Smith Meat Company, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 0837 hours, I, the CSI, was performing post-mortem inspection on dressed heads when I heard the establishment use a hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device to stun a dairy cow. I observed the establishment employee open the stun box door and utilize a chain to shackle the cow’s legs before hoisting the cow up in the air out of the stun box. I observed the employee reach down to touch the cow’s eyes. Once the plant employee stepped to the side, I observed the cow’s eyes tracking and the cows head and neck were arching up as well as moving side to side. The animal was also breathing rapidly. The employee went to go find the stun employee. I took a regulatory control action an applied U.S. Reject tag number B46631075 to the stun box. The stun employee returned from dumping viscera and went to the stun box to retrieve the HHCB device. The stun employee applied a second stun to the cow. The second stun fully rendered the cow insensible. The slaughter floor manager was verbally notified of the forthcoming noncompliance. Upon inspection of the skull, two penetrating holes were observed. The hole on the front of the skull is off center and primarily enters the frontal sinus before entering the braincase, with poor penetration into the braincase. The second hole enters the braincase dorsal to the foramen magnum. The Denver District Management Team 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.

313.2

HATS CATEGORY III: Water and Feed Availability On Tuesday, 21 January 2025, at approximately 1330 HRS at Smith’s Meat Company,- Rigby, ID, while observing humane handling at the establishment’s holding pens, I , the relief CSI observed the following non-compliance: In the uncovered outdoor pen, containing 2 cows, the water trough was frozen and contained no liquid water. Although the uncovered pen leads into to the covered suspect holding pen where another water trough is present, the open gate that gives access to this area was blocked by a deceased Holstein, thus preventing the two cows from accessing water. Establishment Management was immediately verbally notified of the non-compliance and that a noncompliance record would be written. Upon notification, the establishment immediately remedied the situation and made water available to the two animals. The animals were in good condition and not under stress. A regulatory control action was not taken at this time. 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 does not operate under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.2

HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category V: Suspect and Disabled Smith’s Meats Company Est. # M7722 On Thursday, October 10, 2024, at approximately 0640 hours, the CSI performed the Livestock Humane Handling task and observed the following noncompliance while performing antemortem inspection. Establishment Manager presented the CSI with a pen card with a count of 18 bovine being held in one holding pen. One of the beef cows was laying down with her head resting on the ground. While the establishment manager was getting the animals in motion for the CSI to complete antemortem inspection, the CSI observed multiple other beef cows were stepping and walking on the animal that was down in the holding pen. The non ambulatory animal was breathing, and her eyes were open, but she did not vocalize or react to being stepped on. The CSI informed the establishment manager that the cow was getting stepped on, and the establishment manager tried to get the animals away from the non-ambulatory cow. I informed the establishment manager that an Inhumane Handling Noncompliance would be forthcoming. No regulatory control action was taken due to the observed immediate action of the establishment by placing a pen divider in between the non-ambulatory animal and other animals. At approximately 0800 hours, the establishment manager informed the CSI that the establishment was going to condemn the non-ambulatory animal. The establishment was noncompliant with Title 9 CFR 312.2(d). The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was contacted through supervisory channels. This establishment does not operate under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock. A review of the establishment noncompliance history did not reveal a similar NR written in the past 120 days for same root cause.