Video Parts (3)
This clip is Part 1 of a 3-part film.
MEAT PACKING Part 1
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The United States is first in the raising of cattle and hogs for meat. Beef, mutton and pork come from animals fed hay or grain. These cattle are grazing upon the rich grass of a western ranch.” “The pasture lands of Wyoming, Montana, Ohio, New Mexico and other states support millions of sheep.” “One-half of the world’s pork comes from the millions of hogs that are raised in the Corn Belt.” “To fatten the ranch cattle they are shipped to the Corn Belt and fed grain.” “When fattened, the animals are shipped to the meat-packing cities. More than a million animals are cared for each day at the Chicago stockyards.” “Buyers from the great packing houses, walking on the fences, select the animals.” “Inspecting and sorting the cattle.” “After the cattle have been bought, they are driven into this narrow passageway leading to the top of the packing plant.” “In less than 45 minutes, the cattle are changed into beef. The animal is killed; the hide, hoofs and head are removed. The beef is now traveling slowly through the packing plant.” “The heart, liver and other organs are removed.” “The beef is cut in two parts or sides.” “Each portion is carefully inspected by government officials. If the meat passes it is passed.” “The meat which is not suitable for food is used in making grease. It is marked thus --” “Cleaning and washing in warm water.” “The sides of beef pass into the chilling chamber, where the temperature is 36 degrees.” “After the beef is chilled for 30 hours, it is cut into quarters and placed in a cold storage chamber or loaded into refrigerator cars to be shipped.” “At your meat market the beef is cut into the different cuts for table use.” Diagram of cow showing where cuts are made - 'Hind Quarter' - 'Flank' - 'Loin' - 'Plate' - 'Shoulder' - 'Rib Roast' - 'Chuck.' (The following captions show with the appropriate cuts.) “The most expensive cut is a tenderloin steak.” “Neck cuts are cheapest.” “A moving platform carries the sides of pork to a cutter who removes the hams.” Pictures showing waste parts and products made from them. “In the largest packing plants 25,000 hogs from the Corn Belt are made into pork each day. Unloading hogs from a stock car.” “The hogs are changed into pork in less than 10 minutes. The animal is killed, scalded and a machine scrapes off the stiff bristles. The pork now begins its journey through the packing house.” “Cutting the animal into sides.” “Removing the fat or leaf lard.” “Trimming hams.” “Ham is cured by using salt, saltpeter, sugar and spices. Packing the ham in salt to cure for 20 to 30 days.” “After the ham is cured in salt, it is finished by hanging in the dense smoke of a hardwood fire.” “Sausage is made of pork mixed with a cereal -- filling the cases with sausage meat.” “In packing meat, less than half of any animal is used for fresh meat. Formerly, all waste parts were a loss, but in the modern plant the waste is made into valuable by-products as hides, tallow and lard.” “The meat-packing industry is greater than mining or lumbering. It supplies these fresh meats -- also salted, pickled, canned meats.” “The End.” “Ford Educational Library.” [1921]
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