﻿10 BULLETIN 11, U. S. DEPAKTMENT OF AGEICULTUKE. 



thermograph, which was next to the experimental box of poultry, 

 showed an average temperature of 18° to 26° F. (-7.8° to - 3.3° C.) ; 

 second, those which showed an average temperature of 27° to 30° F. 

 (_2.8°to - 1.1° C); third, those at 31° to 34° F. (-0.5° to 1.1° C.) ; 

 and fourth, those at 35° to 39° F. (1.7° to 3.9° C). None of the 

 experiments showed an average temperature of over 39° F. (3.9° C). 

 The temperature during portions of the haul have exceeded these 

 group limits, but the average temperature for the entire period of 



fKESH C///C/f£W 



Fig. 2. — Deterioration during haul as affected by car temperatures, as shown by the percentage of ammo- 



niacal nitrogen. 



transportation lay between the maximum and minimum limits as 

 given for the group. These groups are shown in Table 2 and the 

 results are represented graphically in figure 2. 



Fresh chickens contain about 0.0110 per cent of ammoniacal nitro- 

 gen. Amounts distinctly in excess of this figure may be taken as 

 an indication of deterioration, especially when obtained by average, 

 hence it is made the base line of the chart. 



When the car temperatures averaged from 18° to 26° F. ( — 7.8° to 

 — 3.3° C.) the deterioration was very slight, the ammoniacal nitrogen 

 having increased to only 0.0120 per cent; but when the car tempera- 

 tures were from 35° to 39° F. (1 .7° to 3.9° C.) the ammoniacal nitrogen 

 had increased to 0.0141 per cent, a deterioration of three times that 



