True West Beef LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection At approximately 0535 hours on September 18, 2025, while performing the antemortem task, I the SCSI, observed a steer in pen 2 with its head stuck between the pipes of the gate. The drover/cattle receiver called for a maintenance worker to come with a floor jack to create more space between the pipes to allow the steer to remove its head. The steer was freed from the gate at 0545 hours with a small amount of blood coming out of its nose, after which the steer lay there with its head resting on the gate. The drover then began to move other cattle through the antemortem process. At 0611 hours the drover was finally able to get the steer that had been stuck to stand up and walk, and it was passed for slaughter. The harvest manager was notified of the noncompliance. This noncompliance will be associated with noncompliance record MCA1716092509N/1, dated September 9, 2025, for similar findings with the same root cause. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.1

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection At approximately 0532 hours on September 9, 2025, while performing the antemortem task, I the SCSI, observed a steer in pen 2 with its head stuck under the gate in pen 2. The team lead called for assistance; eventually the team lead lifted the gate up enough so that the steer was able to free itself from the gate without injury at 0540 hours. The hide-on supervisor was notified of the noncompliance. This noncompliance will be associated with noncompliance record MCA4109091208N/1, dated September 8, 2025, for similar findings with the same root cause. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.1

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection At approximately 0602 hours on September 8, 2025, while performing the antemortem task, I the SCSI, observed a steer in pen 4 with its head stuck between the pipes of the fence between pen 3 and pen 4. The drover called for the harvest manager who came to look at the situation. The harvest manager then called for a maintenance worker to come with a floor jack to create more space between the pipes to allow the steer to remove its head. All the other animals were eventually removed from pens 3 and 4 and the maintenance worker along with the department lead were able to free the steer from the fence without injury at 0628 hours. The harvest manager was notified of the noncompliance. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.15(a)(1),313.2(f)

HATS Category VIII- Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 1313 hours on August 1, 2025, while performing a HATS task verifying stunning effectiveness, I, SCSI REDACTED observed the following non-compliance: The stun operator attempted to stun a heifer with a pneumatic captive bolt device. The first stun attempt contacted the heifer's head however the animal was not rendered insensible. I observed the animal moving its head purposefully from side-to-side. The stun operator waited for the side-to-side head movement to stop and immediately applied a second stun with the same pneumatic captive bolt device. The second attempted stun rendered the animal insensible. The heifer remained insensible during the shackling, hoisting and sticking process until deceased. I verified that the skull had two penetrating holes. A regulatory control action was not taken due to the observed immediate and effective corrective actions. The Harvest Superintendent was notified of the noncompliance. A review of non-compliance records during the past 90 days shows no non-compliance report documented for similar causes. The Denver District Management Team was notified through supervisory channels. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII- Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 1218 hours on April 14, 2025, while observing stunning effectiveness, I observed the stun operator attempt to stun a bovine with a pneumatic captive bolt device. The first stun attempt made contact with the animal's head however the animal was not rendered insensible. I observed the animal moving its head purposefully from side to side. The stun operator waited for the head movement to stop and immediately applied a second stun with the same pneumatic captive bolt device, which rendered the animal insensible. I verified that the skull had two penetrating holes. A regulatory control action was not taken due to the observed immediate and effective corrective actions. The hide off supervisor was notified of the noncompliance. The District Veterinary Medical Specialist was notified through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record is associated with MCA1016034307N/. The e establishment’s corrective actions failed to prevent the likeliness of recurrence. This establishment operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII- Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 1446 hours on March 7, 2025, while observing stunning effectiveness, I observed the stun operator attempt to stun a bovine with a pneumatic captive bolt device. The first stun attempt made contact with the animal's head however the animal was not rendered insensible. I observed the animal moving its head purposefully from side to side. The stun operator waited for the head movement to stop and immediately applied a second stun with the same pneumatic captive bolt device, which rendered the animal insensible. I verified that the skull had two penetrating holes. A regulatory control action was not taken due to the observed immediate and effective corrective actions. The hide off supervisor was notified of the noncompliance. The 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 operates under a robust systematic approach to the humane handling of livestock.

313.1

HATS Category IV – Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category VII Slips and Falls On January 31, 2025, at approximately 0550 hours while performing antemortem in yards I observed the following noncompliance. A group of cattle were in the back alley when an animal that was walking back to pen 8 slipped to its knees hitting the concrete the animal then stood up and slipped again. I observed that there was ice on the ground. I informed the establishment employee. I told him to get the supervisor, and I verbally informed the supervisor of the situation and that a noncompliance record would be documented. No regulatory control action was taken.

313.1

HATS Category IV – Ante-mortem Inspection HATS Category VII Slips and Falls On January 22, 2025, at approximately 0536 hours while performing antemortem in yards I observed the following noncompliance. A group of cattle were in pen 10 when an animal that was turning around the corner slipped to its knees hitting the concrete. I observed that there was ice on the ground. I informed the establishment employee. I told him to get the supervisor, and I verbally informed the supervisor of the situation and that a noncompliance record would be documented. No regulatory control action was taken.