CHAPTER XIX.SHEEP AND CALVES

Increased Production of Sheep — Penning — Dressing by Piece Method — String Gang — Sheep Ring — Sheep Dressing — Legging — Pelting — Methods of Finishing — Washing and Its Effect — Chilling — Lamb Tongues — Pickled Lamb Tongues — Lamb Tongue Tests — Slaughtering Calves — Heads and Feet.

—The increased consumption of mutton has been marked in this country in the last twenty-five years. Prior to that time, while there were many sheep raised, mutton, except in the large centers, was comparatively little used. The packers being able to obtain sheep in large quantities at live stock centers, and with their superior distributing facilities, soon created a demand for mutton at points where previously there had been little demand. As a consequence there has been a large increase in the production of sheep and consumption in this country.

It is a meat for which many must acquire a taste, but it is very healthful and nutritious. At the central abattoirs, where government inspection is in force, comparatively few diseases, or few diseased sheep, are found, this particular kind of live stock proving to be much healthier than either cattle or hogs.

—Sheep should always be kept in dry pens before killing, for if their fleece is allowed to become dirty, it is practically impossible to prevent the meat from becoming stained. Where the sheep get wet and muddy it is found of great advantage to hold them for a time in pens with two to four inches of dry sawdust on the floor, this sawdust having the effect of cleaning and drying the legs and under part ofthe body so that after slaughtering, when the pelt is removed, the meat may be kept much cleaner than otherwise.

—The dressing of an individual sheep, “round dress,” as commonly performed is such a simple process that one would naturally ask why change.

In the economic use of labor about the modern packing house, probably no other department can show the benefit of modern methods to greater advantage than in sheep slaughtering. The effects of this division are first, economy, and second, better workmanship. It is natural that a man performing one particular operation day after day becomes more expert than if he were doing various kinds of work.

—Formerly sheep were slaughtered largely on a piece-work basis, one man dressing the sheep throughout. With the modern method each man does one particular part of the work, becoming very quick and expert in his line.

InFig. 79a string gang at work killing and dressing sheep is shown. A gang sufficient to handle 300 sheep an hour should have at least thirty-six to forty sets of hooks, or, in other words, facilities for working on thirty-six to forty sheep at one time on the dressing rails.

—An early type of “sheep rings” is shown in the accompanying drawing,Fig. 80. The principles formerly in use are now modified to the extent that an endless conveyor is substituted for the stationary dressing beams, the output being increased. Some additional beneficial features are added, namely the use of a wheel hoist which is substituted for the friction hoist. In a space 80 × 32 feet in size, 2,000 sheep per day can be handled readily by means of the complete ring method. The sheep are hoisted with a double shackle, two at a time, and the work is continuous from there on until they are dressed, the sheep never touching the floor again, which means a great saving of labor over the old way of handling sheep by hand entirely. This diagram illustrates the different processes in the arrangement, it also gives height of rails, trucks, spreaders and hooks used on the different rails. Wherever a volume of thirty sheep per hour or over are being slaughtered a saving can be effected by adopting this method of handling.

FIG. 79.—VIEW OF A “STRING GANG” AT WORK KILLING AND DRESSING SHEEP.—CONVEYORS ARE NOW SUBSTITUTED.

FIG. 80.—DIAGRAM SHOWING ARRANGEMENT FOR SHEEP KILLING AND DRESSING WITH “STRING GANG.”

InFig. 101is shown how the hogs are handled by means of a wheel hoist, two at a time, and hung on the sticking rail. Likewise where sheep are killed in large numbers, it is advantageous to hoist two at a time, the shackle being modified. The men shackling become very expert and can shackle two in practically the same time that they can one, and if a gang are running on a capacity of five hundred per hour, it will be seen that considerable time is gained by doing it in this manner.

Choice.Good.Medium.Common.FIG. 81.—WETHERS.

Choice.Good.Medium.Common.

Choice.Good.

Choice.

Good.

Medium.Common.

Medium.

Common.

FIG. 81.—WETHERS.

—In the dressing of sheep the following suggestions will prove advantageous in turning out work with the best results, whether the sheep are dressed by day work, one man dressing them throughout, or whether they are handled by a string gang.

—This consists in opening up the skin around the legs and center of the body. In doing this work care should be taken that the skin be opened up as little around the necks and butts as possible, for wherever the skin is removed in the legging there is more or less stain on the meat, which it is impossible to wash off.

—In removing the pelt from the carcass care should be taken that the “fell” is not broken in any part, for wherever this is broken, the meat will show the effect of age, and will present a very unsightly appearance. The removal of the skin over the brisket is important.

—This is a part of the work which is very hard to describe, as the dressing at different points varies to such an extent that there are hardly two large cities where the methods are alike, especially in the case of lambs. Generally speaking mutton is “round dressed,” using no back sets and not using the caul. Lambs are dressed according to localities, some round dressed, same as mutton, others with double back sets and the caul on, others with single back sets and the ribs broken and still others with inside sets, in every instance the caul being left on. The photograph illustrates dressings for various American markets.

—When the mutton is run immediately into a well-built refrigerator where the proper circulation and temperatures can be maintained, there is no danger in using an excess amount of water in the washing. A wash cloth made of ten to fifteen thicknesses of very loosely woven cheese cloth quilted together, makes an excellent cloth with which to wash sheep. This, in connection with plenty of hot water, will give a bright and attractive appearance to the meat.

Good.Medium.FIG. 82.—BUCKS.—ROUND DRESSED SHEEP.—INDICATING QUALITY.

Good.Medium.

Good.

Medium.

FIG. 82.—BUCKS.—ROUND DRESSED SHEEP.—INDICATING QUALITY.

A, choice yearlings.B, medium yearlings.C, choppers.FIG. 83.—SHOWING ROUND DRESS AND LAMB DRESS.—CAUL ON.

A, choice yearlings.B, medium yearlings.C, choppers.

A, choice yearlings.B, medium yearlings.

A, choice yearlings.

B, medium yearlings.

C, choppers.

FIG. 83.—SHOWING ROUND DRESS AND LAMB DRESS.—CAUL ON.

Choice.Good.FIG. 84.—SPRING LAMBS SHOWING QUALITY.—NOTE “BOOTS.”

Choice.Good.

Choice.

Good.

FIG. 84.—SPRING LAMBS SHOWING QUALITY.—NOTE “BOOTS.”

Where the dressed mutton is not run into a cooler, and outside air is depended upon for chilling, very little water should be used, the meat simply being wiped with a rag, made as heretofore described, dipping in hot water and wringing dry.

FIG. 85.—“GENUINE” SPRING LAMB.

Medium.Common.Canner.FIG. 86.—EWES.

Medium.Common.Canner.

Medium.Common.

Medium.

Common.

Canner.

FIG. 86.—EWES.

Boston style sheep.Boston style lambs.Philadelphia style lambs.FIG. 87.—SHIPPING MUTTON AND LAMBS.

Boston style sheep.Boston style lambs.Philadelphia style lambs.

Boston style sheep.Boston style lambs.

Boston style sheep.

Boston style lambs.

Philadelphia style lambs.

FIG. 87.—SHIPPING MUTTON AND LAMBS.

FIG. 88.—A, PROVIDENCE STYLE LAMBS;B, CONNECTICUT STYLE LAMBS;C, GOATS.

FIG. 89.—MUTTON AND LAMB CHOPS.1, 2.Saddle.1.Leg.4.Breast.3, 4, 5.Rack.2.Loin.5.Chuck.1, 2, 3.Long saddle.3.Short rack.4, 5.Stew.2, 3, 4, 5.Body.2, 3.Back.

FIG. 89.—MUTTON AND LAMB CHOPS.

FIG. 90.—A, MUTTON SADDLES.B, MUTTON RACKS.(Choice.Good.Medium.Common.)

FIG. 91.—VIEW IN SHEEP CHILL ROOM.

FIG. 92.—A, CHOICE CALVES.B,C, GOOD CALVES.

FIG. 93.—VEAL CUTS.1, 2. Saddle (or 2 hind quarters).1. Leg.2. Loin.3, 4. Back (or 2 fore quarters).3. Ribs.4. Stew.

FIG. 93.—VEAL CUTS.

—As fast as sheep are slaughtered they should be placed in coolers and hung on racks asshown. If left out, and partially air-chilled it has the effect of discoloring them about the legs and thin parts of the carcasses, causing these to look dark and less attractive than when placed in the cooler immediately after slaughtering. There is little or no danger of chilling sheep too fast, as long as the temperature is above 32° F., and the colder the room into which they are put, as long as it is above freezing point, the better will be the appearance of the mutton when it comes out of the cooler. Sheep chilled for twenty-four hours in proper coolers, and thoroughly dried and hardened, are ready for shipment or the cutting block. In many places, especially in Australia and South America, they are frozen. They should be thoroughly chilled in a dry cooler where there is a good circulation of air, for twenty-four hours, after which they may be put into the freezers at a temperature as near zero as possible, so that the freezing will not be delayed. If they are frozen quickly they retain a clear, bright appearance when thawed.

Choice.Good.FIG. 94.—VEAL SADDLES.

Choice.Good.

Choice.

Good.

FIG. 94.—VEAL SADDLES.

—All tongues from sheep come under this head. After they have been taken out of the heads they should be thrown into ice water, washed and spread on a table, or in pans, in the cooler at a temperature of from 34° to 38° F. for twenty-four hours. Following that they should betrimmed, cutting off the extra pieces of fat and the gullet. They are then ready for curing. They should be cured in a plain 75-degree strength pickle with six ounces of saltpetre to 1,000 pounds of meat, holding them in this pickle for a week or ten days. They are then ready for use, either in sausage or for cooking.

Medium.Common.FIG. 95.—VEAL SADDLES.

Medium.Common.

Medium.

Common.

FIG. 95.—VEAL SADDLES.

—When tongues are pickled they are put up with a white wine vinegar and are handled as follows: After they are thoroughly chilled they are scalded sufficiently to take off the outside film or skin on the tongue. This is then scraped off with a hand scraper, or knife, and thetongue trimmed, cutting off any parts that are discolored, or any loose pieces of fat. The tongues are afterwards cooked until they are soft enough for the bone to pull out readily. No special time can be fixed upon for this work as the cooking varies greatly, according to the condition of the animals from which the tongues were taken, and it is well in cooking them to keep the sheep and lamb tongues separate.

Choice.Good.FIG. 96.—VEAL RACKS.

Choice.Good.

Choice.

Good.

FIG. 96.—VEAL RACKS.

After they are cooked and the bones are pulled out at the root of the tongue, they are ready for pickling. They should first be pickled in 45-degree vinegar for at least twenty-four hours, when they are ready to be packed in packages for shipment using 40-degree vinegar by adding full strength fresh vinegar to the pickle they were first put in. In packing them in small packages especially, they are generally seasoned with coriander seed, bay leaves and sliced lemon.

—The following tests show yields ofpickled lamb tongues at values prevailing at the time they were made:

TEST ON 1,000 PIECES OF 320 POUNDS LAMB TONGUES.

—This item is so simple that it scarcely needs mentioning. The chief thing is cleanliness of the hide. Where the work is performed in quantity the calves are knocked, hoisted to a rail; stuck, bled and passed through a washing tub; soaked and curried so the hides are made entirely free from manure, and then scraped reasonably dry. The calf is then gutted and placed in a cooler, if it is to be sold skinned and it is preferable that it be cold skinned. The color justifies the labor expense. Some fancy dressed calves with caul spread are hot skinned but this is a local matter common to but few markets.

—Heads and feet are scalded in sets, and sold fresh or frozen. Eastern markets consume these in quite large quantities.

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