Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-01-05

Methods of killing - Dry Picking,
~scsIdin9 and Picking-PackfnE.

BectlOns, DUt even wien lDefe IN M
active demand for them care aud 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 hat small grow
es should either dress and sell them
to their home market. provided ii can
se lone at a fair price. or sell them
alive to some one who makes a bust
ness of handling such stock. Mr.. l.: K.
McGrew Of New York city. an authori-
ty In this line. advises as follows:
Buyers who are prepared to kill,
dress. pack and ship turkeys and TO
save the feathers should be in a posi-
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 Ill IA
yored stock to market. DO not give
A. hoDu w AbN Y y "'ht Aphi4
hours prior to killing This allows the,
crop and entrails to become empty aud
avoids much OF the danger OF spelling.
Full crops and entrsils count gains
value. They often faint the meat and
prevent its being kept for any length
OF time.
There are I'VE methods of killing
largely used. The most popular is to,
suspend the fowl by the shanks. head
down. and cut or stick il Ia the root OF
the month with b knife made especial
Iy for this purpose. This severs the
arteries and cuts into the brain, csus
Ing insensibility and a free flow of
blood from the mouth. This 10 called
sticking in the roof OF the mouth.
The other plan 10 to break the neck
by q quick twist or jerk backward.
When the neck is completely diejoint-
ed the bead Is pulled away 80 M TO
form an open space in the meek In
which the blood may settle. This plan
has beeu but little used. though the
claim Ia 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 IL when they
are stuck in the roof Of the mouth.
This method has been more used for
chickens than for turkeys. and to use
Ii well requires considerable practice.
The method of beheading with an ak
ar hafahaf hos ham onanlNuaH fnr a .
Dry picking Is always to he pre-.
ferred when preparing the fowls for
market. When in fine condition. nicely
picked and SEN to market without
having been packed In ice q turkey is
at It's best and consequently commands.
the highest price. AS soon as the fowl
Is stuck and the blood 10 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 80 much from dressed poultry
as torn places upon he carcass or
shank. Picking must be clean and
nicely done. When the fowl is plucked
hang 1t head down in a cool place IN
til all animal heat Ia gone from the
body, being careful not to hang 1t
where II will be o exposed to cold air
40 to be likely to freeze. Do not re-
move the head. feet or entraiis, but
have the whole carcass. including head
and feet. perfectly clean.
The method known a. scahding and
plucking ID too familiar to need com
ment further than to say that care
must be taken not to scald or tear the
skin or shank. Perform this operation
~ neatly a. possible. AS Don a. the
animal heat has left the body the ap-
pearance of the dressed turkeys may
be Improved By submerging for a short
time In cold water. as this has a tend
sncy to make them plump whether dry
picked or scalded. The plucking 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
lined with white or manila paper. Do
not use brown, soiled or printed pa
REk. AAufG AN BatkaSt NohaPttcfy 49,
Cd, 20 as to prevent the poultry from
shifting about In Transit. DO not use
hay or straw for packing, as it marks
or stains the fowls and detracts from
their value. The above method can
only be used when the poultry is sent
to market without being packed In
Ice. and when this can be done with
safety, either in refrigerator cars or
for 4 short distance In cold weather, II
h by far the best. The greater part.
however. must be packed In Ice. When
necessary to do this. use nice clean
barrels. Cover the bottom with bro
ken Ice. then put In a layer OF poultry.
then q layer Of ice. Continue thus till
the barrel IL packed solid and full. Al
ways use perfectly clean Ice for pack
Ing. Head the barrel tightly and mark
it, contents plainly on the head. and
never ship MIXED lots OF poultry in
the same package II It car be avoided.
Geing zee Fast.
We recall an instance where a feeder
put six car loads Of steers in his yards