Washington Beef, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2024 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On Thursday, September 19, 2024, at approximately 1155 hours, while at the restrainer performing a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The employee operating a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device applied a stun to a black bovine in the restrainer. The captive bolt device was heard discharging, but the head was low and not visible. The bovine raised its head and looked around with eyes tracking but no vocalization. The stun operator immediately applied a second stun, the HHCB device discharged, and the animal remained conscious and looked around. The HHCB device was immediately reloaded, and a third stun applied, which effectively rendered the bovine insensible. A verbal regulatory control action was taken, and the Processing Manager was called to the restrainer. The head was inspected in the restrainer and two penetrating holes were found in the hide in the center of the forehead. The head was followed to the inspection station and pulled off the line. Upon further inspection of the dressed head, three holes in the skull were observed. One penetrating hole slightly toward the left eye appeared to be angled downward and not contacting the brain. A second hole in the center of the forward did not appear to fully penetrate the skull, and a third hole, slightly overlapping the second, fully penetrated the skull. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. Plant management was notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR). This NR is being associated with NR# TQK318065628N1 dated June 28, 2024, for same root cause. The establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to humane handling of livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CATEGORY VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On Friday, June 28, 2024, at approximately 1220 hours, while observing stunning at the restrainer as part of a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The establishment employee operating a handheld captive bolt device (HHCB) applied a first stunning attempt to a black bovine in the midline brisket restrainer. The captive bolt device discharged and contacted the animal, but the bovine remained conscious. The bovine shook its head and looked over the edge of the restrainer. The stun operator immediately reloaded the HHCB device and applied a second stun that effectively rendered the bovine insensible. The animal remained insensible through the shackling, sticking, and bleeding process. I took a regulatory control action and temporarily halted stunning at the restrainer to inspect the head. I observed two penetrating holes in the hide, one was in the center of the forehead and the second was above the left eye and significantly lateral to the midline. I called the Processing Manager to the restrainer and notified him that the stunning area would remain rejected pending written corrective actions from the establishment. The Denver District Management Team were notified through supervisory channels. Establishment Management were verbally notified of the forthcoming Noncompliance Record (NR). This NR is being associated to NR# TQK4217055930N, dated May 30, 2024, for similar root cause. The Establishment operates under a Robust Systemic Approach (RSA) to Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CATEGORY VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On Thursday, May 30, 2024, at approximately 1025 hours, while observing stunning at the restrainer as part of a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The employee operating the restrainer controls had to stop the midline belt due to a black bovine that was positioned backwards. Where the head should have been leading and presented first to the stun operator, this bovine’s hind quarters presented first. With the bovine in this position, the stun operator applied a first stunning attempt using a handheld captive bolt device (HHCB). The captive bolt device discharged but the bovine remained conscious, the eyes were tracking, and it was calmly looking around. The stun operator immediately applied a second stun with a HHCB that effectively rendered the bovine insensible. A regulatory control action was temporarily taken by verbally stopping stunning and the head inspected in the restrainer. Two penetrating holes were observed in the hide, one hole was low in the center of the forehead, and a second hole was centered approximately 3 inches above it. The Processing Manager was notified that stunning operations would be halted until the issue could be discussed with the Denver District Office due to the noncompliance and the restrainer was tagged with U. S. Reject Tag #B18900696. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisor channels. After discussion, the U.S. Reject Tag was removed. Establishment Management was verbally notified of the forthcoming Noncompliance Record (NR). This NR is being associated with NR# TQK1413031428N dated March 27, 2024. Washington Beef operates under a Robust Systemic Approach to Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CATEGORY VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at approximately 1225 hours, while observing stunning at the stun box as part of a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The employee operating a handheld captive bolt device (HHCB) applied a first stunning attempt to a black bovine in the midline brisket restrainer. The captive bolt device discharged but the bovine remained conscious, the eyes were tracking, and it was calmly looking around. The stun operator immediately reloaded the HHCB device and applied a second stun that effectively rendered the bovine insensible. A regulatory control action was not taken due to the observation of immediate and effective corrective actions. The dressed head was removed at the inspection station. There was a penetrating hole in the center of the forehead and one off to the side several inches about the right eye. Establishment management was verbally notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR). The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This NR is being associated with NR# TQK5511035101N dated February 29, 2024, for same root cause. Washington Beef operates under a Robust Systemic Approach to Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CATEGORY VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On Thursday, February 29, 2024, at approximately 1230 hours, while observing stunning at the stun box as part of a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The employee operating a handheld captive bolt device applied a first stunning attempt to a red bovine in the brisket restrainer. I heard the captive bolt device discharge, but the bovine remained conscious, it shook its head and looked around. The eyes were tracking, and it was breathing heavily but remained calm. The stun operator immediately reloaded the handheld captive bolt device and applied a second stun. I observed the bovine remain conscious, the eyes were tracking, it shook its head, and was breathing heavily. The stun operator immediately reloaded the handheld captive bolt device and applied a third stun, which effectively rendered the bovine insensible. A regulatory control action was not taken due to immediate and effective corrective actions. After the hide was removed, I observed three penetrating holes in the skull, in the center of the forehead. Only one hole was observed to enter at an angle bearing towards the left eye. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. The Processing Manager was verbally notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR). This NR is being associated with NR# TQK2213022116N dated February 16, 2024, for same root cause. The establishment operates under a Robust Systematic Approach to Humane Handling of Livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CATEGORY VIII – Stunning Effectiveness On Friday, February 16, 2024, at approximately 1030 hours, while observing stunning at the stun box as part of a routine Livestock Humane Handling task, I, the SPHV, observed the following noncompliance. The employee operating a handheld captive bolt device applied a first stunning attempt to a white bovine in the brisket restrainer. The captive bolt device discharged but the bovine remained conscious, the eyes were tracking, and it was breathing heavily. The stun operator readily applied a second stun using a preloaded backup handheld captive bolt device readily available at the restrainer and the bovine was immediately rendered insensible. A regulatory control action was not taken due to the observation of immediate and effective corrective actions. At the bleed rail I observed one penetrating hole in the hide, after the hide was removed, two penetrating holes were visible in the skull. The Processing Manager removed the head at the inspection station and one hole was visibly smaller than the other. The Processing Manager thought this could be from the bolt not fully penetrating the skull and immediately had the handheld captive bolt device removed for inspection and maintenance. I verbally notified the establishment management of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR). The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued in the last 90 days for same root cause. Washington Beef operates under a RSA Humane Handling Program.