# how much do they dress out?



## bucknercrestfarm (Aug 4, 2011)

Im soo now to sheep with little knowledge to it we got barbados sheep on a killer trade we butcherd a ram who was 3 and i got the hang wight as 40 pounds?! the butcher said the ram was in got condishion so what is that good? what do you get off of lambs? what should i feed to get them nice fast growth or are they not a good meat breed?


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## boothcreek (Aug 4, 2011)

if you want fast growth and heavily muscled carcasses barbados are not the right breed. They are a small lightweight breed, still good for meat just small carcasses. I butcher my lambs around 10 months of age and get around 35 -40 lb lambs. I like their meat the best tho, nice and lean compared to most othere breeds. Butchered a KatXDorper ewe today and I didn't like all the fat on the carcass at all. If there is any fat on the barbados its nice and firm and not the jiggly kind.

But this is all personal preference. I like my lambs on the small side, and i find nothing beats the taste of barbados but I may be very biased on that one


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## Beekissed (Aug 4, 2011)

I will tell you this much...when we butchered our Kat wether lamb at 6 mo. he was fat, sassy and in great condition but sheep have an enormous visceral compartment compared with their body size!  They are basically a little meat on either ends of their bellies~not like a beef or pork.


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## SheepGirl (Aug 5, 2011)

It depends on what their yield grade is (1-5). Their carcass can hang anywhere from 47% to 51% of their live weight. But that's for lambs...I'm not sure about sheep (mutton).


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## Hillsvale (Aug 5, 2011)

I was told by a local producer who's been in the business since the beginning of time... if you have a 50kg lamb it should dress out to about 50 pounds so that is about 46% of liveweight... our lambs last year confirm this.


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## bucknercrestfarm (Aug 5, 2011)

Thank you guys! i talked with the bucher he said its beatiful carcus hardly any fat all lean muscle with the right amount of fat i guess after pig farming you get a little shocked  thank you


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