Corsentino Meat Processing, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1

HATS Category VII: Slips and Falls On Thursday, May 15, 2025, while conducting livestock humane handling inspection at Corsentino Meat Processing LLC, Est.# M2764, at approximately 1120 hours, IPP observed the following noncompliance: An ambulatory animal with an injured front left leg was driven inside the stun box. The establishment struggled to apply the head restraint to the animal. It was then when the establishment personnel (plant manager), in an attempt to block the animal’s view of the slaughter floor, decided to lift the door on the side of the stun box. The lifted door closed the gap in the middle of the box to block the animal’s view, but it opened a gap of approximately five (5) inches at the bottom of the stun box. In an effort to apply proper head restraint, the establishment continued to persuade the animal to lean forward by padding the animal on the back and making noises. During one of the attempts the animal startled, slipped, and fell inside stun box. I observed the animal’s rear leg slipped outside the stun box through the bottom gap and it was not able to get back up. Establishment personnel pushed the leg inside and closed the door; he then proceeded to use an electrical prod at the lowest effective voltage (one time) to persuade the animal to stand up, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Because the animal had successfully been led to the stun box and with the SPHV’s passing antemortem disposition, the animal was successfully rendered insensible to pain on the first stun using a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB). Establishment management was verbally informed of the forthcoming noncompliance record. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment is currently operating under a conditional Grant of Inspection and has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling and slaughter of livestock.

313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On Wednesday May 14, 2025 while conducting livestock humane handling inspection at Corsentino Meat Processing LLC M2764 at approximately 0715 hours, IPP observed the following noncompliance: Initially the stun operator attempted to render the animal unconscious using a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB), however the device malfunctioned during the stunning attempt, and it misfired. The HHCB device failed to discharge, and no contact was made with the animal. The stun operator then retrieved a .22 handgun (back up device) to apply a stunning blow but failed to render the animal unconscious on the first stun attempt. After the first discharge of the .22 handgun, I observed the animal go down on the front two legs but then it immediately stood up. No visible blood was observed at this time, however, the animal remained standing and moving inside the stun box, I observed eye tracking, and the animal continued to respond to surroundings. Due to a lack of head restraint, the stun operator struggled to reduce head and neck movement to ensure a second stun attempt could be applied effectively. Within one minute, the stun operator then discharged the .22 handgun for a second stun attempt and successfully rendered the animal unconscious. This establishment’s normal procedures include head restraint during stunning, however, due to the fractious nature of this animal, it was not utilized during this event. Upon inspection of the dressed head, I observed two penetrating holes in the skull. Regulatory control was taken by placing U.S. Reject Tag No. B12855878 on the stun box and the SPHV contacted for further instructions. Establishment management was verbally informed of the regulatory control action and the forthcoming noncompliance record. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment is currently operating under a conditional Grant of Inspection and has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling and slaughter of livestock. There have been no humane handling noncompliance records issued in the past 90 days for the same root cause.