—The question is often raised as to how much hogs shrink in the cooler from dressed warm weight to chilled weight, and many people figure this shrinkage represents a loss. It is a variable quantity depending upon conditions such as the dryness of the hogs, the quantity of the air circulation, its temperature and other agents. If the hogs be sold whole plant weights it represents a loss, but no cooler can be controlled to prevent shrinkage if it be working properly. Aside from this quite a proportion of the hog is passed to curing rooms for treatment in salt or pickle and the original inherent moisture is hardly a traceable factor here and also the shrinkage in that portion rendered into lard is immaterial, while the portion shipped as fresh pork must be well dried out to arrive in good condition upon shipment.
The following figures give an idea of the actual shrinkage of hogs placed directly in the coolers. It will be noted the tests were made on light hogs used for shipping purposes. The percentage of shrinkage would not be as great on heavier carcasses:
TEST NO. 1 ON SHRINKAGE OF HOGS IN COOLER.
Forty-five hogs weighed in cooler direct from killing floor—Warm weight, 6,892 pounds; average, 153 pounds; temperature of cooler, 51° to 48° F.
Weight after hanging in cooler forty-eight hours, 6,682 pounds; shrinkage of 210 pounds or 3.04 per cent; temperature of cooler, 35° to 36° F.
Weight after hanging cooler seventy-two hours, 6,570 pounds; shrinkage of 322 pounds or 4.67 per cent; temperature of cooler, 31° to 32° F.
Weight after hanging in cooler ninety-four and one-half hours, 6,552 pounds; shrinkage of 340 pounds or 4.93 per cent; temperature of cooler, 32° F.
TEST NO. 2.
Forty-five hogs weighed into cooler direct from killing floor—Warm weight, 6,970 pounds; average, 155 pounds; temperature of cooler, 54° F.
Weight after hanging in cooler forty-six hours, 6,660 pounds; shrinkage of 310 pounds or 4.45 per cent; temperature of cooler, 36° F.