Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 09/22/2025. At approximately 0923 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability during anti-mortem inspections, I observed that three adult goats in the establishment front pen did not have water available to them. The veal in pen 4 also did not have water available. Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately notified of the lack of water in the pen with the goats and veal. Mr. REDACTED was observed checking the automatic water dispenser, seeing that it was not working, he provided a pan of water to the goats. The veal was not provided with water but instead driven into the knock box for slaughter. At approximately 1340 hours, while making observations at the establishment pens, the front pen that contained the three goats did not have water available. An establishment employee was immediately notified. Another employee was observed bringing a container full of water and leaving it outside of the pen. Mr. REDACTED was notified that the goats needed water. An employee was then observed putting the container of water in the pen for the goats. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV0712075216N.

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 07/16/2025. At approximately 0754 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability during anti-mortem inspections, I observed that two market swine in the establishment front pen did not have water available to them. Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately notified of the lack of water in the pen with the market swine. Mr. REDACTED was observed moving the lamb and goats in pen one to pen three then moving the two market swine into pen one where water was available. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV0414070011N.

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 07/11/2025. At approximately 0950 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability during anti-mortem inspections, I observed that approximately five roaster swine in the establishment front pen did not have water available to them. Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately notified of the lack of water in the pen with the roaster swine. An establishment employee immediately came to the pens and was observed opening the pen door to pen one to allow access to the water available. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV0710063525N

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 06/25/2025. At approximately 0950 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability during anti-mortem inspections, I observed that numerous roaster swine in the establishment front pen did not have water available to them. The Pen card that was received by an establishment employee at approximately 0945 hours has the establishment documented time of 9:22 AM for the 75 Piglets. Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately notified of the lack of water in the pen with the roaster swine. At approximately 0955 hours an establishment employee was observed opening the pen door to pen one to allow access to the water available. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV3706064413N.

313.2

On June 13th, 2025 at approximately 0700 hours, while performing a routine livestock humane handling task during ante-mortem inspection in the livestock holding pens, the following non-compliance was observed. The holding area was divided into two pens. Two pigs in the left pen were provided a pan full of water, while the remaining fifteen pigs in the other pen did not have access to water. An establishment employee immediately filled a bucket and provided the animals in the other side of the pen with water. Establishment management was notified of the non-compliance. This is a non-compliance with FSIS regulation 9CFR 313.2 (e), which states “Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens.” This non-compliance record has been associated with the following non-compliance records: SVV0412053215N-1, SVV0709060105N-1, SVV4807051216N-1

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a daily routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 06/05/2025. This task has been directed to document a reoccurring noncompliance. At approximately 0740 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability, I observed the bull in the establishment pens did not have water and was putting its head in empty water bucket in search for water. At 0744 hours, I immediately notified establishment owner Mr. REDACTED by phone of the findings. Establishment employee came out and started filling the water bucket for the bull and the bull was observed drinking heavily when water was provided. I also observed the holding pens floor covered in water because the animals keep kicking the buckets around and spilling the water on the ground, which caused the goats holding pen to be covered in water. Goats did have water available for them but was not accessible due to the amount of water on the ground. The goats were trying to stay in the area least wet and did not want walk over the water due to their nature that they don’t walk on surfaces covered in water. Establishment employee cleaned an empty pen and placed new straw on the ground and goats were moved to dry pen and water was provided to them. Establishment has been notified verbally and through this non-compliance record that holding pens must always remain clean and dry. Also, water must be always provided to animals. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV0412053215N & SVV4807051216N

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a directed livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 05/15/2025. This task has been directed to document this noncompliance. At approximately 0702 hours while performing HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability, I observed that numerous animals in the establishment pens did not have water. Pen one was observed having a lamb laying in the empty water pan. Pen two had three empty water buckets being kicked around by the four beef in the pen. Pen three was observed to have several goats with no water available to them in the pen. Pen four was also observed having no water available to the beef in the pen. Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately notified of the lack of water in all four pens. Buckets of water were observed being filled by establishment employees and provided to all the pens. The four beef in pen two were observed drinking heavily when the water was provided and needing additional refills. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e). This noncompliance is being associated with noncompliance number SVV0412053215N.

313.15(a)(1),313.15(a)(3)

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 05/15/2025. At approximately 1127 hours while performing HATS category VIII- Stunning Effectiveness, I observed a large bull being stunned ineffectively with a captive bolt. The bull was loaded into the establishment’s knock box and the head of the bull secured tightly into a head catch. An establishment employee applied a shot using the captive bolt to the front of the head. The bull then extended its neck out and bellowed loudly. The bull then backed out of the knock box and into the alleyway. The establishment employees then moved the bull back into the knock box and secured the door behind it. The captive bolt was taken to the back “packing room” adjacent to slaughter floor and was reloaded. At approximately 1133 hours a second shot was applied to the front of the bull’s head using the captive bolt. The bull vocalized loudly and began breathing deep heavy breaths. The captive bolt was again taken to the back “packing room” and was reloaded. A third shot was applied again to the front of the bull’s head at approximately 1134 hours. The bull again vocalized. An establishment employee was asked to touch the bull’s eye. The bull was observed responding to the touch to its eye by blinking. An establishment employee then began to cut the neck of the bull. The bull vocalized and moved its feet in a forward and backwards motion. An employee was asked to use the captive bolt again to render the bull unconscious. The captive bolt was jammed and after the employee was finished cutting the neck, unjammed the captive bolt, loaded it and applied a fourth shot to the front of the head. The bull was observed bleeding out heavily and did not appear conscious at the time of the fourth shot. A regulatory control action was taken to tag the knock box with tag NO.B-45791638 and slaughter activities were stopped. A 9 mm captive bolt cartridge was used for all knocking attempts.

313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 05/14/2025. At approximately 0810 hours while performing HATS category IIII- Handling During Ante Mortem Inspection, I observed that numerous goats in pen three did not have water (HATS category III-Water and Feed Availability). Establishment Team Lead, REDACTED, was immediately asked to confirm if there was water in pen three. Mr. REDACTED stated that there was no water and began filling a bucket with water to place in the pen. At this time, Mr. REDACTED was also asked about water for the animals in the trailer parked in front of the pens. Mr. REDACTED stated that they were going to move two beef to the knock box/ alleyway inside the establishment then move the animals off the trailer. At approximately 1045 hours, while again making observations of handling during anti-mortem at the pens, I observed that the four beef and multiple goats in the trailer did not have water available to them. Mr. REDACTED was notified of this noncompliance and asked if water could be given to the animals. At approximately 1124 hours the animals on the trailer received a bucket of water. At approximately 1132 hours three of the four beef were offloaded from the trailer into pen one. The three beef were observed all heavily drinking from the water pan in the pen. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulation 313.2(e).

313.15(a)(2),313.2

The following noncompliance was observed while performing a routine livestock humane handling review and observation task at Puro Alentejano Iberian Hog Corp. on 05/13/2025. At approximately 1255 hours while preforming HATS category VII- Observation for Slips & Falls, I observed a bovine livestock, back tag number 4497, being driven from the establishment pen area inside into the alleyway leading to the knock box. One beef was in the knock box and another beef was already in the alleyway. While beef number 4497 was being actively driven into the building it was observed coming into the building at an increased rate of speed. The beef showed signs of stress and excessive excitement. When the beef came into the building it was observed having both hindlegs sliding and falling onto the ground. The hind end was completely laying on the ground with the front feet still stretched out front of it. The beef then lowered the front legs down so that it was in a complete laying position. The beef laid partly under (having the head and neck completely under) the beef in front of it in the alleyway. The beef was observed heavily breathing. The standing beef in front of the laying beef was observed lifting and lowering its hind feet rubbing them against the laying beefs shoulders. Wet conditions were observed throughout the day in the establishment pens and alleyway. Mr. REDACTED, establishment Owner, was notified of this humane handling noncompliance while observing the laying beef. We discussed the safety of the laying beef as to prevent further harm. The laying beef was observed standing under its own power at approximately 1323 hours. This is a noncompliance with FSIS regulations 313.2 and 313.15(a)(2).

313.2

On February 19, 2025, while performing the Livestock Humane Handling task, the following noncompliance was observed. At approximately 0100 hours, I observed cattle, goats, and pigs held in the holding pens with no water available. The water containers present were tipped over and empty causing there to be standing water on the floor of the pens. The establishment failed to meet compliance for 9 CFR 313.2(e) which states "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." Establishment employees were informed and provided water to the animals at approximately 0130. Establishment owner REDACTED was not present but was informed via phone call voicemail.

313.1,313.2

On January 23, 2025, while performing a routine ante-mortem inspection task, the following non-compliance’s were observed. At approximately 0710 hours I observed livestock requiring ante-mortem inspection for slaughter. This livestock consisted of four roaster swine, six lambs, and one young goat. During this observation I found that these animals had no access to water as it had frozen solid in the pale. I also found that the animals had been provided no bedding (such as hay) to cover the concrete floor with no alternative methods of providing warmth to the animals in place. The temperature during time of inspection was approximately eleven degrees Fahrenheit. The establishment has failed to meet the regulatory requirements set forth in 9 CFR 313.1 and 313.2 pertaining to water availability, and inclement weather. Establishment owner REDACTED was not present at the establishment but was notified of these non-compliance’s via phone call at approximately 0730 hours. An establishment employee was providing water and hay to the livestock at approximately 0750 hours.