Slagel Slaughter: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1

Today (June 17, 2025), at approximately 8:15 AM, while performing a routine Humane Handling Inspection Task: HATS Category IV - “Handling During Antemortem Inspection”, I (REDACTED, MPI) entered the establishment’s livestock pens. I observed plant personnel working to free a heifer that had its head stuck between the horizontal metal bars of a livestock gate that was used as a side panel for the runway into the knock box. The heifer had laid down in the runway, while its head was caught in the gate. The heifer’s tongue was hanging out of its mouth, and I was unsure if the animal was conscious, but it was breathing. Plant personnel freed the animal by cutting one side of the metal bar and prying the two horizontal bars apart, allowing the animal to slip its head through. The instant the animal’s head was freed, it vocalized and immediately got upright and proceeded rapidly down the runway into the knock box chute. The animal had no visible signs of injury following the incident during antemortem inspection, but during postmortem inspection, the cheek area and tongue had bruising. After freeing the animal, the establishment took immediate corrective action by prohibiting remaining animals from entering the runway until plant personnel are ready to drive them directly into the knock box chute. This finding is non-compliant with regulation 9 CFR 313.1(a). REDACTED, Slaughter Floor Manager, and REDACTED, Plant Manager, were both notified of this noncompliance.

313.15(a)(1)

Today (Thursday, December 12, 2024), at 7:06 AM, while I (REDACTED, MPI-Trainee) was performing a routine Humane Handling Inspection Task HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness, I observed REDACTED, Establishment Employee, attempt to stun the first steer of the day. The steer was a larger Holstein breed. The steer was brought into the chute and restrained with a head catch. REDACTED attempted to stun the steer with a captive bolt gun and delivered the shot to the forehead. The stun was ineffective and the animal remained standing, was fully conscious, and aware of its surroundings. The animal had controlled head and eye movements. The establishment had a second captive bolt gun loaded and readily available nearby the stunning area. REDACTED took immediate corrective action, by delivering a successful stun using the second captive bolt gun (placing the shot behind the head) and was effective at rendering the animal insensible to pain. REDACTED delivered a third shot to the forehead as a safety shot. Upon postmortem inspection of the head, two holes were present in the forehead. There was a bony ridge on the forehead of the steer where the initial shot was placed. After placing my steel into the hole from the initial stunning attempt, it was apparent that the angle of the shot was improper. This observation is non-compliant with Regulation 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) for ineffective stunning. REDACTED and REDACTED, Slaughter Floor Manager, were present at the time of these observations and were notified of the non-compliance.