The US Department of Agriculture on Sunday ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of frozen beef from a California slaughterhouse, the largest recall of beef in history.

The federal agency yesterday issued the recall of 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef from the Chino, California-based meat-packing company, Westland Hallmark Meat Co., calling it unfit for human consumption because of backslides in required inspections.

The Southern California slaughterhouse that provided meat to school lunch programs is being investigated for mistreating cattle. The Humane Society of the United States accused the Westland employees of shoving crippled and sick animals with forklifts, kicking them, and giving them repeated electric shocks.

This horrible treatment was captured on video, which was released three weeks ago by the Humane Society. This undercover video, distributed by the federal agency on Jan. 30, showed downed and nearly lifeless cows allegedly being subjected to repeated electric shocks, tail twisting, shackling and dragging, ramming with fork.

In an investigation, the federal officials found that Westland/Hallmark did not always alert federal veterinarians when its cattle became unable to walk after passing inspection, as required.

Cows that cannot walk are not supposed to be used as meat unless a veterinarian determines that the animal stumbled or fell because of injury, which would not affect the safety of their meat. Downer cattle are banned for use in the food supply because they pose an added risk of mad cow disease, a fatal http://www.themoneytimes.com/articles/20080218/cattle_abuse_scandal_prompts_usda_to_order_record_beef_recall-id-1017443.html

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