446 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Kill nothing but well fattened stock. It seldom pays to send ill-favored 

 stock into market. Do not give any food to the turkeys :for twenty-four 

 hours prior to killing. This allows the crop and entrails to become empty 

 and avoids much of the danger of spoiling. Full crops and entrails count 

 against value; they often taint the meat and prevent its being kept for any 

 length of time. 



Methods of killing. — There are two methods of killing largely used. The 

 most popular is to suspend the fowl by the shanks, head down, and cut or 

 stick it in the roof of the mouth with a knife made especially for this pur- 

 pose. This severs the arteries and cuts into the brain, causing insensibility 

 and a free flow of blood from the mouth. This is called sticking in the roof 

 of the mouth. 



The other plan is to break the neck by a quick twist or jerk backward. 

 When the neck is completely disjointed the head is pulled away so as to 

 form an open space in the neck in which the blood may settle. This plan 

 has been but little used, though the claim is made that when so killed the 

 fowls will keep longer, because there is no opening by which the air can get 

 into the body, as there is when they are stuck in the roof of the mouth. This 

 method has been more used for chickens than for turkeys, and to use it well 

 requires considerable practice. 



• The method of beheading with an ax or hatchet has been employed for 

 ages. 



DRESSING. 



Dry picking. — Dry picking is always to be preferred when preparing the 

 fowls for market. When in fine condition, nicely picked, and sent to the 

 market without having been packed in ice, a turkey is at its best; and con- 

 sequently commands the highest price. As soon as the fowl is stuck and 

 the blood is still flowing, pluck the feathers dry from its body, taking care 

 in doing this not to break the skin or tear the flesh. Nothing detracts so 

 much from dressed poultry as torn places upon the carcass or shank; picking 

 must be clean and nicely done. When the fowl is plucked hang it head 

 down in a cool place until all animal heat is gone from the body, being 

 careful not to Jiang it where it will be so exposed to cold air as to be likely to 

 freeze. Do not remove the head, feet or entrails, but have the whole carcass, 

 including head and feet, perfectly clean. 



Scalding and picking. — The method known as scalding and plucking is 

 too familiar to need comment further than to say that care must be taken 

 not to scald or tear the skin or shank. Perform this operation as neatly as 

 possible. As soon as the animal heat has left the body, the appearance of 

 the dressed turkeys may be improved by submerging for a short time in cold 

 water, as this has a tendency to make them plump whether dry picked or 

 scalded. The plucking should be done as quickly as possible; the more 

 quickly done, the more readily can the feathers be removed. 



