Oxford Packing LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1

HATS Category II Truck unloading HATS category VII Slips and falls On 7/30/2025 At approximately 9:00 am the CSI was observing a semi-truck unloading 36 head of cattle. The cattle’s feet were coming out of the opening between the floor of the ramp and the first rail on the side guards. This opening is approximately 10 inches. This was the first time that the unloading ramp had been used. When the cattle’s feet were coming through the opening it was causing them to fall to their bellies on the ramp. The cattle that fell got back up and moved into the holding pens some had scrapes on their legs that were bleeding. Approximately 15 of the 36 slipped and fell on the ramp. The CSI and the Owner of the establishment and the Truck driver slowed down the unloading process because of the and ramps condition. The CSI applied U.S REJECT # B-46 631392 to the ramp and informed the establishment owner of the Non-compliance. The establishment owner notified the fabricator of the ramp that modifications needed to be made to prevent the cattle from slipping and becoming injured. The Denver District Management team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no non-compliance records issued for a similar root cause in the past 90 days.

313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(2)(i)

“HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On 7/10/2025 at approximately 1000 hours, I, the CSI was observing slaughter operations. Establishment personnel had driven a bull into the stun box. The stun operator was having difficulty restraining the animal due to its fractious nature. The operator attempted to stun the bull with the 25-caliber hand-held captive bolt device. The bull remained standing and the vocalizing. The operator immediately retrieved a backup hand-held captive bolt device and applied a second stun attempt which fully rendered the bull insensible. The bull remained insensible throughout the shackling, hoisting, and bleeding process. U.S. Reject tag number B-46 631386 was placed on the stun box. The establishment management was verbally notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record. Upon inspection of the dressed head, two holes were observed in the skull. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for a similar root cause in the past 90 days. This establishment does not maintain a Robust Systematic Approach to the Humane Handling of Livestock.”

313.1

HATS CATEGORY: IV On 6/27/2025, I, the CSI conducted an Antemortem inspection of livestock and observed the following Non-compliance of 9CFR 313.1(a). The holding pens are constructed of welded steel pipe with horizonal spacing of approximately 12” in between the pipe. To keep smaller livestock animals contained, the establishment has wired hog panels to the bottom of holding pens #2 #3 and #4. The hog panels are 1⁄4” wire and have multiple locations in each of the 3 pens, where the cut ends of the panels have 2”- 6” wires that have become bent and are protruding into the holding pens making sharp objects that could cause injury or pain to the animals. Some of the panels overlap 2 to 3 feet and the ends are not secured. There is one location in pen #2 where the panel is bent down and hanging into pen #1 that could cause the legs of animals to get caught. This noncompliance record (NR) is being associated with an NR# WDH5409042210N issued on 4/10/25 for the same root cause. I applied U.S Rejected Tag NO.B-46631383 on pen #2 #3 and #4 and verbally informed the establishment owner of the forthcoming Non-Compliance. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

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

HATS CATEGORY: VIII Stunning Effectiveness On 6/27/25 at approximately 1:30 pm I, CSI was observing slaughter operations, the lamb that was scheduled to be slaughtered for the day was brought into the facility, through the stun box that is designed for cattle and led into the bleeding area. The bleeding area is approximately 10x10 feet in size. The lamb was not restrained in this area. The first stun attempt was with the 25-caliber hand-held captive bolt device which was ineffective. The lamb remained upright and ran around the bleeding area then stopped under the stairs on the stun box door. The lamb was bleeding from its head. The establishment owner proceeded to retrieve the electrical stunner and handed it down to the employee to make a second stun attempt. On the second stun attempt the lamb was rendered insensible and was bled out. The lamb did not vocalize. I placed U.S rejected tag #B-46 631385 on the stun box an notified the establishment owner of the non-compliance. On post-mortem inspection of the skull, I found there to be one hole in the head right between the eyes that penetrated all the way through. The Denver District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause in the past 90 days. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.16(a)(1),313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.2(f)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On 6/5/25 at approximately 1:10pm, the CSI was observing an establishment employee attempting to bring a Texas Long horn cow into the building to be processed for slaughter. The horns were approximately 4 to 5 feet wide making it impossible to fit down the alleyway and into the building. The establishment owner shut the crowding tub door trapping the cow in the tub and went into the office to get a rifle. At approximately 1:20pm, the owner returned with a semi-automatic Ruger 10/22 (22 caliber Long Rifle) and made the first stun attempt which was ineffective. The cow did not vocalize but remained standing and was alert with her eyes tracking. The owner waited to observe if the cow would go down, the cow had moved her head in a downward position when the owner made the second stun attempt. The second attempt was on the left side of the head about eye level and in front of the ear. This attempt was also ineffective, and the cow remained standing. The owner then immediately moved to the front of the cow taking a third stun attempt. On that attempt the cow was immediately rendered insensible, dropped to the ground and was able to be stuck and bled out. The owner then brought the skid-steer in the alley way to shackle and move the cow into the building. The owner was verbally notified of the forthcoming NR and U.S. Reject Tag No. B-46631381 was applied to the stun box. The dressed head was inspected and observed to have a total of three penetrating holes. One hole was in the side of the head, approximately eye level and in front of the location of the ears. Two holes were observed in the forehead, one located midway between the eyes and the base of the horns but approximately two (2) inches to the right of center, and the second located central in the forehead in the target zone. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This noncompliance is being associated with WDH4014042209N-1, dated 04/09/2025 for similar root cause. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.2

HATS Category VII: Observation for Slips and Falls On 6/3/2025 at approximately 9:30 AM the CSI was in the harvest room observing the slaughter operations. The CSI walked outside to see if more cattle had been delivered for ante-mortem inspection and observed a Red Holstein steer on its belly in the crowding tub / alley way, with his legs splayed out behind him. There was another Holstein steer standing over top of the red steer that was on the ground. There were four other steers in the alley way that had backed up preventing the steer on the ground from getting up. The CSI immediately went into the facility and informed the establishment owner. The establishment owner immediately went to the crowding tub/alleyway and opened the crowding tub which allowed the steer to get up. The alleyway has no backstops to prevent cattle from backing up. The establishment owner was informed of the forthcoming record of noncompliance. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There has been one NR in the last 90 days for HATS category VII: Slips and Falls, but the root cause was different. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.1,313.2

On 4/10/25 at approximately 7:05 am after Antemortem inspection the 6 black Angus steers/heifers were let out of pen #1 and into the alley way to be brought into the building for slaughter, the animals were resisting going into the crowding tub moving from one end of the alley way to the other. The handler was using the gate of pen # 3 to help work the animals down the alley way and into the crowding tub when the group of animals got past him and entered back into pen # 3, which has hog panels wired to the lower part of the corrals to contain pigs and smaller animals, the hog panel on the gate had come off and 2 of the animals had got their legs in the opening of the hog panel and fell to the ground landing on their side. At approximately 7:10 REDACTED came out and helped the employee get the animals into the building. IPP notified REDACTED of the non-compliance of 9CFR 313.1 and 9CFR 313.2 § 313.1 Livestock pens, driveways and ramps. (a) Livestock pens, driveways and ramps shall be maintained in good repair. They shall be free from sharp or protruding objects which may, in the opinion of the inspector, cause injury or pain to the animals. Loose boards splintered or broken planking, and unnecessary openings where the head, feet, or legs of an animal may be injured shall be repaired. (b) Floors of livestock pens, ramps, and driveways shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide good footing for livestock. 313.2 Handling of livestock. (a) Driving of livestock from the unloading ramps to the holding pens and from the holding pens to the stunning area shall be done with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals. Livestock shall not be forced to move faster than a normal walking speed.

313.16(a)(3),313.16(a)(1),313.16(b)(1)(iii)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On 4/9/25 at approximately 9:30 AM a Black cow from holding pen # 1, which had already received ante-mortem inspection, had got out of the holding pen, all of the gates were closed so it possibly jumped over the approximately 5’ railing. The establishment owner closed the main gates to keep the cow from leaving the property. The establishment owner retrieved the firearm (AR style .223 rifle) and got on the tractor with the firearm and drove to where the cow was standing. The CSI remained back by the corner of the pens in a safe location. At approximately 10:03am the establishment owner took the first stun attempt, and the cow dropped down on her hind end but quickly stood back up and started to walk away. The establishment owner took two more stun attempts (2nd and 3rd stun attempts, which the animal did not respond to and may have missed the animal completely). The establishment owner took a 4th stun attempt which dropped the cow to her belly, but the cow was holding her head up and looking around in a controlled manner. The establishment owner approached the cow and took a 5th stun to the temple with the same firearm, which rendered the animal insensible. After the cow was unconscious, an establishment employee bled the animal and chained her to the tractor bucked where the carcass was brought around to the slaughter room and further dressed. U.S. Reject tag #B-46631369 was applied to the stun box and the establishment owner was verbally notified of the forthcoming noncompliance record. Upon inspection of the dressed head IPP found one penetrating projectile hole in the center of the skull between the eyes but above the target zone. IPP observed a second penetrating projectile hole in neck of the carcass. A third penetrating projectile hole was observed in the side of the head at the temple. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued in the past 90 days for the same root cause. This establishment has not implemented a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.2

On 3/19/25 at 7:03 am IPP was performing Antemortem inspection on Beef cattle to be slaughtered for the day, I found that the water in pen #4 was frozen, the tank heater was in the water trough but not operating. There was one Steer in pen #4. I informed REDACTED of the Non-compliance § 313.2 Handling of livestock. (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.