The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-15
KNITTING A SHEEP.
Modern Slaughter House Method
Painless and Rapid.
INSTANT DEATH is ASSURED.
One Dexterous Thrust Through tha
Animals Head by an Expert Work
man Ends consciousness--How the
Carcass Is Skinned and Dressed.

Carcass Is Skinned and Dressed.
The easiest way you could possibly
think OF Is the way sheep are killed in
the packing houses. Most persons mis-
takenly imagine that they are treated
horribly and see in their minds a
bloodthirsty man, with shoulders like
hams. standing over a poor. defense
less sheep with bndgeon in his
hands ready to send the creature
straight TO the promised land. But
there is where the sentimentalist goes
completely wrong. for If there is an
animal that is treated right--in speak
ing of its death--it is the sheep. There
is only one thing that doesn't look as
though death was absolute pleasure for
the sheep, and that is right at the very
start of the killing operation.
The sheep are driven from the yards
up a long chute. aud when they enter
the pathway leader sheep puts him
self at their bend to take them up into
the killing room. These sheep are
trained and are nearly always black
and the leader sheep killed
This leader takes the animals up the
chute to pen that viii hold about
fifty sheep Here a man catches them.
two at a time. and shackles them by
their hind legs. This is the operation
referred to as the only one painful to
the sheep
The animal is then swung on to what
is called the Ferris wheel. This wheel
is constantly revolving. and as it reach
es certain spot the sheep are trans
ferred to a track from which they
hang head downward. At that point
their suffering ceases, for the next
workman is the man who kills them.
The killing process is one that is alb
solutely painless to the sheep. The
workman is adept and never misses
the mark at which he strikes. With
q sharp knife in his hand. he moves
down the row of hanging animals, and
as he comes to each one he feels of
the head just behind the ears and finds
the point where the bones Of the head
thrust and goes through the head of
the animal, completely severing on
both sides large artery. The sheep is
killed instantly. Five hundred sheep
can be handled every hour at this
point They are then 'pated." an OPP
Grafton that consists of skinning the
fore part of the head and the neck.
The next workman cuts through the
hide on the breast and skins just one
spot below the neck. The fore legs are
then broken and cut Off to be sent TO
the bone room.
The fact that there is a time for ev-
erything and one man to do just his
part and no more is emphasized in the
sheep room when one sees just one
hind leg skinned by one mar and the
other skinned In an entirely different
operation. The sheep is then put on
what is called the endless cham. This |
chain consists of hooks at intervals |
md is constantly moving, making the |
rounds OF the room In about twenty |
Along this chain are the |
and as the sheep is passed |
IN TO them by the chain they do their /
work and walt for the next carcass.
After the two hind legs have been /
'kinned the back is partly skinned and l
he animal is passed on to the next /
nan who is called a ''pelter." He /
;rasps the pelt just above the hind
egs, and. with few deft twists Of 1t.
[ is pulled of and the sheep passed
N to the next workman.
After being skinned the sheep are
washed and wiped. new
owel being used on every animal An
ndless chain is in progress here also,