Rainier Pure Beef Company: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

HATS Category III: Water and Feed Availability HATS Category IV: Ante-Mortem Inspection At approximately 0515 hours, I, the CSI, observed the following condition in the holding pens when arriving to perform Ante-Mortem Inspection. Holding Pen #1 contained 42 head of large Holstein dairy cattle and beef cattle. I observed 4 animals lying down and being stepped on by the other cattle moving around in the holding pen and I heard one animal vocalize when stepped on. I observed cattle crowded around the water trough thereby making it inaccessible for all the cattle to be able to gain access to the water trough. I observed that there was not enough room for all of the cattle to lay down when held overnight. I inquired from the establishment employees what time this lot of cattle had arrived on premise but was not provided an answer. I contacted the SCSI and SPHV and applied U.S. Reject Tag # B-46 562448 to the unloading chute. I observed an establishment employee physically force the frozen lock on Pen #6 to open prior to relieving the congestion in Pen #1. The SCSI arrived after the congestion within Pen #1 had been relieved and observed Pen #6 did not contain any biological excrement but fresh shavings over the concrete floor. The SPHV arrived at the holding pens after the congestion in Pen #1 had been relieved. These observations are noncompliant with Title 9 CFR 313.2(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. The SPHV verbally notified the Plant Manager of the forthcoming noncompliance record and “U.S. Rejected tag” applied to the unloading chute until approval of the establishments written corrective actions to prevent recurrence. This noncompliance record is being associated with humane handling Memorandum of Interview # MFO571701008I issued on January 8, 2025, for the same root cause. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness On January 21st at approximately at 08:15 while observing stunning effectiveness, the CSI observed ineffective stunning on two beef bulls. Upon the first observation the CSI was standing at a distance and observed the establishment apply the pneumatic captive bolt device to the animal upon which the animal remained conscious, alert and standing. The establishment then applied the captive bolt device a second time causing the animal to fall, apparently unconscious. Then the establishment applied the captive bolt device a third time. The CSI then re positioned himself next to the stunning box and observed a second animal enter the stunning box. When the establishment applied the captive bolt device the first time, the animal remained conscious, alert and standing. The establishment then applied a second application of the captive bolt device, and the animal was rendered unconscious. The establishment applied a third application of the captive bolt device. The CSI verbally notified the establishment to cease all slaughter operations. He then notified the SPHV and both the CSI and SPHV applied the US reject tag #B-46562463 to the stunning box. After the hide was removed from the heads the SPHV observed two penetrating wounds in both heads without additional marks. The CSI then notified the establishment management that the findings would be documented in a noncompliance report. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. Although the establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to humane handling of livestock this event is evidence that it is not being maintained as implemented.