11 June, 1917.] Treatment of Farm Slaughtered Animals. 367 



ECONOMIC TREATMENT OF FARM SLAUGHTERED 



ANIMALS. 



By J. C. Marshall, Inspector of Stock. 



In a previous article attention was drawu to meat waste, and con- 

 sideration is now given to the econonij' of the various other products 

 obtained from the slaughter of farm animals. These, generally speak- 

 ing, are inferior to the beasts marketed. " Sell what is marketable 

 and eat what you cannot sell '' is one of the unwritten laws of the 

 farmer. 



Probably one of the greatest losses he suffers is due to bad skinning 

 or flaying, especially in the case of cattle hides. Knife marks, cuts, 

 ragged edges, and bad shape, together with the fact that they occasionally 

 reach the market in a putrid condition, always spell loss, and many 

 thousands of pounds annually are lost from this cause. 



In the flaying of large or small cattle the proper opening up of 

 the beast is all important, as the ultimate shape of the skin or hide 

 depends on this operation. Probably one of the best methods after 

 sticking and carefully pumping the animal is to skin the head and then 

 put the carcass on its back and prop it in that position by means of a 

 pritch or blocks. Open the skin from crutch to neck in a direct line. 

 Remove the fore feet at the knees and the hind feet at the hocks. Open 

 the skin at the inside of fore-legs to the point of the 

 brisket and at the hind legs from hock to scrotum. Always skin tail 

 and leave about 6 inches of it on the hide. Should the tail l)e cut out 

 with tlie skin attached to it, not only a most valuable piece of hide from 

 the butt is lost, but, further, the shape of the hide as a whole is spoilt. 

 The dressing is accomplished by means of a good sharp butcher's knife, 

 saw, and chopper. In flaying, one of the main factors is to hold the 

 skin up tight with one hand and drive or thrust the knife with the 

 other. This is done by forcing the knife between the hide and the 

 flesh per medium of the panniculus or " felm." After opening the carcass 

 out on the ground and skinning well down each side, saw through the 

 brisket and aitch. Hang up carcass and finish skinning; after removal 

 of stomach, entrails, and pluck, saw or chop down evenly through the 

 back bono. Use as little water as possible for cleansing, and make sure 

 that it, as well as the cloth used, are clean. 



After washing the hide free from blood and debris, sprinkle well, 

 especially at the edges, with clean coarse salt. Fold it up by thro\ving 

 in sides to centre, then neck and tail end, and roll up. Efficient, 

 clean, and quick salting is necessary, as many putrid " farm " hides 

 reach the city skin stores. Farm-stored hides should be laid away flesh 

 side up in shallow concrete pits, and treated well with clean salt. They 

 will there make their owti brine, and will keep till ready for market, 

 when they may be rolled up. It should be remembered that clean hides 

 fetch from kl. to Id. per lb. more than dirty hides. 



