The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-11-21
POULTRY PACKERS
l1I We "A DJ RN NC
Specialists Rel commend Meth.
DDS of HandIin Poultry I'M
der Adverse Conditions.


WASHINGTON. D: O.. Nov. so
Poultry packers are urged by the
specialists of the department Of az.
rfcultnre to give unusual atfenftonSto
preparing and packing their birds
for shipment, particularly II the mild
weather, which has been widely pref
alent this autumn, continues. The.
poultry specialists say that the
weather conditions In many sect ions
have been very similar to those that
prevailed in the autumn OF 1915
and which. as poultry shippers viii
remember, proved disastrous to NIL
packers who did mot dress, chill and
pack properly. ~ 4.
Methods Given.
The specialists therefore recon-
mended the particular observance OF
the following methods Of handling
dressed poultry, which are essential
to a perfect product al any time and
are Of vital importance whenever
weather conditions are unfayorahle:
1. Keep the tiold ding batteries for
your incoming stock clean, well
aired and free from vern,in, and see
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fresh water and plenty TO eat.
Don't kill q chicken when the,
crop Is full Of feed. Give the chick
en- only water for twenty-fou hours
before it Is killed. Food in the crop
on in the intestines OF q dressed
chicken causes loss OF flavor and
hastens decay, which more than on
sets any gain from extra weight.
Good bleeding is. absolutely es-
sential to- d good appearance on the
market and retards decay. Circular
81, bureau OF chemistry, United
States Department Of Agriculture,
explains the best methods o. bleed
ing and loosening the feather mus.
cles for dry picking. II
Hang the chicken by both feet
while picking. Hanging by. one leg
spoils the shape of the bird. Pick
| ing on the lap gets the skin dirty
and hastens decay. AS
81 Dry pick II possible. Scalding
is particularly undesirable because
| It hastenss tiecay.
6. Chill every dressed bird until
the body Temperature is below thir-
lyty-ive degrees Fahrenheit. Never
pack or ship an imperfectly chilled
bird. More decay Is due to fmper-
feet chilling than to any other single
factor in dressing. Dry chill. II DOS
sible, Chickens cooled In water lose
| flavor. decay sooner and will not
cold store as satisfactorily as dry
chilled, and are In every. way more
undesirable on the market. Refrig-
orator cars will carry well chilled
goods in good condition, but they
cannot chill warm goods to q sumo
Iiently low temperature.
whenever possible. A large barrel
makes an undesirable package, be-
cause where poultry is packed In
large masses tina weight of the up
| per layers brushes the birds at the
bottom.
8. Line all packages with parch-
ment' paper and cover the top Of the
poultry before the lid ID put on.
8. Wrap every head In suitable
paper so that blood from one bird
will not mar the appearance Of an
other.
10. Use only good refrigerator
cars and see that they are In good
order. Ice and salt the car twenty
four hours before loading. The car.
at the end Of twenty-four hours,
should show a temperature below
forty degrees, at a point four feet
above the floor and between the
doors. 8 4 81
General Suggestions.
Never handle chickens roughly
either before or after killing. Rough
handling causes bruises, broken
bones. Scared skins and soft places
in the flesh. Undue haste on the
part Of the killers and pickers re-
suits in lowered keeping quality and
poor appearance of the product.
Piece work which leads to guam
tityi rather than quality makes for
lower prices on the market. Those
Who pay by the piece should remeni-
Der that they sell by the quality o.
the piece 81 z &
These directions will apply with
equal force to turkeys Intended for
| the holiday, market.
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