Sig International, Iowa, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.2

On January 19, 2024, at approximately 1354 hours, while walking out to the stunning area located off the kill floor I observed a noncompliance with HATS V – Suspect and Disabled. I observed two establishment employee at the bottom of the restraining area chute with a hog that was half in the chute and half in the pen. The employee lifted the hog out of the pen by the ears. The hog did not vocalize in response to being pulled backwards by the ears. I looked at the forehead of the hog to see if there was a hand-held captive bolt stunning mark and I did not observe a cavity in the head of the hog. The employee rolled the hog into a sled to move it to another area. I was unable to determine the conscious state of the animal at this time. I observed the employees move the sled towards the hoisting area to be salvaged for edible product. At this point I looked at the hog again and observed that it had rhythmic breathing and that the head moved slightly while it laid on the sled. I immediately informed the QA technician that the conscious hog cannot be moved by its ears and requested for him to call Plant or QA Manager Ms. REDACTED or the Harvest Floor Supervisor Mr. REDACTED. The QA spoke to the employee and I did not see him further moving the hog by the ears. The QA technician stated that Ms. REDACTED was loading trailers and Mr. REDACTED went home for the day. During this time, I observed the establishment employee use a captive bolt gun on the forehead of the hog rendering it unconscious. I then proceeded to the loading dock and explained the situation to Ms. REDACTED. Ms. REDACTED took immediate corrective action and removed the employee involved in the incident from his position. The establishment is in violation of 9 CFR 313.2. Ms. REDACTED was notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record.