Chickens in the sheep pen

[Cornish Heritage]

Not sure about wool breeds, but for hair/meat sheep...they are considered lambs up to one year old and by then they are a pretty good weight.

I think that goes for ALL breeds. Anything under a year old is consider a lamb, older than a year and it is mutton.

Liz

 

[meadow1view]

Not sure about wool breeds, but for hair/meat sheep...they are considered lambs up to one year old and by then they are a pretty good weight.

I think that goes for ALL breeds. Anything under a year old is consider a lamb, older than a year and it is mutton.

Liz

Just some added info....when sheep are at the slaughter house, most do not carry their 'birth certificate' to prove they are of legal age. So, what is a slaughter house/butcher to do? Dilemma solved---They usually check the teeth of the animal to gauge the age.

A lamb/kid will not have it's first adult tooth(which is a pair) until about the age of 12-18 months (usually closer to the 18 mark than the 12).

Point being...'lamb/kid' can be used until the animal has it's first adult 'tooth' which can have a margin of error of up to 6 months. (If the true meaning of lamb/kid is up to 12 months and no older)

 

[bonbean01]

True...and our processor also told us that there is a bone in the chest that does not grow until they are a year old, so they can always tell when they butcher if it is lamb or mutton.

Interesting thing about hair sheep...we have a friend who finds our lamb too mild and can tell they are grass fed, something we prided ourselves in...solid meat with less fat...we had a barren three year old ewe (that I am sorry I didn't keep just because I miss her everyday) that he bought and had processed. Said he could not tell the difference in her meat than a lamb. I thought the meat would be a stronger flavour. I think he needs to buy mutton from a wool sheep...but not any for sale in our area.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Said he could not tell the difference in her meat than a lamb.

We ate a fully intact 2 year old, sexually active St Croix ram & you would not have known he was a ram. I LOVE the mild flavor of the St Croix. I think that is probably why many Americans do not like the taste of lamb as most of what they have had is stronger and/or grain fed. In fact some customers have told us that. I don't think we ever gave grain to a sheep in England - it just lived on grass & it does make a difference.

Thanks for the teeth & bone facts - I did not know that.

Liz

 

[RemudaOne]

At the Hamilton sale barn (I thought it was true for all sale barns here), you will be docked if the lambs are over seventy pounds. Our Dorpers generally reach that at 60-90 days. The market demand is for lambs 70 and under here.

 

[meadow1view]

True...and our processor also told us that there is a bone in the chest that does not grow until they are a year old, so they can always tell when they butcher if it is lamb or mutton.

Interesting thing about hair sheep...we have a friend who finds our lamb too mild and can tell they are grass fed, something we prided ourselves in...solid meat with less fat...we had a barren three year old ewe (that I am sorry I didn't keep just because I miss her everyday) that he bought and had processed. Said he could not tell the difference in her meat than a lamb. I thought the meat would be a stronger flavour. I think he needs to buy mutton from a wool sheep...but not any for sale in our area.

I 'googled' about the bone in chest and found nothing to support this claim. I could understand if the processor was referring to the size of the bone --- but the bone itself would have to be there from birth. If you have link information about this bone/size please post it for I could find nothing.

The market demand is for lambs 70 and under here.

I think you need to add, 'depending on time of year' to your quote above. Each culture requires a different size/weight at different times of the year. Then again, there are some that don't follow any 'rule' and just want the biggest sizeweight for the money paid.

 

[bonbean01]

http://www.sheep101.info/201/lambmarketing.html

They call it a spool joint...our processor just said a bone in the chest...that's all I know :/

Remuda...that is the same higher price market here too...lambs 70 lbs or under.

 

[RemudaOne]

"I think you need to add, 'depending on time of year' to your quote above. Each culture requires a different size/weight at different times of the year. Then again, there are some that don't follow any 'rule' and just want the biggest sizeweight for the money paid."



The demand for small may vary, but the docking for high weight is year round at the sale. I haven't sold off of the farm for butcher, just breeders. If they don't sell off of the farm or if they are inferior and something I wouldn't offer for sale as a breeder, they go to market.

 

[meadow1view]

http://www.sheep101.info/201/lambmarketing.html

They call it a spool joint...our processor just said a bone in the chest...that's all I know :/

Remuda...that is the same higher price market here too...lambs 70 lbs or under.

Before I began 'parroting' the claim made by your processor I wanted verification --- thank you for the link. Now, I understand why I couldn't find any info on this 'bone' in the 'chest'.