January 31, 2008

USDA probes on California-based cattle slaughterhouse

The USDA announced Wednesday that it was investigating California's Chino-based supplier of meat after a video on inhumane slaughter of sick cows was released.

The video, reportedly came from the Humane Society of the US at a news conference Wednesday morning, showing Hallmark Meat Packing workers that use forklifts to pick up and roll animals too weak to stand and forcing sick or weak cows to stand by shooting high-pressure water sprays into their nostrils or repeatedly shocking them with electricity.

Federal and California laws prohibit the slaughter of downer cattle, those that cannot stand or walk, not only to prevent animal cruelty but also to avoid human consumption of meat from unhealthy animals.

Meat processed at Hallmark is distributed by Westland Meat Co., also of Chino.

Last year, Westland sold 27 million pounds of frozen meat to federal food and nutrition programmes, including those that provide school lunches and meals for the poor and elderly, according to the USDA.

The US banned the use of downer cows for slaughter in 1989 after mad cow disease began to spread across the UK.

Regulations were further tightened in 2003 after a mad cow case was identified in Washington state.

Previous studies showed a correlation between downer cows and those with mad cow disease. Among the 15 cases of mad cow disease found in North America, 12 have been from downer cows.