ANIMAL PRODUCTS 



235 



ground thin in all cases, except for cows 

 and hard boned western steers. As soon 

 as the beef carcass is hung in two halves, 

 it is washed and scrubbed with fountain 

 brushes. Blood clots in bruises may be 

 removed by scrubbing with hot water 

 and slight trimming. The process of 

 washing is begun at the hind legs, grad- 

 ually working downward. 



Slaughtering sheep— I n slaughtering 

 sheep, the details are much the same, 

 except that they are handled much more 



is continuous from then on until they 

 are dressed, the sheep never touching 

 the floor again." 



Great care is taken in dressing mut- 

 ton to do a clean job in removing the 

 legs. Otherwise, the meat may become 

 stained. If the wool comes in contact 

 with the meat, the latter acquires a taint- 

 ed flavor. In removing the pelt, the fell 

 must not be broken or the meat will 

 show age more quickly and will look un- 

 sightly. The methods of dressing mut- 



DI.'KSSING VEAL. SKINNING THE SHANKS 



rapidly by reason of their light weight. 

 In the modern abattoir, division of labor 

 is very effective in the case of sheep. 

 These animals are slaughtered by a 

 "string gang," each man doing a small 

 part of the work and acquiring great 

 skill and dexterity as a result of per- 

 forming the same operation repeatedly. 

 A string gang can slaughter 2,000 sheep 

 per day on a floor space of 32x80 feet. 

 "The sheep are hoisted with a double 

 shackle, two at a time, and the work 



ton vary in different cities. The car- 

 cass may be dressed round without back- 

 sets and without the caul; in other lo- 

 calities one or two back-sets are used 

 and also the caul; in still others inside 

 sets may be used or the ribs broken. 

 Water is used freely in dressing mutton 

 if it is to be run into the cooler imme- 

 diately. Otherwise, the washing cloths 

 are wrung out in hot water before using. 

 It is always desirable to have the sheep 

 as clean as possible before slaughtering. 



