408 



FATTENING, KILLING, AND DRESSING 



Cramming means the introduction of feed into the bird's 

 crop by physical force, with no aid or desire on the part of the 

 bird. There are three distinct methods of cramming, namely, 

 hand, funnel, and machine cramming. 



Hand cramming is rarely resorted to in this country, but is 

 done quite extensively on small plants in England. The method 

 is to place feed in the bird's mouth in the form of a pellet, force 

 it down with the finger, and then work it into the crop by pressing 

 the hand downward on the outside of the gullet. It is occasionally 



After Edward Brown/ 



FIQ. 186. Common type of 

 funnel used in cramming. The 

 point is rounded to prevent in- 

 jury to the bird's throat. 



FIG. 187. Cramming machine 

 used extensively in Europe, but as 

 yet very little in America. 



done in this country in the fattening of geese, but is so laborious 

 that it is impracticable. 



Funnel cramming is a method not extensively employed in 

 America, but it is more effective and more rapid than hand cram- 

 ming. In this process the feed is mixed into a thin paste of about 

 the consistency of cream, and poured through a long-necked funnel 

 sc shaped that it will not injure the bird when passed down the 

 gullet until the lower end enters the crop (Fig. 186). On insert- 

 ing it care must be taken not to choke the bird, and only enough 

 feed should be introduced to fill the crop. 



Machine cramming is widely practised in Europe, but not to 

 a great extent in this country as yet (Fig. 187). It consists in 



