Greetings,
At 2 of the 12 slaughter establishments reviewed, plant records/auditor observations found that for the period June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005, 29 nonambulatory animals were slaughtered; 20 of them were identified as downers with no documentation of any acute injury.
WHAT are the names and locations of these two plants???
WE know Plant L is in the same district as plant K.
WE know The daily disposition sheets and State inspection records at Plants K and L (June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005) showed the following cattle were passed for slaughter. • downer or down - 20 • down due to the disease of mastitis - 1 • splitter (legs have splayed) - 5 • injury - 3 .
WE know one establishment slaughters 13,000 head per month.
DOES anyone know the identification of these two slaughtering establishments?
just curious, any help would be appreciated. you can post it here if anyone knows or email me privately.....
thank you,
kind regards,
terry
102 Acute is defined as brief and severe as opposed to chronic.
103 Nothing came to our attention that unfit animals were improperly passed for slaughter at the initial ante mortem inspection. Our concerns involve the animals that went down after the ante mortem inspection but before entering the slaughter facility.
104 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 7, Monday, January 12, 2004, / Rules and Regulations Page 1870.
105 FSIS Notice 5-04, Interim Guidance for Nonambulatory Disabled Cattle and Age Determination, dated January 12, 2004.
Finding 9 Inconsistent Application of Procedures for Slaughter of Nonambulatory Cattle (Downers)
FSIS issued a policy that allows cattle that become nonambulatory due to an acute102 injury after it passes ante mortem policy to proceed to slaughter. This policy is inconsistent with both published regulations and public policy announcements, and is not consistently interpreted and applied by FSIS inspectors. At 2 of the 12 slaughter establishments reviewed, plant records/auditor observations found that for the period June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005, 29 nonambulatory animals were slaughtered; 20 of them were identified as downers with no documentation of any acute injury. FSIS officials do not believe its policy is contrary to published regulations prohibiting downers from entering the food supply because, in the opinion of the professional VMOs, these animals were healthy and suitable for slaughter after they passed ante mortem inspection.103 We could find no records, other than the plant daily disposition records, documenting the condition of the animals. Stated public policy must be clear and transparent.
The policy stated in the preamble to 9 CFR 309.2(b)104 states that FSIS has excluded all nonambulatory disabled cattle from the human food supply, regardless of the reason for their nonambulatory status or the time at which they became nonambulatory (emphasis added). If an animal becomes nonambulatory in route to the establishment due to an acute injury, it must be humanely removed from the truck, humanely euthanized, and the carcass properly disposed of. Likewise, cattle that become nonambulatory on the establishment premises, such as an animal that breaks its leg as it is unloaded from the truck, are also required to be humanely moved, humanely euthanized, and the carcass disposed of properly.
However, an FSIS notice105 states that if cattle are ambulatory at ante mortem inspection and become nonambulatory disabled prior to slaughter, the VMO should verify that the animal suffered an acute injury and allow the animal to proceed to slaughter and post mortem inspection. FSIS would expect such situations to be extremely rare because cattle, when handled and moved under proper humane handling conditions, should not be injured while being moved in pens. For cattle that become nonambulatory disabled after ante mortem inspection, if the VMO cannot determine that a specific, acute injury occurred that caused the animal to become nonambulatory disabled, the animal is to be condemned and cannot enter the slaughter establishment. There appears to be inconsistent USDA policies related to slaughtering downers/nonambulatory cattle. Regarding animals for slaughter, it is clear that downers will not be slaughtered. In fact, one report106 states: "The U.S. Policy is to condemn all cattle that are nonambulatory or disabled when presented for slaughter." The Department has widely publicized that one of the firewalls put in place to prevent the spread of BSE is the prevention of downers from entering the food supply.
Our review at the 12 plants visited showed the following variations in application of the policy for condemning or passing nonambulatory cattle for slaughter.
snip...
We advised FSIS of the high number of downers being slaughtered at Plant K. FSIS reviewed the situation and offered the following comments.
The 26 animals107 were deemed, in the professional judgment of the public health veterinarian performing the reassessment of each animal's condition following the acute injury, fit to continue to slaughter. All evidence indicates that they were reassessed in accordance with FSIS Notice 5-04. During the 9-month period examined by OIG, 26 cattle becoming nonambulatory after passing ante mortem inspection because of acute injury is not remarkable for an establishment that slaughters 13,000 head per month, and, that receives distressed cull cattle. The district veterinary medical specialist, following a site-visit on March 29, 2005, was of the opinion that these 26 acute injuries were related to the underlying condition of each animal, and not related to any humane handling non-compliance.
We question what evidence FSIS reviewed to make their determination since only plant daily disposition records were available showing the condition of the animals. For Plant L in the same district as plant K, documentation for one cow that became nonambulatory after passing ante mortem inspection showed the cow had bilateral rear foot cellulites lesions associated with foot rot. The diagnosis was shown as local foot cellulites. This diagnosis raises a question as to whether the cow suffered an acute injury after ante mortem inspection.
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snip...
http://www.usda.gov/oig/webdocs/50601-10-KC.pdf
TSS
At 2 of the 12 slaughter establishments reviewed, plant records/auditor observations found that for the period June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005, 29 nonambulatory animals were slaughtered; 20 of them were identified as downers with no documentation of any acute injury.
WHAT are the names and locations of these two plants???
WE know Plant L is in the same district as plant K.
WE know The daily disposition sheets and State inspection records at Plants K and L (June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005) showed the following cattle were passed for slaughter. • downer or down - 20 • down due to the disease of mastitis - 1 • splitter (legs have splayed) - 5 • injury - 3 .
WE know one establishment slaughters 13,000 head per month.
DOES anyone know the identification of these two slaughtering establishments?
just curious, any help would be appreciated. you can post it here if anyone knows or email me privately.....
thank you,
kind regards,
terry
102 Acute is defined as brief and severe as opposed to chronic.
103 Nothing came to our attention that unfit animals were improperly passed for slaughter at the initial ante mortem inspection. Our concerns involve the animals that went down after the ante mortem inspection but before entering the slaughter facility.
104 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 7, Monday, January 12, 2004, / Rules and Regulations Page 1870.
105 FSIS Notice 5-04, Interim Guidance for Nonambulatory Disabled Cattle and Age Determination, dated January 12, 2004.
Finding 9 Inconsistent Application of Procedures for Slaughter of Nonambulatory Cattle (Downers)
FSIS issued a policy that allows cattle that become nonambulatory due to an acute102 injury after it passes ante mortem policy to proceed to slaughter. This policy is inconsistent with both published regulations and public policy announcements, and is not consistently interpreted and applied by FSIS inspectors. At 2 of the 12 slaughter establishments reviewed, plant records/auditor observations found that for the period June 17, 2004, to April 12, 2005, 29 nonambulatory animals were slaughtered; 20 of them were identified as downers with no documentation of any acute injury. FSIS officials do not believe its policy is contrary to published regulations prohibiting downers from entering the food supply because, in the opinion of the professional VMOs, these animals were healthy and suitable for slaughter after they passed ante mortem inspection.103 We could find no records, other than the plant daily disposition records, documenting the condition of the animals. Stated public policy must be clear and transparent.
The policy stated in the preamble to 9 CFR 309.2(b)104 states that FSIS has excluded all nonambulatory disabled cattle from the human food supply, regardless of the reason for their nonambulatory status or the time at which they became nonambulatory (emphasis added). If an animal becomes nonambulatory in route to the establishment due to an acute injury, it must be humanely removed from the truck, humanely euthanized, and the carcass properly disposed of. Likewise, cattle that become nonambulatory on the establishment premises, such as an animal that breaks its leg as it is unloaded from the truck, are also required to be humanely moved, humanely euthanized, and the carcass disposed of properly.
However, an FSIS notice105 states that if cattle are ambulatory at ante mortem inspection and become nonambulatory disabled prior to slaughter, the VMO should verify that the animal suffered an acute injury and allow the animal to proceed to slaughter and post mortem inspection. FSIS would expect such situations to be extremely rare because cattle, when handled and moved under proper humane handling conditions, should not be injured while being moved in pens. For cattle that become nonambulatory disabled after ante mortem inspection, if the VMO cannot determine that a specific, acute injury occurred that caused the animal to become nonambulatory disabled, the animal is to be condemned and cannot enter the slaughter establishment. There appears to be inconsistent USDA policies related to slaughtering downers/nonambulatory cattle. Regarding animals for slaughter, it is clear that downers will not be slaughtered. In fact, one report106 states: "The U.S. Policy is to condemn all cattle that are nonambulatory or disabled when presented for slaughter." The Department has widely publicized that one of the firewalls put in place to prevent the spread of BSE is the prevention of downers from entering the food supply.
Our review at the 12 plants visited showed the following variations in application of the policy for condemning or passing nonambulatory cattle for slaughter.
snip...
We advised FSIS of the high number of downers being slaughtered at Plant K. FSIS reviewed the situation and offered the following comments.
The 26 animals107 were deemed, in the professional judgment of the public health veterinarian performing the reassessment of each animal's condition following the acute injury, fit to continue to slaughter. All evidence indicates that they were reassessed in accordance with FSIS Notice 5-04. During the 9-month period examined by OIG, 26 cattle becoming nonambulatory after passing ante mortem inspection because of acute injury is not remarkable for an establishment that slaughters 13,000 head per month, and, that receives distressed cull cattle. The district veterinary medical specialist, following a site-visit on March 29, 2005, was of the opinion that these 26 acute injuries were related to the underlying condition of each animal, and not related to any humane handling non-compliance.
We question what evidence FSIS reviewed to make their determination since only plant daily disposition records were available showing the condition of the animals. For Plant L in the same district as plant K, documentation for one cow that became nonambulatory after passing ante mortem inspection showed the cow had bilateral rear foot cellulites lesions associated with foot rot. The diagnosis was shown as local foot cellulites. This diagnosis raises a question as to whether the cow suffered an acute injury after ante mortem inspection.
snip...
snip...
http://www.usda.gov/oig/webdocs/50601-10-KC.pdf
TSS
