May 1, 2008

WASHINGTON –- Audits of cattle slaughterhouses by the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service found humane handling violations at two of the nation’s largest beef processors.

Plants at National Beef Packing Co. in Dodge City, Kan., and Cargill Meat solutions in Fresno, Calif., were slapped with noncompliance records, according to the Associated Press. On appeal, the FSIS dropped Cargill’s violation record, instead issuing a letter of concern.

Audits of 18 slaughterhouses found that some cattle were not being stunned properly on the first try, others were subject to overcrowding, and some were electronically prodded to get them to move.

In a significant reversal, major meat industry groups this week backed a total ban on downer cows from entering the food supply. Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, testified before the Senate in February to address the issue of downer cows, as previously reported by Pet Pulse.

“The meat industry tries to squeeze as many profits out of these sick animals as possible, even animals too sick or injured to walk are animals they want to turn a profit on,” Pacelle had testified.

FSIS conducted the audits after humane handling violations at Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino, Calif., lead to the largest beef recall in the nation’s history, 143 pounds. That plant, a major supplier to the National School Lunch Program, was shut down after violations were captured on video by an undercover investigator of the Humane Society of the United States.

While no children were affected in the 40 states where the meat was served, downer cattle is at a heightened risk for disease.

“By allowing downed cattle into the food supply, we are increasing the risk of human exposure to mad cow disease, Salmonella, E. coli and other food poisoning bacteria,” testified Dr. Michael Greger of HSUS.

The video showed workers shoving and kicking sick, crippled cattle, and forcing them to stand using electric prods, forklifts and water hoses.

The Agriculture Department said that violations were found in four of the 18 facilities audited. Aside from Cargill and National Beef, the FSIS temporarily shut down Martin’s Abbatoir and Wholesale Meats in Godwin, N.C., for insufficiently stunning animals and failing to make them insensible to pain on the first attempt.

A noncompliance order was issued to Dakota premium Foods in South St. Paul, Minn., for excessive bunching up of cattle going into the stunning area. FSIS cited National Beef for overcrowded holding pens.

Before its appeal, Cargill was cited for a violation of a regulation stating, “The driving of livestock from the holding pens to the stunning area should be done with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals.”

“Half a century has passed and we are once more before you to draw attention to certain other cruelties that are repugnant to our moral code today, and a threat to our nation’s food supply,” Pacelle said during his testimony.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this article.