Troudt Meats, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.16(a)(2)

HATS Category IV: Ante-mortem Inspection On November 19th, 2024, at approximately 0740 hours, I, the CSI, observed the following noncompliance. A cow had been driven into the stun box. The cow was very active while in the stun box and was able to move freely in the stun box and turn itself around. The establishment manager and slaughter manager were attempting to get the cows head into the head restraint, but the cow did not cooperate. The establishment manager got the cow to turn itself back around inside the stun box and then held the animal by the tail to keep the animal from moving backwards. The manager then pulled on the cows’ ears to get the cow to lift its head up. I observed the cow move erratically and end up with its head stuck under the opening of the restrainer whilst the establishment manager still had ahold of the tail. The slaughter manager then took the cows tail as the establishment manager went to retrieve a halter. It took the establishment manager multiple attempts before successfully getting the halter on the cows’ head and then attempt to lead the cows head forward into the head catch, but the cow did not move. At this point the cow was vocalizing frequently. After one final attempt with the halter, I observed the cow erratically turned itself around once more and when it stood all the way up, I observed a cut on the cow’s right, front hoof, which was actively bleeding. I had observed the cow get its hooves stuck at various times underneath the openings at the bottom of the restrainer. The Establishment Manager decided to allow the cow back outside into the holding pens. When bringing the second cow up into the stun box, I observed the cow stop moving once its head passed the entrance to the building. The establishment manager took the cows tail and tried to pull it forward. The slaughter manager got on top of the serpentine and was using his legs to push on the rump of the cow in attempt to move the cow forward. The cow eventually entered the stun box. A regulatory control action was not taken. The establishment manager and slaughter manager were verbally notified that a non-compliance record would be documented. 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.