The Somerset reporter., 1904-12-22
MARKETING TURKEYS.
Methods of killing Dry Picking
ScaIdinR and pfcking-packinE


sections. but even when there is an
active demand for them care and atten-
ton are needed in the killing and ship
ping In order to get the best returns.
So much depends upon marketing them
IN the best condition that small grow
ers should either dress and sell them
to their home market, provided 1t can
be done at a fair price. or sell them
alive 10 some one who makes a bust
ness of handling such stock Mr.. L. L.
McGrew of New York city, an authoi
ty in this line. advises as follows:
Buyers who are prepared to kill.
dress. pack and ship turkeys and TO
save the feathers should ne in Il posi-
ton to pay what they are worth alive
and should be able to handle them at
a profit better than can the grower.
who may not be prepared to do the
work TO advantage
Kill nothing but well feathered
stock. 1t seldom pays to send i'll IA
vored stock to market Do not Civ
any food to the turkeys for twenty -four
hours prior to killing. This allows thu
crop and entrails to become empty and
avoids much Of the danger of spelling.
Full crops and entrails count against
value. They often taint the meat and
prevent its being kept for any length
Of time.
There are two methods of killing
largely used The most popular is to
suspend the fowl by the shanks. head
down. and cut or stick it III the roof of
the mouth with a knife made especial
ly for this purpose. This sewers the
arteries and cuts into the brain, caus
ing nsensibility and a free flow Of
blood from the mouth. This is called
sticking in the roof Of the mouth.
The other plan Is to break the neck
by quick twist or jerk backward.
When the neck is completely disjoint-
ed the head is pulled away so as to
form an open space in the neck III
which the blood may settle. This plan
has been but little used, though the
claim is made that when so killed the
fowls Will keep longer because there Is
no opening by which the air can get
into the body, as there is when they
are stuck in the roof of the mouth.
This method has been more used for
chickens than for turkeys and to use
it we'll requires considerable practice.
The method of beheading with an AK
or Ratchet has been employed for ages.
Dry picking is always TO be pre-
ferred when preparing the fowls for
market When in fine condition, nicely
picked and sent to market without
having been packed in ice Il turkey is
at its best and consequently command
the highest price. AS soon as the foWl
is stuck ana the blood is still flowing
pluck the feathers dry from its body.
taking care in doing this not to break
the skin or tear the flesh. Nothing de
tracts so much from dressed poultry
as torn places upon the carcass or
shank Picking must be clean and
nicely done. When the fowl is plucked
hang it head down in cool place un-
til all animal heat is gone from the
body being careful not to hang it
where it viii be So exposed 10 cold air
as to be likely to freeze. DO not re
move the head. feet or entrails, but
have the whole carcass, including head
and feet. perfectly clean.
The method known rs scaldiu@ and
pluckng is too familiar 10 need com
ment further than TO say that care
must be taken not to scald or tear the
skin or shank Perform this operation
as neatly as possible. As soon as the
animal heat has left the body the aF
pearance of the dressed turkeys may
he improved by submereing for short
time in cold water, MS this has a tend
ency to make them plump whether dry
picked or scalded The plueking should
be done as quickly as possible. The
more quickly done the more readily
can the feathers be removed
Packing For shipment.
For shipping pack as closely as pos
sible into close boxes or barrels nicely