CHAPTER XIII.
SIDELIGHTS ON PORK MAKING.
The trade in country dressed hogs varies materially from year to year.
Since the big packing houses have become so prominent in the industry there is, of course, less done in country dressed hogs, yet a market is always found for considerable numbers. Thirty years ago Chicago received as many as 350,000 dressed hogs in one year. With a growth of the packing industry this business decreased, until 1892, when only 5000 were handled at Chicago, but since that date there has been a revival of interest, with as many as 60,000 received in 1894 and an ever changing number since that date. Thirty years ago the number of hogs annually packed at Chicago was about 700,000. This business has increased since to as many as 8,000,000 in a year, the industry in other packing centers being in much the same proportion. At all packing centers in the west there are slaughtered annually 20,000,000 to 24,000,000 hogs.
Compared with the enormous numbers fattened and marketed on the hoof, a very small proportion of the hogs turned off the farms each year are sold dressed. Yet with many farmers, particularly those who have only a small number to dispose of, it is always a question as to which is the better way to sell hogs, dressed or alive. No individual experience can be taken as a criterion, yet here is a record of what one Michigan farmer did in the way of experiment. He had two lots of hogs to sell. One litter of seven weighed a total of 1605 lbs. alive, and dressed 1,335 lbs., which was three pounds over a one-sixth shrinkage; one litter of five weighed 1540 lbs. and dressed 1320 lbs., losing exactly one-seventh, they being very fat. The sow weighed 517 lbs. and dressed 425, dressing away about 18 lbs. to the 100 lbs. He was offered $3.80 per 100 lbs. live weight, for all the hogs, and $3 for the sow. He finally sold the seven hogs, dressed, at $5 per 100 lbs., the second lot of five at $4.75, and the sow at $4.25.
He decided that by dressing the hogs before selling, he gained about $12.50, aside from lard and tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. The experience here noted would not necessarily hold good anywhere and any time. Methods employed in packing hogs have been brought down to such a fine point, however, with practically every portion utilized, that unless a farmer has a well-defined idea where he can advantageously sell his dressed pork, it would not pay, as a general thing, to butcher any considerable number of hogs, with a view of thus disposing of them.
AN EASILY FILLED PIG TROUGH.
To get swill into a pig trough is no easy matter if the hogs cannot be kept out until it is filled. The arrangement shown in Fig. 25 will be found of much value and a great convenience. Before pouring in the swill, the front end of the pen, in the form of a swinging door suspended from the top, is placed in the position shown at _b_. The trough is filled and the door allowed to a.s.sume the position shown at _a_.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 25. PIG TROUGH ATTACHMENT.]
AN AID IN RINGING HOGS.
A convenient trap for holding a hog while a ring is placed in its nose consists of a trunk or a box without ends, 6 feet long, 30 inches high and 18 inches wide, inside measure. This trunk has a strong frame at one end, to which the boards are nailed. The upper and lower slats are double, and between them a strong lever has free play. To accommodate large or small pigs, two pins are set in the lower slat, against which the lever can bear. The pins do not go through the lever. This trunk is placed in the door of the pen, and two men are required to hold it and ring the hogs.
When a hog enters and tries to go through, one man shoves the lever up, catching him just back of the head, and holds him there. The second man then rings him, and he is freed. Fig. 26 exhibits the construction of the trap, in the use of which one can hold the largest hog with ease.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 26. TRAP FOR HOLDING HOG.]
AVERAGE WEIGHTS OF LIVE HOGS.
The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in 1898 was 234 lbs.; in 1896, 246 lbs. The average weight of all hogs received at Chicago in 1895 was 230 lbs.; in 1894, 233 lbs.; in 1893, 240 lbs.
EXTREMES IN MARKET PRICE OF PORK AND LARD.
The highest price of mess pork at Chicago during the last forty years, according to the Daily Trade Bulletin, was $44 per bbl. in 1864, and the lowest price $5.50 per bbl., paid in 1896. The highest price of lard was naturally also in war times, 30c per lb. in 1865; the lowest price a shade more than 3c, in 1896.
NET TO GROSS.
Good to prime hogs, when cut up into pork, hams, shoulders and lard, will dress out 73 to 75 per cent, according to the testimony of the large packing concerns. That is, for every 100 lbs. live weight, it is fair to estimate 73 to 75 lbs. of product of the cla.s.ses named. If cut into ribs instead of pork, prime hogs would net 70 to 72 per cent, while those which are not prime run as low as 65 per cent. For comparative purposes, it may be well to note here that good farm-fed cattle will dress 54 to 56 per cent of their live weight in beef, the remainder being hide, fat, offal, etc., and sheep will dress 48 to 54 per cent, 50 per cent being a fair average.
RELATIVE WEIGHTS OF PORTIONS OF CARCa.s.s.
To determine the relation of the different parts of the hog as usually cut, to the whole dressed weight, the Alabama experiment station reports the following results. The test was made with a number of light hogs having an average dressed weight of 137 lbs. The average weight of head was 12.2 lbs.; backbone, 6.8 lbs.; the two hams, 25.4 lbs.; the two shoulders, 33.1 lbs.; leaf lard, 8.3 lbs.; ribs, 5.5 lbs.; the two "middling" sides, 35 lbs.; tender loin, 1.1 lbs.; feet, 3.6 lbs.
GATES FOR HANDLING HOGS.
The device shown in the accompanying ill.u.s.trations for handling hogs when they are to be rung or for other purposes, is very useful on the ordinary farm. Fig. 27 represents a chute and gate which will shut behind and before the hog and hold him in position. There is just room enough for him to stick his nose out, and while in this position rings can be inserted.
The sides of the chute must be much closer together than shown in the engraving, so that the hog cannot turn about. In fact, the width should be just sufficient to allow the hog to pa.s.s through. Fig. 28 represents the side view of another gate and pen, so arranged that the door can be opened and shut without getting into the pen.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 27. HOG CHUTE.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 28. DEVICE FOR OPENING GATE.]
CHAPTER XIV.
PACKING HOUSE CUTS OF PORK.
While considering primarily the proper curing of pork for use on the farm and for home manufacture by farmers, it will not be out of the way to become acquainted with some of the leading cuts of meat as made by the big pork packers at Chicago and elsewhere. In the speculative markets, a large business is done in "mess pork," "short ribs" and lard. These are known as the speculative commodities in pork product. The prices established, controlled largely by the amount offered and the character of the demand, regulate to a considerable extent the market for other cuts of pork, such as long clear middles, hams and shoulders. Our ill.u.s.trations of some of the leading cuts of meats, furnished us through the courtesy of Hately Bros., prominent pork packers in Chicago, together with accompanying descriptions, give a very good idea of the shape pork product takes as handled in the big markets of the world.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 29. MESS PORK.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 30. SHORT RIBS.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 31. SHOULDER.]
MESS PORK.
This standard cut, Fig. 29, is made from heavy fat hogs. The hog is first split down the back, the backbone being left on one side. Ham and shoulders taken off, the sides are then cut in uniform strips of four or five pieces. Equal portions of both sides are then packed in barrels, 200 lbs. net, the pieces numbering not more than sixteen nor less than nine.
Barrels to be filled with a pickle made with 40 lbs. of salt to each barrel.
SHORT RIBS.
These are made from the sides, with the ham and shoulder taken off and backbone removed; haunchbone and breastbone sawed or cut down smooth and level with the face of the side. The pieces (Fig. 30) are made to average 32 lbs. and over.
SHOULDERS.
Regular shoulders (Fig. 31), or commonly called dry salted shoulders, are cut off the sides between first and second ribs, so as not to expose forearm joint. Shank cut off at knee joint. Neck bone taken out and neck trimmed smooth. Shoulders b.u.t.ted off square at top. Made to average 12 to 14, 14 to 16, and 16 to 18 lbs. On the wholesale markets can usually be bought at about the price per pound of live hogs.
HAMS.
American cut hams are cut short inside the haunchbone, are well rounded at b.u.t.t and all fat trimmed off the face of the hams to make as lean as possible. See Fig. 32. Cut off above the hock joint. Hams are made to average 10 to 12, 12 to 14, 14 to 16, 16 to 18, and 18 to 20 lbs.
PICNIC HAMS.
This is a contradictory term, for the picnic ham is in truth a shoulder.
Picnic hams (Fig. 33) are made from shoulders cut off sides between second and third ribs. Shank bone cut off one inch above knee joint, and neck bone taken out. b.u.t.t taken off through the middle of the blade and nicely rounded to imitate a ham. Made to average 5 to 6, 6 to 8, 8 to 10, and 10 to 14 lbs.