Eagle Grove Cooperative: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2025 (USDA)

313.1

At approximately 1309 hours on Thursday January 9, 2025, I, CSI REDACTED, while Performing a HATS category 11- truck unloading task, observed one hog down and vocalizing between the back of the trailer and the unloading ramp in bay 5. I observed the hog remain down and intermittently vocalizing for approximately 4 minutes. I communicated with an establishment employee and stopped the unloading of more hogs. Upon closer observation of the down hog, I observed that the hog’s rear leg was held in a gap between the trailer and the unloading ramp. Two establishment employees reacted immediately and pulled the right hind leg out of the gap between the unloading ramp and the trailer. At that time, I observed a minor soft tissue injury and abrasion of the right rear leg. I notified establishment Supervisor REDACTED of my observations. I then took a regulatory control action by tagging up all the unloading ramps with U.S Reject tag NO.B-45256049 preventing further unloading of hogs. The regulatory control action was released after the establishment gave corrective actions regarding the incident. I notified Supervisor REDACTED of the forthcoming NR. The establishment was not in compliance with 9 CFR 313.1(b) “ Floors of livestock pens, ramps, and driveways shall be constructed and maintained so as to provide good footing for livestock”

313.15(a)(1)

On November 5, 2024, at approximately 1219hrs, I (SCSI REDACTED) was performing HATS Category II-Truck Unloading when I observed the following noncompliance with HATS Category VIII-Stunning Effectiveness. While standing in the walkway by bay 5 of the semi unloading in the barns, I observed a hog which was laying down and did not move with the rest of the hogs when being moved from Bay 5 of the truck unloading to another pen in the barns. I observed three establishment employees walking towards the down hog. Two of the employees had hand-held captive bolt devices (HHCB) with them. I observed one of the employees put the HHCB to the recumbent animal’s head and as the employee began to fire the hog lifted its head. The captive bolt went off but was an ineffective stun. The conscious animal, sitting up now, began shaking its head back and forth. While the animal was sitting shaking its head back and forth the employee traded HHCB guns with the other employee. Once the animal stopped moving and laid back down the employee performed a second stun attempt with the 2nd HHCB gun and effectively stunned the animal rendering it unconscious. I requested the employees to stop stunning, as I walked into the bay to get a closer look to see if the initial stun attempt had penetrated the animal’s head or if the bolt missed the animal. I observed one puncture next to the animal’s eye. I also observed a second puncture wound in the middle of the head above the plane of the eyes. I informed the establishment employees not to move the hog as I went to the barn office to speak with Barn supervisor REDACTED and Humane Handling supervisor REDACTED. I showed Supervisor REDACTED and Supervisor REDACTED the carcass head and placement of the two puncture wounds. I informed them I would be back after calling USDA Supervisor/ District office. At approximately 1244hrs in the barns office, I spoke with Supervisor REDACTED, Supervisor REDACTED and V.P of technical services REDACTED informing them that a noncompliance would be issued for 313.15(a). V.P REDACTED stated they will be retraining the employees on Animal Welfare policy 04. I released my verbal regulatory control action and informed the establishment that they can resume operations in that area .

313.2,313.5

On October 25, 2024, at approximately 14:25 hours, Dr. REDACTED, SPHV, was conducting a Livestock Humane Handling Task and verifying HATS Category Alternative Object Use VI and observed the following noncompliance. There were six hogs in a group. As the pre-dividing gate was moving the group towards the East REDACTED loading area, I observed one hog sitting with its rear end contacting the floor. The gate moved approximately five (5) feet, and the hog remained sitting the entire time. An employee was standing approximately 2 feet away and did not either observe the hog and/or did not take action to stop the gate. The hog did not vocalize. I immediately informed the employee to stop the gate as a Supervisor was not near me. The gates were stopped. The animal stood up voluntarily on its own after I informed Mr. REDACTED, Barn Supervisor that I was taking a regulatory control action by stopping stunning. I also informed Ms. REDACTED, FSQA Supervisor, of the incident and that I was taking a regulatory control action. This is in noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.2(d)2 and 313.5(a)(2). U.S. Retain Tags #B45256052 and B45256173 were placed on both CO2 stunners. I then contacted the District Office for additional direction. The plant gave verbal corrective actions, and the U.S. Retain Tags were removed at 15:40 hours.