A great deal depends, in the expense of loading as well as the speed at which it is possible to be done, upon having the beef put into the cooler in such a way that it comes out readily and without a great deal of handling and overhauling to get odd cattle.
Care of Coolers.
—It is necessary to keep coolers sweet and clean, and it is advisable to use a liberal amount of sawdust on the floors, so that the drippings from the meats may be rapidly absorbed; the sawdust should be changed bi-weekly or frequently enough to keep the coolers in a sweet and cleanly condition. Entrance doors should be washed daily, as they accumulate grease and blood, which if allowed to remain will soon become sour and disagreeable.
In all packing house plants where a comparatively large volume of business is done there should be one man whose sole duty it is to look after the refrigerators. This is a matter which necessarily needs constant attention and care. When the cooler is filled with warm meat and the doors are shut it is his duty to increase the refrigeration and see that the meat is brought down to the required temperature in the required time. It is apparent that the refrigerators should receive careful consideration, and be in charge of a man of reliability.
Beef should be placed in the cooler immediately after it is killed and never allowed to hang outside any longer than necessary. While it may take a little more refrigeration to handle it this way than to have it partially chilled by the outside air, the general appearance of the beef will more than repay for the additional cost of refrigeration.
Mutton and Veal.
—Mutton and veal follow the same general rule as beef as to handling. Beef offal of every character should be handled under conditions described for export beef. In the handling of any warm product it should all be spaced so as to provide for ample circulation.
Chilling Hogs.
—During a summer season and where hogs may have been hung out for say two hours to air dry, the chill rooms should be reduced to a temperature of 30° F. at the time the hogs are put in and sufficient refrigeration applied in to prevent the maximum temperature exceeding 38° F. It should then be forced sufficiently to again reduce the temperature of the chill rooms to 32° F. within twelve hours after killing, maintained thus for twenty-four hours additional, then reduced to 28° F. and maintained at this temperature until hogs are cut out; forty-eight to seventy-two hours after slaughtering.
