Scotts Hook & Cleaver Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1,313.2

On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at approximately 0920 hours, while performing HATS Category III-Water and Feed availability, I (REDACTED DVMO) observed the following noncompliance with HATS Category IV-Handling during Antemortem inspection and HATS Category III-Water and Feed availability: I checked the scale and noted there were approximately twenty lambs without access to water. There was an empty green bucket tipped over in one corner of the scale. Mrs. REDACTED (Supervisor) was notified that there was no available water in the scale as required by regulation 9 CFR 313.2(e). Mrs. REDACTED immediately filled the green bucket with water. Additionally, I observed a hole in the floor of pen#2. The hole measured approximately 6 inches wide and three inches deep posing a risk of injury to the legs of animals. At the time of my observation, there were no animals in pen# 2. I notified Mrs. REDACTED that the presence of the hole in pen# 2 was in violation of 9 CFR 313.1(a). Mrs. REDACTED promptly addressed the issue by filling the hole with excess clumps of sand. She also stated that the owner would repair the hole with cement over the weekend when the establishment is not operating. I verbally notified Mrs. REDACTED of the forthcoming noncompliance record (NR).

313.2

At approximately 0900 hours, while performing HATS Category III – Water and Feed Availability, I observed the following non-compliance: Upon inspecting one of the holding pens, I (REDACTED, DVMO) noted a group of nine market hogs that did not have access to water, as the pen was devoid of any water sources or containers. I promptly informed REDACTED, a plant employee, and Mrs. REDACTED, the supervisor, of the absence of water in the holding pen, which is a violation 9 CFR 313.2(e). I notified Mrs. REDACTED that I would be documenting my findings in a non-compliance record. REDACTED immediately filled a bucket with water and placed it inside the holding pen, thereby providing water access to the nine market hogs.

313.2

At approximately 0745 hours, while performing HATS Category III – Water and Feed Availability, I observed the following non-compliance: I checked the scale pen and noted there were approximately seven market hogs without access to water. There were no water containers, troughs, or any other source of water available for the animals to drink inside the holding scale pen. I verbally notified Mrs. REDACTED, Plant Manager, that there was no water in the scale pen as required by regulation 9 CFR 313.2(e) and that I would be documenting my findings in a non-compliance record. Mrs. REDACTED immediately took corrective actions by filling a yellow bucket with water and placed it inside the scale pen.

313.2

At approximately 1005 hours, while performing HATS Category III – Water and Feed Availability, I (REDACTED, DVMO) observed the following non-compliance with HATS Categories I – Adequate Measures for Inclement Weather and III – Water and Feed Availability: I checked pens 1 and 7 and noted that approximately two groups, consisting of six and sixteen market hogs respectively did not have access to water. There was a blue plastic water trough present in pen 1, but it did not contain any water. In pen 7, there were two blue plastic water troughs, but one was also empty, while the surface of the water in the other trough was frozen. I observed some hogs in pens 1 and 7 attempting to drink, but they were unable to do so due to the lack of available and accessible water. Mr. REDACTED, owner, was notified that there was no available/accessible water in pens 1 and 7 as required by regulation 9 CFR 313.2(e) and that I would be documenting my findings in a non-compliance record. However, the establishment did not promptly correct the situation. As a result, I took regulatory control action according to 9 CFR 313.50(a) and placed U.S. Rejected tags No. B45919356 and B45919357 to pens 1 and 7 consecutively. At approximately 1032 hours, the regulatory control action was relinquished after Mr. REDACTED filled the two empty troughs with water and broke the layer of ice in the water trough in pen 7, making water available and accessible for the hogs.

313.1

At approximately 0900 hours, while I (REDACTED, DVMO) was performing HATS IV-Handling During Ante-mortem Inspection, I observed the following noncompliance: I observed an uncovered hole in the floor of the enclosed livestock scale that was used as a holding pen. This hole was approximately 7 inches in diameter and 2 1⁄2 feet deep. This uncovered hole represented a tripping hazard where the feet, or legs of an animal may be injured. There were two sows in the livestock scale at the time of my observation. I verbally notified Mrs. REDACTED, Plant Manager, of the non-compliance with regulation 9 CFR 313.1(a) & (b) with regards to poor pen maintenance that could lead to animal injury. Mrs. REDACTED took immediate corrective action by relocating the two sows to an acceptable holding pen. However, Mrs. REDACTED stated that the plant would not be able to repair the livestock scale immediately, so I placed U.S. Rejected tag number B40616893 on the livestock scale. I verbally notified Mrs. REDACTED of the forthcoming non-compliance and the regulatory control action taken.

313.2

At approximately 1050 hours, while performing HATS Category III – Water and Feed availability, I (Dr. REDACTED, DVMO) observed the following noncompliance: I checked Pen #5 and noted that there were approximately 20 lambs and goats without access to water. Inside the pen, there was a green plastic bucket, but it was tipped over and did not contain water. No other source of water was available to the animals in Pen #5 at the time of my observation. I verbally informed REDACTED, Supervisor, that there was no water in Pen #5 as required by regulation 9 CFR 313.2(e) and that I would be documenting my findings in a noncompliance record. Mrs. REDACTED promptly filled a black plastic bucket with water and placed it inside holding Pen #5. This noncompliance is in violation of 9 CFR 313.2(e), which requires that water be available to livestock in all holding pens.