GW BEEF COMPANY LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

On February 13, 2025, at 0630 hours, while performing ante-mortem inspection (Humane Handling Verification Task), I Dr. REDACTED observed the following non-compliance. In pen 200, there was no water in their water bin. In Pen 201, 202, 300, 301, and 302 they had frozen water in their water bin. CSI REDACTED then applied U.S. reject tag No. B-46696014 on the knocking box at 0645 am. Plant Manager, REDACTED and FSQA Manager, REDACTED also observed the noncompliance, and at this time they were both verbally notified that a non-compliance report would be given. The establishment violated regulation 313.2 (e) which states that animals shall have access to water in all holding pens. This is a humane handling issue and no water was available for any of the cattle. A corrective action was immediately taken by management. Ice was broken and warm water was added and available for the cattle. CSI REDACTED then removed U.S. Reject tag No. B-466960104 at 0735 am. and management was informed that operations can begin. This NR is not associated with any NR in the past 90 days.

313.1

At 1:02pm, I Dr. REDACTED, was notified that one of the bovine had been able to get onto the slaughter floor through the Knocking box that resulted in the injury of a USDA CSI. The bovine was able to get out through a faulty safety pin, that keeps the sliding door, leading to the knock box, closed. The knock box attendant also failed to verify that the pin was securely in place. This allowed the bovine to open the door and enter the knocking box and exit via the roll out door and onto the slaughter floor, just as establishment employees were removing the previous knocked cow. Around At approximately 1:15pm, I took regulatory control action and rejected the knock box with USDA reject tag (NO.B-46 696051 and NO.B-46 696052), after checking on the CSI. I notified Establishment Manager REDACTED that I had taken regulatory control action and rejected the knocking box and alley way until the safety issue of properly containing the cattle could be resolved as well as corrective actions. FLS Dr. REDACTED arrived on site around 1:50pm to discuss with the plant about their corrective actions. The plant fixed the safety pin, by making the pin a spring-loaded which locks in place once the door is closed. The establishment provided a safety inspection record, and a training log indicating that they retrained all employees that were on-site that are involved in knocking box procedures. They also will be inspecting the pens/doors when performing pre-op inspection. FLS Dr. REDACTED released the knocking box around 3:30pm after the appropriate corrective actions and preventive measures were taken. The establishment failed to ensure that their pens were in good repair as stated in 9CFR 313.1(a) which resulted in cattle to run out onto the slaughter floor.

313.1

9CFR313.1(a): HATS - Handling during ante-mortem inspection. Non-egregious. At approximately 0645 hours, 17th of October 2024, I, Relief-SPHV REDACTED observed the following while performing livestock humane handling task: A medium sized cattle forced its way through the unnecessary opening between the pipe dividing pen nos. 301 and 300 and the ground. Its lumbar vertebrae got stuck and was unable to get out or up. This is non-compliance of 9CFR313.1(a). This is non-egregious. I notified pen in-charge REDACTED to call me what they have decided how to extricate the animal. FSQA REDACTED later on told me that the animal got out or up when they scared it off. I also notified REDACTED and REDACTED that I am writing a non-compliance report (NR).