Maple Ridge Meats LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.15(b)(1)(iii),313.15(a)(1)

HATS Cat VIII While attempting to stun the third to last sheep of the day, the following noncompliance was observed. The stunning employee brought the animal to the stunning area and was attempting to restrain the head while using the hand-held captive bolt device to apply the stun. The animal was able to move its head as the attempt was made and was not rendered insensible. The employee was able to reload the captive bolt and better restrain the animal to immediately perform corrective actions. The animal was rendered insensible and remained insensible throughout the rest of the bleeding and dressing procedures. This was noncompliant with 9CFR313.15(a)(1) for not immediately rendering the animal unconscious and 9CFR313.15(b)(1)(iii) for not having proper restraint to prevent the animal from moving causing the attempt to be ineffective. The noncompliance was discussed separately with both the stunning employee and the kill floor manager.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS CAT VIII: Stunning effectiveness At 11:20 on 05/12/25, the following non-compliance was observed: The captive bolt stunning of the tenth bovine being slaughtered was ineffective. After the initial captive bolt stunning attempt, the animal remained standing and sensible. Immediately corrective actions were taken by the plant employee administering another stun, which immediately rendered the animal insensible as evidenced by the animal dropping and having no signs of sensibility. A security was then administered ensuring that the animal would remain insensible. The animal remained in this state throughout the rest of the slaughtering process. The kill floor manager was notified verbally that this NR would be forthcoming. No RCA was taken as immediate corrective actions were effectively implemented.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water Availability On 01/28/2025 at 0910, the following noncompliance was observed; 3 pens holding livestock did not have water available for animals. The water bucket in Pen 1 was upside-down and had no water available for 5 sheep. An empty bucket was observed in Pen 2 that held 7 swine and pen 7 had no water container at all for 1 cattle. USDA Humane Handling regulations requires the establishment to provide animals in pens to always have access water. This situation was brought to the attention of an establishment employee who immediately filled the water containers in all the pens holding livestock. The Kill Floor supervisor was notified verbally of this failure to comply with 9 CFR 313.2(e) and subsequently in writing with this document.