Hog beatings cause SD plant to shut briefly

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) -- A Sioux Falls meatpacking plant was shut down briefly because a truck driver was beating the hogs that he was bringing to be slaughtered.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports Sunday that the incident happened Sept. 8 at the John Morrell & Co. packing plant.

A federal meat inspector saw a truck driver beating hogs as he unloaded them from his trailer. The beatings appeared to violate federal laws against humane handling of animals.

Meat inspections were suspended for about six hours while the incident was investigated. The plant had to be shut down. The hogs were eventually slaughtered.

The newspaper says Morrell has been warned or cited for inhumane treatment four times in the past 10 years. The plant processes more than 17,000 hogs each day.

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