The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-02-08
Cause Of Loss in
Shipping Poultry
Avoid Crowding, Improper
Picking, Bad Handling;
Time Important.
CPrepa+ed BY the United States DapartmeA:
Of Agriculture.)

" OF Agrtculturo.)
Care In marketing poultry Will
greatly increase the profits Of the poul-
try producer, says the United States
Department Of Agriculture. Losses
occur from crowding, rough handling,
improper packing, failure to time
shipments advantageously, and other
causes. Attention to a few simple
rules. says the department, will elm
mate many Of these troubles. &.
Live poultry should be graded BY
age and kind, and the different classes
shipped In separate coops. it is point
ed out, Dressed birds should never
be scald-picked for market which
prefers them dry-picked. They should
be chilled to remove body heat before
shipping, and should be packed in bar
rels or boxes lined with clean paper,
and farfn-dressed birds in warm
weather must be packed with alternate
layers of cracked ice.
Best Time to Ship.
The best time Of day to forward a
shipment depends on the length of the
journey and the time the shipment
will arrive on the market. Live poul-
try should never arrive late Saturday
afternoon, for 1t may be held over I'M
til Monday, and in that case will suf-
fer heavy shrinkage. 1t is always de-
sirable to have shipments arrive on
the market early enough to be weighed
the same day. Actual shrinkage on
poultry shipments varies according to
the condition of the birds, the weather,
and the length Of the journey. Several
lots Of broilers which were on the
road six to eight hours showed a
shrinkage Of to Is per cent, and a
general average Of IL per cent.
Producers are advised not to feed
poultry before shipping unless the
birds will not arrive until the follow
ing day. 1t is desirable to have poul-
try arrive with empty crops When It
arrives with full crops, 1t is said to
be "croppy" and the receiver must
hold it overnight before weighing or
may make deduction in the weight
to allow for the croppy condition. In
marketing dressed poultry, says the
department, it usually pays to fatten
the birds before marketing.
In cooping poultry for shipment,
the birds should be- graded so that
each lot is as uniform in color. size,
grade and class as possible. Uniform
lots, say department specialists, are
more attractive, and sell more readily
and for better price. Culls, weak
lings and crlpples should not be mixed
with better quality stock, because they
may die en- route. and in any case will
lower the appearance Of the entire lot
Crowding should be avoided not only
to prevent killing some Of the birds
but to prevent bruising, which causes
poultry to dress out poorly.
Market Poultry.
Raising market poultry is not yet
much specialized In this country.
There is some specialization in pro-
ducing chickens near Philadelphia
and Boston and on Long Island, but
the great bulk of market poultry is a
by-product Incidental to the produc-
ton Of eggs. On general farms. poul-
try is kept to supply eggs and poultry
for the table, and to produce eggs for
sale.
Chickens are reared and marketed
In considerable numbers in various
areas in the East and on the Pacific
coast, but the greater supply Is pro-
duced on general farms in the East
North Central and the West North
Central states. According to the cen
sus of 1919, Iowa led in the number
Of chickens raised, with 31O76,091
followed in order by Illinois, Missouri
Texas. Indiana, Kansas. Ohio, Okla
homa, Nebraska and Pennsylvania
Total value of the poultry raised in
this country in 1922 was 1881, Its. 600
Of which amount chickens accounted
for 1854, 10000.
Since the states Of the Middle West
not only raise more poultry but have
a greater surplus above their own
needs than any other section, the poul-
try marketing problem is one Of NOV
ing the birds from the sources of pro
duction to the consuming centers in
the best possible condition and at the
lowest cost. In the shipment Of poul-
try to New York there is an average
haul Of 1000 miles. For efficiency and
economy in handling, the poultry sold
In small lots from individual farms
must be assembled at central points
and shipped. either alive or dressed
in large lots, often car lots. This end
Of the business is chiefly in the hands
of dealers.