Mink Processing Plant Tour

Greetz Peeps

Today Jamie, a friend named Cheryl and I toured the 340 Co-Op, a mink processing plant.  These pictures that I'm sending along did not come from this plant, as they don't allow photographs there.  No, these are apparently from China, where people think of animals as well, animals...chuckle. 

First of all, did you know that...  Half the mink farms in Canada are located in Nova Scotia?  Well, they are.  At 340, they employ approximately 190 people, effectively making them one of the largest employers in this part of the province, possible even the largest.  This doesn't mean they don't have problems.  For instance, the guy leading our tour today told us that 29 "skinners" didn't show up for work today.  Apparently after pay days, many employees disappear for a few days, only returning when they're either sober (oops, did I say that), or the money runs out.  Possibly both, chuckle.   

This plant processes all the mink from the Maritimes (except Newfoundland, not sure why) and approximately 15,000 mink from Ontario as well.  They process 1.5 million or more, a year, in total.  Cheryl said she used to work there about 7 years ago, and at that time, they were only doing 150-200 thousand minks a year.  

In the plant, they use sawdust a lot.  Your minks are a greasy lot, so the sawdust cuts down on this.  They go through 25,000 bales a year.  There are 40 pounds to a bale, or container, whichever it is.  I was thinking bales, but sawdust comes in containers, I think.  Not sure.  Life's hard when you can't take pictures to improve your memory.   I couldn't write anything down either, as we moved quickly throughout the place and saw many people that we knew.

The minks arrive at the plant freshly killed.  I think they're frozen at that time, as they arrive in bulk and although everyone works hard, you'd never get through some of the volume that surfaces in just one shipment.  There's a huge freezing room anyway, full of containers.  Of frozen mink, not sawdust, LOL.

 

There are machines, which handled by humans, remove the skins.  The discarded bodies go into a conveyor belt and are regurgitated somewhere, well, recycled as compost.  There are people who, using scissors, trim away excess fat from the remaining furs.  There are stretchers, who place the hides on machine or something and it makes them stick out a bit, like one of the pictures here.  The stretched out furs..  There are people who fluff tails and brush fur. 

We went into one room where the mink are stored to dry out, dehumidify, humidify or whatever, I think it's prior to sales being conducted.  I've never seen so many mink carcasses in my life.  Mind you, it's possible that I've never seen ANY mink carcasses in my life, LOL.  Whatever, there were between 35,000 - 50,000 pelts in there.  Standing straight up, like paying homage to the ceiling.  Beam me up Scotty!

 

I was impressed with the cleanliness of the place.  Everything I've heard about "working in the minks" lead me to believe they are vicious, devious, and worst of all, odorous creatures.  There was a smell in the place, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  And there were even some people who looked if not happy, at least not miserable.  So all in all, it didn't seem like a terrible place to work.  Jamie, a die hard animal lover, not only touched a mink, but actually held a pelt in her hands. 

 

Mink lesson for the day folks.

SL