Bright Oak Meats, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness I, The CSI was performing a HATS task verifying stunning effectiveness at Bright Oak Meats and observed the stunning of a bull brought in on a customer trailer at approximately 1340 hours on 8/14/2025. The bull’s behavior was erratic, barely settling down. The establishment stunning employee leaned what appeared to be a 20ft ladder onto the back of the trailer to gain leverage for the stunning attempt with a .243 rifle. After realizing the bull was very active, he went and asked for assistance from the Packaging Supervisor. Establishment stunning employee and Packaging supervisor both returned to the trailer. I proceeded to step back against the USDA parking spot on the wall. The bull was positioned in the front of the trailer. While both the establishment employee and Packaging Supervisor were positioned at back of the trailer. I observed the first shot. The shot made contact. The Bull dropped but was not rendered unconscious. It was observed thrashing around seconds after contact. It rose and was seen trying to regain balance. The thick black fur of the bull kept most blood hidden until the bull contacted surface objects. I noticed blood on the exterior wall just outside the slaughter door that was splattered there when the bull attempted to get up but fell against the trailer. Approximately 90 seconds later, I heard the second shot. The bull went down at the furthest end of the trailer rendering the animal insensible which insensibility continued until the bull was exsanguinated. I placed a US Reject Tag B19-559001 on the stun box and contacted the Denver District Management Team through supervisory channels for guidance on how to proceed. A review of the past 90 days shows no non-compliance records issued for similar reasons. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to humane handling of livestock. As the establishment failed to produce immediate unconsciousness of the first stunning blow, this is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.16(a)

313.1

On 5-16-2025 at approximately 1315 hours IPP observed the following Noncompliance: while performing ante mortem inspection on 3 beef presented to IPP for slaughter in “the back pen”, pen #3 at approximately 1310 hours IPP observed that: Pen #3 has smooth floors with little to no grip, an uncovered half pipe style drain to help aid in sanitation that divides the pen in half approximately 20 inches wide and 5 inches deep and was saturated in urine and fecal creating a slip prone surface. While observing the beef in motion with little to no excitement, IPP and kill floor staff member observed one beef calmly step halfway into the uncovered halfpipe floor drain, slip and fall chest and face first into the ground in the middle of the pen and slightly struggling to find its footing when standing back up. This does not comply with 9CFR 313.1(b) IPP notified the establishment HACCP coordinator, Kill floor supervisor, and processing supervisor of the situation, and that a noncompliance record would be issued and documented.

313.2

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at approximately 0730 hours, I, CSI REDACTED conducted a routine PHIS Livestock Humane Handling task. Antemortem inspection was performed with Slaughter Floor Supervisor, REDACTED When conducting antemortem inspection a noncompliance was observed. Mr. REDACTED was verbally informed the water for the lambs being held in the larger outside pen had a frozen layer and the lambs were unable to access the water. Mr. REDACTED first tried breaking the frozen layer with his hand and then attempted to use his foot on the side of the water barrel. Both attempts failed in breaking the frozen layer. At this time, I verbally informed Mr. REDACTED that the lambs must have access to water. Mr. REDACTED then began to pick at the ice with a knife, weakening the ice layer enough to break up the whole layer completely. He then proceeded to do the same for the second water barrel. On this day at approximately 0800 hours HACCP Coordinator REDACTED was informed that I would be issuing a noncompliance record for the establishment's failure to meet the requirements set forth in 9 CFR 313.2 (e); animals shall have access to water in all holding pens and, if held longer than 24 hours, access to feed. There shall be sufficient room in the holding pen for animals held overnight to lie down. A review of the establishment’s history in PHIS indicates no noncompliance records with the same root cause in the past 90 days.