The Production of " Hothouse " Lambs 



237 



In slaughtering, bleeding is much more satisfactory if the lamb is sus- 

 pended. A thin-bladed knife (Fig. 40) is the only tool necessary. The 

 following method has been found good practice in slaughtering: 



Fasten the hind legs together and hang up the lamb. Insert the knife 

 close to the backbone near the 

 angle of the jaw, at the same 

 time dislocating the neck. This 

 will stun the lamb and prevent 

 spattering the carcass with blood. 

 With the first stroke of the knife, 

 cut completely through the under 

 part of the neck. Then sever the 

 head completely from the neck 



(Fig. 4i). 



Place the lamb on his back on a 

 suitable trough-shaped table (Fig. 

 42). Cut through the skin from 

 breast to back of scrotum, to 

 angle of hind leg, and loosen the 

 skin. Remove a triangular-shaped 

 piece of skin in the angle of the 

 hind leg where the skin is free 

 from wool. Remove the skin 

 around the rectum, on the under- 

 side of the tail for a little distance 

 down the tail, and on the inside 

 of the hind legs, leaving it attached 

 to the rectum. Then pull the 

 rectum straight out. Remove a 

 narrow strip from gamble to pas- 

 tern, cut off the hind legs at the 

 ankle joint, and loosen the gambles. 

 Cut off the front legs at the knee 

 joint nearest the foot, which gives 

 a fiat surface. Leave a little flap of 

 skin on the front of the leg to fold back over the knee joint after the leg 

 has been removed. 



Hang up the lamb and make an incision from in front of the scrotum or 

 udder to the breastbone. Remove omentum or caul as the intestines roll 

 out (Fig. 43). The omentum is the layer of fat covering the viscera. It 

 may be removed as a whole, and should be kept clean for use in covering the 

 exposed parts of the carcass when dressing is finished and backsets have 

 been adjusted. 



Fig. 42. — Lamb on dressing table 



