Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 10/28/10 

Date Revised: N/A

Bison Handling and Welfare 

1.0 General 

1.1 Program Approach 

The contractor and all subcontractors must develop and implement a written program 

that is consistent with a systematic approach to humane handling and welfare as outlined 

in 69 FR 54625. The program will discuss the applicable provisions of 9 CFR 352 to 

ensure proper bison handling and welfare techniques are conducted from the time the 

transportation conveyance enters the facility’s premises through the stunning and 

exsanguination processes. 

1.2 Contracting Officer 

The contracting officer can declare a contractor’s and/or subcontractor’s Bison Handing 

and Welfare Program out of compliance at any time. 

1.3 Program Submission 

The program will be submitted as a supporting document to the firm’s approved technical 

proposal and must address the requirements outlined in Section 2.0 – Program 

Components. 

2.0 Program Components 

The contractor must ensure that any facility that harvests bison for the program has a: 

 

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS 

SCHEDULE – BISON HANDLING AND 

WELFARE 2010 (TRS-BHW-2010) 

Contracting Officer Technical 

Representative (COTR) Standards, 

Analysis, and Technology Branch 

Room 2607 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 720-

4486 

Effective: October 2010
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 10/28/10 

Date Revised: N/A 2

2.1 Mission Statement 

Mission Statement on Bison Handling and Welfare that is distributed to all employees 

and conspicuously displayed at the premises. 

2.2 Training Program1, 2, 3

Training program on Bison Handling and Welfare that: 

 is provided to all employees interacting with bison; 

 covers Chapter 3: Transportation Audit Guidelines, Core Criteria 1 and 3 of the AMI 

Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition;

 covers Chapter 4: Auditing Animal Handling and Stunning 7 Core Criteria of the AMI 

Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition;

 is conducted no less frequently than once a year for each designated employee; and, 

 requires signed documentation from each employee and confirmation by signature of 

the designated trainer upon successful completion of training. 

2.3 Quality Management Plan1, 2, 3

Written quality management plan (internal) which addresses the provisions of Chapter 3: 

Transportation Audit Guidelines, Core Criteria 1 and 3, and Chapter 4: Auditing Animal 

Handling and Stunning, 7 Core Criteria, of the AMI Recommended Animal Handling 

Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition, found at the following web site: 

http://www.animalhandling.org/ht/d/sp/i/26752/pid/26752

This internal quality management plan must also provide for routine assessment and 

monitoring of humane handling through the use of a numerical scoring system conducted 

by a trained employee.

1

Guidlines and audit criteria specified for cattle in Chapter 4: Auditing Animal Handling and Stunning 7 Core Criteria 

of the AMI Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition should be emulated, to the 

extent possible, for bison. 

2

Core Criteria 4: Vocalization in Chapter 4: Auditing Animal Handling and Stunning 7 Core Criteria of the AMI 

Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition shall be amended to so that vocalization 

only is evaluated at the lead up chute prior to the restrainer with five percent or less vocalization being an 

acceptable score. Grunting should not be counted. 

3

Core Criteria 5: Electric Prod Use in Chapter 4: Auditing Animal Handling and Stunning 7 Core Criteria of the AMI 

Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition shall be amended to provide for a “zero 

tolerance” threshold for bison.
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 10/28/10 

Date Revised: N/A 3

2.4 Non-Ambulatory Bison 

Written protocol in-place and enforced that precludes the receipt of or having nonambulatory, disabled bison on the harvest facility premise. In the event that bison 

become non-ambulatory or disabled at any time while present at the harvest facility, the 

bison will be humanely euthanized and the carcass removed from the premise in a timely 

manner through contracted services or other means.

3.0 Program Evaluation and Eligibility 

The program will be audited (external) by a firm accredited by AMS. The accreditation of 

the firm will be conducted by the Audit, Review and Compliance Branch through the 

LS ISO Guide 65 Program. Alternatively, at the option of the contractor or 

subcontractor, the audits can be performed by AMS auditors. Audit findings thought to 

be in conflict with Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations will be 

communicated to the establishment’s Inspector in Charge (IIC) or designee. 

3.1 Audit Format 

The AMS accredited auditing firm must conduct audits utilizing the following format: 

3.1.1 Transportation Segment (Chapter 3: AMI Recommended Animal Handling 

Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition) 

Audited firms must pass Core Criteria 1 with a minimum scoring of excellent and Core 

Criteria 3 with a minimum scoring of acceptable each time an audit is performed. 

3.1.2 Animal Handling and Stunning Segment (Chapter 4: AMI Recommended Animal 

Handling Guidelines and Audit Guide 2010 Edition) 

Audited firms must pass Core Criteria 1 through 4 with a minimum scoring of acceptable 

while Core Criteria 5 and 7 must be adhered to with full compliance (zero tolerance) each 

time an audit is performed. 

3.2 Initial Audit 

Initial audit must be performed prior to award of contracts. 

3.3 Audit Failure 

If an audit is failed for any of the Core Criteria, the firm is not eligible to provide product 

until such a time that corrective and preventative actions are approved by the 

Contracting Officer, implemented and proven effective. 
Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 10/28/10 

Date Revised: N/A 4

3.4 Audit Frequency and Status 

 STANDARD - Until four (4) consecutive successfully passed audits are attained, an 

audit must be conducted within 3 months of the previous audit. 

 MONTHLY - If at any time an audit identifies any of the Core Criteria not meeting the 

pass requirements while in the STANDARD phase, auditing will be required to be 

conducted on a monthly basis once corrective and preventative actions have been 

approved by the Contracting Officer, implemented and proven effective. This 

schedule will be for a period of time until four (4) successive audits are found to meet 

the pass requirements noted within Chapter 3 (Core Criteria 1 and 3) and Chapter 4 

(Core Criteria 1 through 7) of the AMI Recommended Animal Handling Guidelines 

and Audit Guide 2010 Edition; at which time audits shall be conducted on the 

STANDARD basis. 

 If four successfully conducted audits are sequentially completed within a one year 

period while in STANDARD auditing phase, the facility may move to a SEMI-ANNUAL 

audit basis. 

 SEMI-ANNUAL - Semi-annual audits may continue until such time that a failed audit 

is reported or a period of greater than six months has elapsed without any audits 

being performed; at which time the audits must resume as described for STANDARD 

audits.