Contentnea Farms, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)
See the detail of the non-compliance of humane livestock handling that the USDA observed at the Contentnea Farms, LLC slaughterhouse establishment in 2025.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2025.
313.15(a)(1)
On January 27th, 2025, at approximately 8:20 a.m., while performing HATS category VIII, stunning effectiveness, inspection program personnel (IPP) observed the following noncompliance. While observing and listening and standing near the knock box, IPP heard the first shot of a stun attempt on a cow using a .25 caliber hand held captive bolt device. IPP observed the stun attempt and after the first shot the cow remained standing, shaking its head in the head gate trying to get out. Establishment personnel immediately reloaded the same captive bolt device and applied a successful stun, and the cow was rendered unconscious. IPP applied USDA Reject tag # B37048804 to the knock box and informed the establishment they could not continue with federal slaughter until a decision was made by the district office. Once the cows head was removed, it was examined for the holes. There were 2 entrance wounds on the skull, one was off center to the right with the bolt had travelling more to the right missing the brain cavity. The second hole was directly centered and entered the brain. IPP informed REDACTED Plant manager Owner of non compliance of 9CFR313.15(a)(1). The establishment does not have a robust humane handling program.
313.1
On January 16 2025, at approximately 0715 while conducting ante-mortem inspection, IPP observed that all of the water nipples for all the pens had frozen and the animals had been without water through out the night and early morning. The outside air temperature at that time was approximately 17 degrees Fahrenheit. IPP informed Plant Management and at 0748 all the animals had fresh water in buckets and troughs.
313.1
On January 15, 2025, at 0738 to 0831 while conduction HATS observations task for slips and falls. IPP observed plant personnel attempting to place a young aggressive steer in the knock box for stunning. At that time the pen and Shute leading to the knock box was covered with feces from the previous evening. As the plant personnel was drive the steer into the knock box, on multiple occasions IPP observed the steer slipping and falling multiple times causing injury to it's face and knees. Eventually the steer was stunned in the Shute and was moved onto the slaughter floor. IPP informed Plant Management of the non compliance with 9CFR313.1.
