Stutzman Brothers Meats LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.2

HATS Category-III Water and Feed Availability 313.2(e) On 12/04/24 at 0535 hours in pen #1 at Est. 45535 Stutzman Meats Sturgis, MI. 3 Cattle were observed during an Odd Hour Inspection. Although there was a small bucket (approximately 2-3 gallons) in the pen the bucket was empty. All three Beef did not have accessibility to water at the time of this inspection. When employee arrived (around 10 minutes later), they were notified of the non-compliance and immediately watered the beef. Corrective actions were immediate upon the notification of the non-compliance. I informed Ms. REDACTED (Plant Manager) of the non-compliance and that a NR would be issued. The plant was in violation of regulation 313.2(e). There were no associated NRs within the past 90 days.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 0640 hours on 11/12/2024 while observing stunning/slaughter operations at Establishment M45535, Stutzman Brothers Meats LLC, I observed the following. A heifer was moved into the knock box. After the rear gate was closed and the heifer put her head through the front of the box, a second employee applied the head restraint, holding the restraint closed as opposed to locking the restraint closed as designed. The employee that moved the heifer into the box came around and grabbed the captive bolt gun and deployed the device. Immediately following the stunning attempt, the employee holding the head restraint released the bar, and the heifer backed out of the head restraint, and was standing in the knock box and looking around, conscious. The stunning operator set the captive bolt gun down on the table and went around to the back of the box to move the heifer back into the head restraint. The heifer placed her head back through the front of the box and was once again restrained by the second employee. At this point, I observed blood coming from the nose of the heifer and a bloody wound with a powder mark on the forehead. The stunning operator then picked up the captive bolt gun from the table, reloaded it, and deployed the device for a second time. The second stunning attempt failed to render the heifer insensible, and she remained standing in the box. The stunning operator then turned and reloaded the captive bolt gun and attempted to stun the heifer for the third time. The animal was rendered insensible on the third stunning attempt. I applied U.S. Reject tag B46062869 to the knock box and advised plant manager REDACTED of my observations and the humane handling noncompliance. The head was skinned out, and I observed three separate penetrating holes in the head of the heifer. One hole was located in the middle of the skull directly between the top of the eyes. The other two holes were located on midline of the forehead, one high in the target area and the other directly above it. This finding is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1): The captive bolt stunners shall be applied to the livestock in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animals before they are shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. The animals shall be stunned in such a manner that they will be rendered unconscious with a minimum of excitement and discomfort. The Chicago District Office was contacted, and a Notice of Suspension (NOS) was issued for the egregious event.