Wagner Meats, LLC.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.16(a)(1)

On 6/6/22 at approximately 8:30AM while performing a Humane Handling Verification Task at Wagner Meats, CSI REDACTED came to me with a noncompliance. A black Angus steer walked calmly into the knock box. The establishment employee went to take his first knock with the .22 caliber rifle. When attempting this knock, there was the sound of a release, but the animal was unaffected. The standing steer did not vocalize or show any indication that it had been struck. The establishment employee immediately took a second shot in which the animal dropped to its hind quarters and was in a “dog-sit position”. The establishment employee immediately took a third shot and which the animal dropped into sternal recumbency, but it was noted that there was some rhythmic breathing. A fourth shot was taken in rapid succession and the animal fell in lateral recumbency. The animal was then hoisted, stuck, and bled out. There was no evidence of any signs of consciousness after the 2nd shot only the short bout of rhythmic breathing after the 3rd shot. After the head was removed and skinned, it was noticed that there were 4 holes present in the skull. Two holes were at midline one slightly above and one slightly below the desired position. Then there was a hole to the right, and another to the left of midline. I immediately tagged the knock box with US Rejected Tag 24794568, and I spoke with the establishment employees and CSI REDACTED to get a full picture of the events that transpired. Taking more than one stunning attempt to achieve unconsciousness represents a noncompliance with regulation 9CFR 313.16(a)(1), which states: "The firearms shall be employed in the delivery of a bullet or projectile into the animal in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animal with a single shot before it is shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. The animal shall be stunned in such a manner that they will be rendered unconscious with a minimum of excitement and discomfort." Mr. REDACTED was verbally notified of the noncompliance at approximately 8:45AM. I removed the US Rejected tag from the knock box at this time after we discussed having a different establishment employee knocking for the rest of the day. Mr. REDACTED was also verbally notified of the noncompliance at approximately 8:50AM. The establishment does have a robust systematic approach to humane handling in place.

313.2

On 11/2/2021 while taking a tour of the pens at M-10804, CSI REDACTED and I, Dr. REDACTED, SPHV, noted a blue bowl, automatic waterer that serves the front, right three pens in the barn had the push valve used by animals to engage the flow of water missing/broken off. We brought this to the attention of Plant Owner, Mr. REDACTED, who stated he would get it repaired/replaced. On 11/4/2021, at approximately 0700 hours while performing ante-mortem inspection and a Livestock Humane Handling task, I observed five black, market beef in two of the three pens served by the aforementioned waterer. Someone had partially filled the bowl (approximately 1⁄2 gallon in volume) with water, but the push valve had not been repaired/replaced, thereby preventing the animals free access to a sufficient amount of water for five market-weight beef. Furthermore, two lambs were in a separate pen that contained a dry, blue bowl automatic waterer with intact push valve and a nipple waterer below. The concern being, the height of the blue bowl is above the top of the head of the lambs with no accessibility, and lambs typically are not accustomed to drink readily from a nipple waterer as hogs are. These observations are non-compliant with 9 CFR 313.2(e) which states in part, “Animals shall have access to water in all holding pens.....” Slaughter floor employee, REDACTED, was first verbally notified of this humane handling non-compliance, followed by Plant Owner, Mr. REDACTED, soon after. No action was immediately taken prior to start-up of slaughter operations by either. I, then contacted Slaughter Supervisor, Mr. REDACTED, who showed me the broken push valve in a container in the scale desk. I reminded him that according to FSIS regulations, every animal is to always have access to water in all pens and asked if he could place a bucket in with the animals until further corrective actions occurred, which he did.