Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-03-11
Improved Method of Strengthening Hogs.


Improved Method of SIaughterinG Hogs
There is nc necessity to have ;
crowd of men about, to kill and dres!
"a few hogs, says a correspondent o.
the American Agriculturist. There
is no reason why a farmer with hi:
dozen pigs may not make use of some
of the simple mechanical appliance:
that are used by the great slaughter
ers. OF course it is not suggested
that he should have any costly ap
paratus. but there are some readily.
made devices by which one man may
do AS much as three or four, and, with
one helper, the dozen pigs may be
made into finished pork bet%een
breakfast and dinner, and without
any excitement or worry or hard
work. II is supposed'that the pigs
are in a pen or pens, where they may
be easily TOped by a moose around one
hind leg. This being done the ami
NAL is led TO the door and guided into
a box, having slide door to shut it
in. The bottom of the box is a
hinged lid. As soon as the pig is
safely in the box and shut in by slid
ing down the back door, and faSten-
ing it by a hook, the box is turned
over. bringing the Dig on his back.
The bottom Of the box is opened I'M.
mediately, and one seiZes hind foot,
to hold the animal. while the other
sticks the pig IN the usual manner.
The box is turned and lifted off from
the pig, which, still held by the rope,
is guided to the dressing bench. All
this is done while the previous pig is
being scalded and dressed, or at such
a part of the work that as soon as one
pig is hung and cleaned, the next one
is ready for the scaIding. The scald-
ing vat is a wooden box with sheet
iron bottom, so that small fire may
be Kept under it to maintain the
proper heat Of the water. This is
$50 degrees Fair. or 80 degrees O.
Or the vat may be replenished with hot
water from an adjacent boiler. This vat
is placed close against the dressing
table, so that the carcass may be
rolled on TO a barred table that is i'm
mersed in the hot water the full
depth. This barred table may be
made in various ways. 1t may con-
sist of Stats, fastened at each end,
and the middle to chains, by strong
staples, so that it is pliable, and the
hog may be embraced by it and easily
turned out Of the water by two short
rope handles, or one attached to
pulley block on bar over it. AS the
carcass is dressed it is lifted by a
hook at the end of swivel lever
mounted on post and swung around
to the hanging bar, placed con-
venientlY This bar has sliding hooks,
made to receive the gambrel sticks
which have hook permanently at
tached TO each so that the carcass is
quickly removed from the swivel lever
to the slide hook on the bar. The
upper edge Of the bar is rounded and
and creased to help the
hooks to slide on it. This serves to
hang all the pigs on the bar until
they are cooled. If four persons are
this work may 60 on very
quickly, as they may divide the work
between them, and one pig be scald-
ing and cleaning while another is be-
ing Dress The entrails should be
dropped into wheel-barrow, as they
are taken from the animal. Where
ten or twelve pigs are dressed every
year it will pay to have suitable
building arranged for it. An excel
lent place may be made in the drive
way between a double corn-crib, or
in wagon shed or an annex o the
barn where the feeding pen is placed.
The building should have stationary
boiler in it, and such apparatus as has
been suggested, and windlaSS used
TO do the lifting.