240 SOUTHERN PORK PRODUCTION 



grow those carcasses which will retail for the largest 

 figures, for in the long run they will prove the most 

 profitable. 



Pork cuts. — When hogs are killed in the larger packing 

 houses they may be sold either in the carcass or cut up. 

 When cut up the regulation cuts and parts of the hog's 

 carcass are the hams, sides, bellies, backs, shoulders, 

 loins, butts and plates, miscellaneous and lard. These 

 may be graded to some extent to meet the demands of 

 the trade. The grading of pork cuts is more or less diffi- 

 cult owing to the fact that the grading is complicated by 

 the style of cutting and methods of packing required for 

 different classes of trade. 



The offal. — With the high degree of specialization that 

 comes with the development of a great industry we find 

 that some use is made of everything and that nothing 

 is wasted. This is especially true of the pork-packing 

 industry. Everything that cannot be classed as pork 

 to be eaten as food is used in some manner. The blood 

 may go for the manufacture of dried blood to be used as 

 a stock feed. From the small scraps of meat and other 

 parts unfit for human food digester tankage is made as 

 a feed for swine. A great many of the waste parts are 

 used in the arts and trades. Soap stock is made from the 

 fat rendered in the making of digester tankage and meat 

 meal and from the making of fertilizers. Fertilizers are 

 made from all of the contents of the alimentary tract and 

 from the inedible organs. The stomachs and bladders 

 may be used for packages for use in the various trades. 

 The casings are sometimes used in the packing of sau- 

 sages. It is largely on account of their ability to make 



