—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.
Penning.
—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 of the body so that after slaughtering, when the pelt is removed, the meat may be kept much cleaner than otherwise.
Dressing by Piece Methods.
—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.
String Gang.
—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.
In [Fig. 79] a 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.