The U.S. Department of Agriculture has ordered the largest beef recall in the country’s history.

After finding out during a cattle inspection that a Californian meat plant broke the rules, the Department gave the order that about 143 million lbs (64.9 million kilograms) must be recalled from the market.

"This is the largest beef recall in the history of the United States, unfortunately," said Agriculture Undersecretary Richard Raymond.

However, their recall will have minimal health risks, the USDA said. It was a Class 2 recall, which means the USDA was not expecting the eventual meat consumption to cause harm. Most of the meat, raw and frozen beef products, to be recalled was bought for school lunch and other similar nutrition programs.

This recall makes the 1995 move when some 15.9 million kilograms of ready-to-eat meat was recalled look like a dwarf.

The meat plant responsible for this historic event is Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. The meat producer recalled all of its beef products manufactured since February 1, 2006. The rules Hallmark violated were against the slaughter of "downer cattle" according to which animals too ill to walk mustn’t be sacrificed.

The reason why cattle unable to walk must not be slaughtered is that the risk of them being sick from E. coli, salmonella or mad cow disease is significantly higher.

The company is also being investigated for animal cruelty after the Humane Society of the United States recently released a video which displays unnecessary cruelty against cows at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. meat factory. The recordoings showed workers at the plant using forklifts and water hoses, among other methods, to rouse cattle too weak to walk.

"A recall of this staggering scale proves that it's past time for Congress and the USDA to strengthen our laws for the sake of people and animals," said HSUS president Wayne Pacelle.

The Chino, California-based company has been closed since early February.