CRIMES WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES - gpvec

Crimes Without ConsequenCes
Petaluma Livestock Auction Yard (Newman, Calif.) a
1. Plant was issued an NR on January 22, 2004 for using excessive force in unloading and
driving calves.
2. Plant was issued NR on March 9, 2005 for improper stunning of calves.
3. Inspection was suspended at the plant on October 7, 2005 as a result of an incident
occurring on October 6, 2005, described below:
On 10/6/06 at about 1449 hours [inspection personnel] while working on the inspection
station noticed one bob veal calf rhythmically breathing, struggling and conscious while
shackled on the rail. She immediately came to the USDA office and notified [inspection
personnel]…. I noticed that calf was conscious rhythmically breathing, struggling
and blinking with wide open eyes. I immediately notified the plant foreman [who] also
observed the consciousness of the animal and immediately stuck and bled the animal
while it was still alive (conscious) without restunning the animal.
4. The FSIS placed the above suspension in abeyance on October 12, 2005 after receiving
a documented plan of corrective actions from the plant. On October 21, 2005, the plant
was issued an NR for inhumane handling by an employee dragging a day-old bob veal
calf to the stunning area. This incident occurred in the presence of the plant manager.
5. On October 24, 2005, the USDA reinstated the suspension of inspection at the plant
as a result of the above incident. On October 28, 2005, the FSIS notified Petaluma that
the plant had not adequately addressed humane requirements, and the district office was
recommending to the FSIS Office of Field Operations that a formal complaint be issued
to withdraw inspection from the establishment.
Randolph Packing (Asheboro, N.C.)
1. Plant was issued NRs on November 11, 2002 and March 13, 2003 for improper
handling of disabled, nonambulatory cattle.
2. Plant was issued NRs on January 4, 2003 and April 28, 2003 for failure to provide
water to animals in pens.
3. Inspection was suspended at the plant on May 19, 2003 for insufficient stunning of a
nonambulatory bull, as described below:
At approximately 0825 [inspection personnel] performed ante-mortem inspection on
a downer bull presented for slaughter by a local farmer. The bull was able to struggle
out of the trailer and fell into the area adjacent to the nonambulatory door, which is
lower than the surrounding parking lot…. The captive bolt gun was heard to discharge.
[Inspection personnel] was present on the kill floor when operations resumed at 0845 and
saw the shackler motion to the knocker to bring the captive bolt to the area of the bull.
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