Sanderson Farms Processing Inc. Tyler Processing Division: Non-Compliance to Poultry Good Commercial Practices in 2025 (USDA)

381.65(b)

On 3/24/2025 at approximately 5:20 am on the routine GCP task, I Dr. REDACTED observed the following: While noticing evisceration and slaughtering line #1 was down, I walked towards the slaughtering area at about 5:24 am and noticed that the young chickens that were present in the stunner #1 cabinet, was not lowered nor the water in the cabinet was emptied. On observing closely inside the cabinet, I noticed that the birds were unresponsive. I immediately informed Mr. REDACTED, Live Hang Lead about the situation, who then called in Mr. REDACTED, 1st picking supervisor. They both took an immediate action by lowering and emptied water from cabinet. The line was restarted at about 5:45 am. The drowned 23 birds were removed and condemned as cadavers. Mr. REDACTED and Mr. REDACTED were informed that the non-compliance will be issued for their failure to observe their animal welfare procedure. As per the Establishment animal welfare procedure, if the breakdown in excess of 2 minutes in the stunner, the cabinet must be drained promptly. In this case, the follow-up on the protocol might be significantly delayed resulting in 23 young chickens as cadavers because of drowning in the stunner cabinet. All the birds were condemned. This is failure of the establishment to follow its animal welfare protocol and 9 CFR 381.65b (failure to handle the young chickens in accordance with GCP).