The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-03-22
KNITTING A SHEEP.
Modern Slaughter House Method
Painless and Rapid.
INSTANT DEATH IS ASSURED.

One Dexterous Thrust Through thu
Animals Head by an Export Work.
man Ends conseiousnsss-Hew tn,
Carcass 10 Skinned and Dressed.
The easiest way you could possibly
think of is the way sheep are kill ed In
the packing houses. Most persons mis-.
takenly imagine that they are treated
horribly and see In their minds q
bloodthirsty man, with shoulders like
hams. standing over a poor. defense.
less sheep with bludgeon In his
hands ready to send the creature
straight to the promised land. Hut
there Is where the sentimentalist goes
completely wrong. for II there ID 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 long chute. and when they enter
the pathway leader sheep puts him
self at their head to take them up into
the killing room. These sheep are
trained and are nearly always black
SO that there will be no mistake made
and the leader sheep killed
This leader takes the animals up the
chute to pen that will hold about
fifty sheep. Here man catches them,
two at time. and shackles them by
their hind legs. This Is the operatio
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 re ach-
es a certain spot the sheep are Il ans
ferred to track from which they
hang head downward. At that point
their suffering ceases. for the next
workman is the man who kills the %.
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
leave an opening. In this the knife is
thrust and goes through the head Of
the animal. completely severing on
both sides large artery. The shee % is
killed instantly. Five hundred sheep
can be handled every hour at this
point They are then 'pated." an op-
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 of to be sent to
The bone room,
The fact that there is a time for ey-
srythtng and one man to do Just his
part and no more is emphasized in the
sheep room when one sees Just one
lind leg skinned by one man and the
'ther skinned In an entirely different
operation. The sheep is then put on
what Is called the endless cham. This
main consists of hooks at interv ais
md is constantly moving. making the
ounds of the room in about twenty
minutes Along this chain are the
and as the sheep Is passed
n to them by the chain they do their ..
YORK and walt for the next carcass.
After the two hind legs have been
kinned the back Is partly skinned and
be animal is passed ON to the next
1an who Is called "pelter." he
rasps the pelt just above the hind
.gs. and. with few deft twists of It.
Is pulled of and the sheep pass ed
to the next workman.
After being skinned the sheep re
lrefully washed and wiped, ew
'wel being used on every animal. An
ndless chain IS In progress here also.
n when towel Is used 1t is tbrow n
ITO q vat OF boiling water, washed
40 put into drier to be used over
10 over again. After the animal has
zen washed the head is taken or and
e neck washed in the same manner
the rest of the carcass. The gov.
nment Inspector then gets It, and It
subjected to a rigid examination N.
ter which the stamp Of approval Of
e United States is put on.
After the head is taken or It Is sent
the floor below. where the tongue Ia {
Ken out and the remainder Of 1t sent
the bone room.
ihere are two ways Of dressing the
eep. Some. Of the buyers insist On
wing the caul fat with the animal
lille others do not care about It. II
Tat Is desired 1t Ia put on the hin ID
IT OF the animal, covering about one
II OF the body. and Is then split, RI
aling the carcass shorn Of the viz 5
a.
me dressed animals are hung on ;,
erhead tracks and put on an eleya :
to be sent to the cooling room. s.
Louis Globe Democrat. r