CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

Crimes Without ConsequenCes
head stuck in a hole of a pen gate by forcefully ramming the animal’s head with his foot.
In addition, on August 21 and August 23 of 2003, about 1,100 hogs died on the grounds
of the plant while they waited to be unloaded from trucks in hot weather.
2. Plant was issued NRs on August 29, 2003 and September 17, 2003 for insufficient
stunning and a conscious animal on the rail.
3. Inspection at plant was suspended again on December 4, 2003 for the following
incident:
I walked up to the area and observed approximately 6 hogs lying in the area. One hog
was dead and the remainder were alive. One hog was in an agonal condition. It was
cyanotic as evidenced by skin and mouth parts being a bluish purple color. It was lying
on its side with its mouth open gasping for air as it breathed. The dying hog in this area
had been left by the first shift supervisors and company employees at the end of their
shift. The hogs had no water available to drink.
Excel (Friona, Texas)
1. Inspection was suspended at the plant on August 21, 2003 for an instance of a
conscious animal on the bleed rail, described below:
During a tour of the kill floor, I inspected the “stack” of animals stunned and shackled,
awaiting sticking. This was just at the end of lunch break, so employees were just
returning to the sticking line to begin bleeding cattle. I observed one animal, already
shackled and hung, to exhibit signs of consciousness, including rhythmic breathing,
righting reflex, and tongue tone.
Farm Fresh Meats (Maricopa, Ariz.)
1. Plant was issued an NR on April 18, 2003 for failure to provide water to animals.
2. Plant was issued at least six NRs for inhumane handling of downed (disabled) animals
during 2003. On one occasion (March 12, 2003) downed animals were not separated
from ambulatory animals on a transport truck, and on another occasion a downed animals
was observed with a cable secured around a front leg with a noticeable skin abrasion
beneath. Abrasions were also noted on arriving downer cattle on July 8, 2003, September
17, 2003 and September 22, 2003, which the slaughter plant attributed to prior handling
at the dairy operation where the animals originated. On December 29, 2003, the plant was
cited for an overcrowded transport trailer containing nine downer cows lying on top of
one another. Following this incident the plant indicated it would no longer accept downed
animals for slaughter.
3. Inspection was suspended at the plant on August 18, 2006 for inhumane handling/
slaughter violations.
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