438 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



the neck and hips particularly, and frequently extending 

 over the whole body. 



Loss of Weight in Dressing. — ^The dressing percentage of 

 the fowl is not of as much importance as in the larger meat- 

 producine animals. The skill of the cattle buyer, in judging 

 the dressing percentage of animals he buys, often makes the 

 difference between the profit and loss. It should be noted, 

 however, that with poultry, dressing does not refer to the 

 removal of anything except the blood and feathers. The 

 dressing percentage with steers takes into account the re- 

 moval of all unmarketable parts. The trussing percentage 

 with poultry is more nearly comparable to the dressing per- 

 centage with the larger animals. 



With poultry the individuals are so small and they are 

 handled commercially in such large numbers that an average 

 loss of about 10 per cent, is usually assumed by the packers 

 for birds in good condition, during the months of January 

 to June inclusive. The shrinkage of dressing for the balance 

 of the year is approximately as follows: July, 12 per cent.; 

 August, 12 per cent.; September, 13 per cent.; October, 

 14 per cent.; November, 14 per cent.; and December, 12 

 per cent. It is probable, as the standard breeds become 

 more generally introduced among general farmers, that 

 some discriminations in price will be made in favor of those 

 breeds which dress out with the least loss, other qualities 

 being equal. 



In the following tables^ are given a comparison of the dress- 

 ing and trussing percentages of young and old males and 

 females and of several of the common breeds and varieties. 



Lee" found, as the result of extended observations of milk- 

 fed poultry, that the dressing percentage of the following 

 classes were, respectively, hens 85.6 per cent., roosters 85.3 

 per cent., springs 87.9 per cent., and broilers 85.7 per cent. 



Special Dressings. — Capons should be dressed capon style. 

 By this is meant the style that has become standard and 

 which requires that the feathers be allowed to remain on a con- 

 siderable portion of the bird. The feathers should be left on 



' StODeburn, Storrs Bulletin 38. 



' Bureau of Animal Industry, Bulletin No. 140. 



