Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-09-17
MisttIlanp.
Slnnahteri,.a Swine.

Ma. EDIroR II WAS much interested
in the inquiry Of one of your correspond
cuts with regard to killing hogs, IS we'll
A. IN the editorial remarks which accom-
named his queries. Both you and your
correspondent evidently beiongto arapldly
increasing class, VINO recognize the tact
that our dumb ANIMALS have rights which
il Is our duty to respect, and that, while
it Is perfectly right to propagate them Tor
Their meat or other products, 1t IL not right
70 cause them any unnecessary suffering
consequently, while we have the right to
AXE their life, 1t is our duty to do 1t IN rs
humane manner as possible What
better right have We to inhict unnecessary
main on a dumb animal than on human
Seipg2 / have long felt that the common
modes of slsughtering swine, as usually
Dracticed on our farms aud IN the villages,
were bsrbarous and cruel, and consequent
ly, after reading the directions for sIaugh-
terinc swine IN humane manner as gwen
by DR. Slade, of the Bussey Institution,
IN page 242 OF Massachusetts Agrlcul-
ursl Report, 1854, | concluded TO take
the business into my own hands, aud 10
dispense with professional butchers, who
have WAYS of their own and are rather
obstinate set. also. While | have no
taste for the business, yet prefer to Xiii
nv animals myself, 10 humane manner
than TO see others do it in what ! consider
cruel way therefore, under the new
regime. butchering hogs has become a
very quiet business at our place.
What consider the proper way to Kill
hog. Is 10 get into the pen alone work
~ Il the victim carefully, scratch his
hack little, perhaps, and before he Is
aware OF any danger, sip rope into bis
mouth but by allmeans Svoid any excite
ment 80 far as is possible When the
rope Is well secured in his mouth hand
the end Of ii to sn assistant, who Will
pull il tight, and as quick as you can get
the hog into a good position, strike good
smart blow above his eyes with an axe or
hammer | use an oid' Adze, which has a
sinai round head and makes a smaller
mark than sn axe II the blow Il hard,
and aimed right, the hog will fall, aud
viii not stop TO 10 that most natural thing
for hog, that Ii, to squeal, and he may
then be bed Just s. well as i not stunned
B,siics the humauity-of this method, an
other advantage il that It saves hara
,uss!o which is required to throw and held
la0se bog when 10 possession OF a! his
faculties. # IS not always necessary to
rope d hog, but j; Is the safest way As
,hey may dodge if not held, and you WI!
mis-. your aim which is very undesirable I;
consequently, it he better to rope and hold
them then, if the first blow fails 1t may
be repeated instantly.
DR.. Slade says There Is an idea prev
a!ent among farmers, and even among many
Of those who practice the s.aughiering Of
swine as an avocstion, that, If these anil
mails are rendered insensible by blows up
on the head. il is impossible ~ empty the
b,ood vessels. There is no foundation
however. Tor sny such opinion. Any OBJ
stae,es to blessing are due, not to mater
ial differences in the >aatomiesl arrange
ment OF the blood vessels, '"u' soieiy 70
the difficulties attending the cutting thru ~
Of the great mass Of tat and flesh which
charscterizes the necks Of swine, in order
20 reach those veSsels--a reason. certainly,
Shy the animal should 10 rendered insen-
sible before bleeding, not only on the score
Of humanity, out also on the score OF
avoiding the barbarUus sights and sounds
which so frequently disgrace our towns
snd villages In Europe, generally, and
At the present time IN our large slaughter
ing establishments, both in New England
snd at the West, the swine are first rem
dered insensible by being stunned
The writer believes that there are but
few of the readers of the FARMER who
would 20 back to old practices, after kill
ing number of swine by stunning aud
then bleeding Let US try and get out OF
the old ruts, and see if there are not bet
Ter ways than those our fathers followed
even 10 killing hogs.-NeW England Far