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An Educational Guidebook Based on FSIS Policies
Reserve
aHV4762
. H86
2009
Humane
Handling
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Introduction
This booklet is an easy-to-
read guide reviewing regula¬
tory requirements for humane
handling of livestock. This guide
also reviews FSIS policies on
good manufacturing processes
for poultry. Proper training
and supervision will do a lot
to ensure humane handling at
your establishment. Following
the principles in this guidebook
will help you improve humane
handling practices in order to
better comply with the Federal
Humane Methods of Slaughter
Act. The content of this guide¬
book is based on FSIS statutes,
regulations, and policies con¬
cerning humane handling.
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Humane Handling
Guidebook
Background:
Humane Methods ■ Adequate measures for
of Slaughter Act inclement weather: How
does the establishment adapt
All FSIS inspected livestock
its facilities and handling
slaughter inspection establish¬
practices to inclement
ments are required to meet the
weather to ensure the
requirements of the Humane
humane handling of animals?
Methods of Slaughter Act.
When the weather conditions
Inspectors from the United
warrant concern (e.g.,
States Department of Agricul¬
extreme cold, heat, humidity,
ture (USDA), Food Safety and
heavy rains, or high winds),
Inspection Service (FSIS) are
inspectors are to assess
responsible for verifying that
what effect these conditions
livestock establishments are
have on the establishment’s
complying with the Act. FSIS will
humane handling of animals.
respect the ritual requirements
of religion. ■ Truck unloading: What
is the condition of vehicles,
Following are some examples of
ramps, and driveways? Do
types of observations FSIS in¬
they permit the unloading of
spectors make to ensure that the
animals without injury? Are
Humane Methods of Slaughter
animals unloaded and driven
Act is being followed at livestock
to pens with a minimum of
slaughter establishments.
excitement and use of prods?
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Humane Handling
Guidebook
■ Water and feeding without excessive prodding
availability: Is water or use of sharp objects after
available to animals at all ante mortem inspection
times? Do animals held has been completed? This
longer than 24 hours have includes observation involving
access to feed? animal movement between
pens, in alleyways, and in
■ Handling during ante
areas up to the knock box or
mortem inspection: Are
stunning area. The reasons
livestock pens, floors, drive¬
for excessive implement use
ways, etc., maintained in good
may include poorly trained
condition? Are animals being
employees, animals balking
moved with a minimum of ex¬
due to distractions, or some
citement? How often and in
other issue. It is expected
what manner are prods being
that establishments train
used by the establishment to
their employees adequately
move animals?
in the proper use of these
implements, ensure that
■ Handling of suspect
only objects designed for the
animals: Are establishments
intended purpose are being
taking steps to ensure
used, and maintain facilities
that livestock designated
in a manner that prevents
“U.S. Suspect” are handled
excessive prodding.
humanely? Are they held
in covered pens during
■ Slips and falls: Are animals
inclement weather?
slipping and falling? Does the
establishment have flooring
■ Electric prod/alternative
that provides adequate
object use: Are
footing for animals? Are
establishments humanely and
animals being driven with a
effectively moving livestock
minimum of excitement and
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discomfort? Are livestock Is the stunning equipment
being forced to move faster in good repair? If carbon
than a normal walking speed? dioxide is used, do records
show that the gas is used in
■ Stunning effectiveness: the correct concentration?
Does the establishment Are animals properly
appropriately and effectively restrained so that stunning is
administer stunning methods
accurate?
that produce unconsciousness
in the animal before the ■ Animals on the rail:
animal is shackled, hoisted, Are animals regaining
thrown, cast, or cut? Are consciousness during the
animals rendered insensible shackling, sticking, and
by a single blow or gun shot, bleeding process? If so, they
or an appropriate electrical, have not been rendered
chemical or other means that insensible as required.
is rapid and effective? Is the
If inspectors observe animals
stunning area designed and
being injured or treated inhu¬
constructed to limit the free
manely, they will take immediate
movement of animals to allow
enforcement action.
the stunning blow to have a
high degree of accuracy?
Establishment
Failure to properly stun Responsibilities:
animals is a serious violation
of the Humane Methods A Systematic Approach to
of Slaughter Act, and Humane Handling
represents a deficiency in
FSIS recommends that you
training, equipment design,
use a systematic approach to
maintenance, or application.
5 USDA-FSIS
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Humane Handling
Guidebook
humane handling and slaughter. injury to livestock.
With a systematic approach,
3. Evaluate handling methods
establishments focus on treating
periodically to ensure
livestock in a way that minimizes
they minimize excitement,
excitement, discomfort, and
discomfort, and accidental
accidental injury the entire time
injury, and except for
livestock is held in connection
establishments conducting
with slaughter.
ritual slaughter, evaluate
To develop and maintain a sys¬ stunning methods periodically
tematic approach to meet the to ensure that all livestock is
humane handling requirements, rendered insensible to pain by
FSIS has stated that establish¬ a single blow.
ments should:
4. Improve handling practices
1. Conduct an initial assessment and modify facilities when
of where and under what necessary to minimize
circumstances livestock may excitement, discomfort, and
experience excitement, accidental injury to livestock.
discomfort, or accidental
In the first step of a systematic
injury while being handled in
approach, establishments should
connection with slaughter
conduct an assessment of where
and, except for establishments
handling and stunning problems
conducting ritual slaughter,
occur. Establishments should
where and under what
consider such factors as wheth¬
circumstances stunning
er (I) the movement of livestock
problems may occur.
is done with a minimum of
2. Design facilities and excitement and discomfort to
implement practices that the animal and at a suitable pace;
will minimize excitement, (2) the particular livestock’s
discomfort, and accidental genetics, instincts, and behav-
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Humane Handling
Guidebook
ior are taken into account in Establishments should also
the handling of livestock in the assess the training for establish¬
establishment; (3) electric prods ment personnel in the appropri¬
and other implements are used ate use of stunning and slaugh¬
as little as possible to move ani¬ tering equipment.
mals within the establishment;
(4) animals have access to water; In the second step of a system¬
(5) there is sufficient room in atic approach, establishments
the holding pens for animals that should determine if the plant
are held overnight; (6) training is in compliance with regula¬
is provided for establishment tory requirements by analyzing
personnel in the appropriate whether (I) the pens, driveways,
and proper use of restraints and and ramps are designed and
prods; and (7) potential weather maintained to prevent injury
and climatic conditions of the or pain to the animals; (2) the
locale, especially for disabled pens are free of loose boards or
livestock in the establishment, openings, so that the head, feet,
will lead to the inhumane treat¬ or legs of an animal will not be
ment of animals. injured; (3) the floors of pens,
ramps, and driveways are con¬
In addition, establishments structed so that an animal is not
should also assess the stunning likely to fall (e.g., using cleated
method used for its effective¬ or waffled floors or sand on the
ness in rendering animals im¬ floors); and (4) driveways are
mediately unconscious and to designed so that sharp turns or
ensure that animals are being sudden reversals of direction are
properly stunned before being minimized, so that they are not
slaughtered. likely to cause injury to animals.
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