234 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



In handling carcasses on the floor, 

 use is made of a pritch, which is simply 

 a stick with a sawtoothed ferrule on the 

 end in contact with the hide, and a spike 

 on the other end to prevent it from slip- 

 ping on the floor. In cutting off the 

 feet, the skin is removed close to the 

 hoof, but is not opened up any further 

 back than is necessary, since otherwise 

 the shank becomes bloody and discolored. 

 At the same time, the gullet is raised, 

 but not too high, taking care not to 



middle line and the caul is removed in 

 a clean condition and placed in a box. 

 If the intestines are cut by accident, 

 they are at once skewered together. A 

 single or double hoisting apparatus is 

 used to raise the beef from the floor. 

 When the carcass is partly hoisted, the 

 hide is smoothly skinned from the hind 

 legs. This is known as fell cutting. 



A spring spreader is now commonly 

 used in abattoirs. This allows the car- 

 cass to spread gradually as the splitting 



Fig. 158 — DRESSING VEAL. REMOVING THE HEAD 



cut the windpipe or weasand. Then 

 the skin is opened along the whole length 

 of the animal in a straight cut. The 

 gambrel joint should be uncovered only 

 enough to expose the joint. 



About one-half the work of slaugh- 

 tering is done while the cattle are on 

 the floor and the other half after hoist- 

 ing. It is, therefore, possible to operate 

 a double slaughter floor. On 16 double 

 beds, 150 cattle are slaughtered per hour. 

 The breast is sawed carefully along the 



proceeds and prevents splitting the tail 

 and loin vertebrae irregularly. The car- 

 cass is spread to a maximum when 

 the chuck is split. The skin must be 

 removed from the rump and back with 

 care and precision, so as not to injure 

 the hide or the appearance of the meat. 

 The intestines are removed carefully, 

 so as to save the fat in a cleanly condi- 

 tion. The liver is taken out without 

 tearing and placed on a truck. The 

 choppers used in splitting the back are 



