TURKEY RAISING 



for example, there is held each year shortly before 

 Thanksgiving, a turkey day. On the day before this 

 event the farmers kill and dress their turkeys, using 

 the same methods as are employed in the packing plants 

 except that the birds are allowed to cool by hanging them 

 out over night, provided the weather is cool enough to 

 reduce their temperature to about 35 degrees. If the 

 weather is not cool enough for this purpose they are 

 put into ice water and cooled in this manner. 



Care must be taken in cooling turkeys by hanging them 

 outdoors to see that the temperature is not so severe that 

 the turkeys will freeze on the outside before the body 

 heat has left the interior of the birds, as this will cause 

 them to spoil rather quickly. The turkeys to be killed 

 should not be fed on that day or the previous night, ex- 

 cept the little that may be necessary to entice them into 

 the barn or some other building to catch them. Feeding 

 before slaughter causes the crop to be distended with feed 

 and makes an unsightly carcass. On the next day the 

 farmers bring their dressed turkeys into the town by 

 wagon. A number of turkey buyers representing differ- 

 ent concerns are present and they bid for and buy the tur- 

 keys at the street curb. 



In a general way it may be said that it is hazardous for 

 the farmer to attempt to dress and ship his turkeys to 

 market, since with small lots he does not have refrigerator 

 facilities and since he usually makes no effort to ice his 

 turkeys. If the weather happens to turn warm or if the 

 shipment is delayed, there is a grave chance of the birds 



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