Video showing mistreatment of cattle

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) took on livestock auction markets last week. The group released video footage taped during an undercover investigation of livestock handling practices at four separate auction markets alleging mistreatment of downer animals at markets in Texas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Maryland. In several video segments taped in April and May of this year, the group’s operatives filmed what they declared to be inhumane handling practices of injured, sick or downer animals, all of them dairy animals.

"This has to stop immediately," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. "Our earlier investigation into the callous and abusive treatment of live animals at a slaughter plant in California appalled the nation and led to the largest meat recall in U.S. history. These new video images show that the rot in the factory farming system of raising animals goes much deeper. The problems are systemic, the laws and regulations are inadequate, and the industry’s resolve insufficient."

Pacelle called upon the government to step in and increase the regulation and inspection of livestock auction markets and provided an advance copy of the video footage to USDA Secretary Edward Schafer.

"Every place that we looked, we found downed animals. No one is watching. No one is taking responsibility for these animals," Pacelle said. "There is not a federal presence, there isn’t a state presence, it is entirely unacceptable. Congress needs to act on a slaughter ban of downer cattle which requires the immediate, humane euthanization of downer cattle. These animals fall into regulatory limbo."

However, several industry representatives disputed Pacelle’s claims that no one is watching or regulating the markets. In brand law states, there are state representatives to inspect animals and brands. For example in Texas, market inspectors from Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association inspect animals at auction.

"It is regrettable that four isolated incidents have been highlighted by HSUS, but our experience tells us that with upwards of 4 million head marketed each year in Texas, mishandling of cattle at auction markets is not a widespread problem," Dave Scott, the association’s first vice president told the Associated Press.

Likewise, the Livestock Marketing Association noted that it is not a widespread problem. In fact, LMA pointed out that the video is typical of HSUS actions, which are often used to further the group’s anti-livestock industry agenda and fund-raising efforts. LMA President Jim Santomaso pointed out that over the several hours HSUS claimed animals were mistreated, in only one instance did the group’s operatives step into halt the suffering of animals. Nonetheless, Santomaso said LMA would immediately address the problems with the group’s membership.

"We intend to work immediately with the businesses where the improper handling reportedly occurred, as soon as they are specifically identified. We presume this will happen at the HSUS news conference, because they have not shared that information with us or the (USDA) Secretary," he said. "HSUS is clearly not supportive of the livestock and meat industry. Their advocacy of a meatless diet is well known, totally ignoring the work of the livestock and meat industry in providing wholesome, nutritious meat products to global consumers."

Santomaso reiterated that the incidents depicted by the HSUS footage are not reflective of the industry as a whole, instead he said the industry does not benefit in any way from mistreatment of animals and, despite handling an estimated 35.6 million animals in 2006, auction markets have an exceptional record of proper animal care and treatment.

"The overwhelming majority of those markets practice appropriate handling of all livestock moving through their businesses—because proper handling is both a humane, and economic necessity," Santomaso said.

Likewise the American Meat Institute (AMI) stood behind U.S. auction markets, emphasizing that there is no benefit to mistreatment of animals. However, AMI president J. Patrick Boyle said it is important for beef and dairy producers to review their culling practices to aid auction market operators by minimizing the number of downer cattle being shipped to market, a problem frequently targeted by industry officials. He noted that the livestock depicted in the video would not pass inspection by USDA because non-ambulatory cattle that arrive at meat packing plants may not enter the food supply and are euthanized.

Schafer, last week, said his office had been in possession of the video for a week and expressed his concern for the proper handling of all animals up and down the production chain regardless of whether they were in an auction market or a slaughter facility. He said USDA would work with HSUS to address the group’s concerns as well as the auction markets in question.

"Even though this is not a food safety issue, these actions of animal cruelty are not acceptable. When animals fall within our authorities, USDA has acted to prevent animal cruelty such as this," Schafer said. "Policies for humane handling of animals, however, consist of a combined effort of federal, state, and local authorities, as well as private industry. Since learning about this investigation, we are reaching out to states and industry groups to address this issue."

Besides the potential impact of yet another public relations problem following closely behind the problems found by HSUS at a Chino, CA, slaughter facility, there are potential concerns that Congress or individual states may step in to further regulate animal handling. Pacelle said his group was working with officials in Maryland to address animal handling statutes and last week, Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, urged the Agriculture Department on Wednesday to conduct an industry-wide investigation to assess the degree of animal cruelty in the industry.

"This is further evidence that oversight to ensure the humane treatment of animals destined for our food supply is inadequate. Food animals should never be subject to the kind of horrible acts as witnessed in these videos and reported by concerned citizens," Feinstein wrote in a letter to Schafer. — John Robinson, WLJ Editor