The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-05-14
A Weekly Page of Poultry Hints to You

Il ears in the shipment of dressed
poultry, and to determine the
changes that take place in this poultry
in transit at different temperatures, the
Bureau of Chemistry, United States De.
partment of Agriculture, has made COM
plete examinations and records of 120
carload shipments of dressed poultry
which Travelled an aggregate of 100000
miles.
The hauls averaged between 1000 to
1900 miles, and terminated generally in
New York City. No car was used twice,
and many different types of ordinary
refrigerator cars were employed.
The shipments were made in winter
and summer, so that the effect Of out
side temperatures could be determined.
Many of the cars were equipped with
accurate recording devices which show.
ed the temperature near the ice bunker
and in various parts of the car, and
also outside temperature.
As result Of this experiment the
specialists have found that the builders
of refrigerator cars have not kept pace
with the refrigerating industry in gem
cral, and nave also determined the tenn
peratures which best keep poultry fresh
in long trips from Iowa or Tennessee to
the Atlantic Coast markets.
Poultry Carefully Prepared.
The poultry shipped in these cars was
carefully prepared and chilled for "a
hours to 80 degrees F., packed in one
dozen to the box, and the boxes placed
in refrigerator cars which had been
iced "a hours before loading.
Accurate chemical analyses of the con.
ditions of the poultry were made prior
to the shipment, special attention being
given to the percentage of ammoniacal
nitrogen in the muscle tissue, which is
an accurate index of the degree of de-
terioration in the fresh dressed pouI.
try. The fresh chicken shows .Ol1O per
cent such nitrogen. 1t was found that
poultry kept at a temperature Of IS
degrees to 26 degrees F. showed only
.Ol20, while temperature of above 81
degrees F. gave nitrogen per cent Of
OBI, and IS degrees F. or above,
nitrogen per cent Of .0141.
The poultry after arrival in the car
was then kept under examination while
in the wholesale commission houses, and
at the retailers. The commission houses
kept the low temperature shipments at
1913 degrees F., whereas the average for
the high temperature shipments was 1922
degrees F. The retail stores kept their
poultry at from 35 degrees F. to 3O.3 de.
grees F.
1t was found that the high tempera-
ture shipments after transit period of
five days showed an increase in nitrogen
to O.143 per cent. The high temperature
shipments at retailers after seven
days showed nitrogen percentage of
.O1SS. The changes during the commits.
sion period were, therefore, very slight,
but after four days at retailers, or
nine days after the railroad haul the
low temperature shipments increased to
OLA per cent, which is nearly the same
as the high temperature shipments at
the end Of transit period.
This indicates that if the car tenn
perature is above 35 degrees F. the poul
try when it reaches the market has the
disadvantage Of deterioration equiva.
lent to five or more days in the mar
ket, and must be consumed five days
earlier than that arriving at car TEN.
peratures below "a degrees F.
Most Satisfactory Temperature
The experiments indicated that less
than 81 degrees F. is the most satisfac.
tory temperature Of dressed poultry for
long hauls. The ten.degree rise in tho
temperature Of the car during the haul
makes difference in keeping time on
the New York market, even when the
market conditions are favorable.
Even poultry excellently handled, as
was the case in these experimental ship.
ments, if exposed to unfavorable tenn.
peratures during transportation, receives
an impetus towards decay that cannot
be overcome by subsequent careful
treatment on the market. It is com.
paratively simple matter to prevent de.
cav, but il seems TO be- imnosaihle IN