the pens and if the establishment used those pens and cows fall, it would be a noncompliance. The employee replied with let’s hope the cows don’t fall. The establishment continued to walk the cows into pen 2 and then pen 3. As the cows entered pen 3 and stepped onto the ice, the CSI observed the cows having trouble keeping their footing. Once all 46 cows were in the pen and the establishment employee shut the gate, the CSI observed the cattle bunch together. Four cows fell on the icy concrete on their sides and one cow slipped on the ice onto its knees. Eleven cows had been standing on the ice. The pen operator opened the gate to pen 3 at the other end so the cows could get off the ice. As the pen operator approached the gate, the cows bunched together even more on the ice. The CSI observed the fallen cows getting stepped on by other cows and multiple cattle were slipping onto their knees on the ice. The CSI observed the slipping continue until all the cows were able to get off the ice. The CSI observed the fallen cows having difficulty getting back to their feet and falling back down onto their sides on the icy concrete several time before they were able to stand on their own. No cattle were observed to be injured during this event. The CSI applied tag U.S. Rejected/Retained NO. B-45773611 and verbally informed the Hide-On QC, QC lead, and QC manager of the event and a that non-compliance record would be issued. No other Humane Handling non-compliances have been issued in the last 90 days for the same root cause. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock. This document serves as written notification that failure to comply with regulatory requirements could result in additional regulatory or administrative action.