PART VL 



DRESSING SHEEP AND LAMBS FOE MARKET. 



The old adage that "a fat lamb dresses itself" contains a 

 good deal of truth, for no matter how careful or skilful a butcher 

 may be he can not make a neat carcass out of a poor lamb any 

 more than a tailor can make a first-class 

 garment out of poor material. It does 

 not always follow, however, that a thick- 

 fleshed lamb is always a fat lamb or that 

 a thin-fleshed lamb is always a poor 

 lamb so far as condition is considered, 

 for no breed of lamb carries a better 

 caul or kidney fat than does the Merino 

 lamb, nor does any breed of cattle carry 

 a thicker caul or fuller kidney than the 

 little Jersey, but, nevertheless, neither 

 can be classed as prime mutton or beef, 

 for the reason that both sadly lack in 

 wealth of flesh. Even in one and the 

 Front and Rear view of same breed animals vary very much in 



Caul-Dressed Lamb Ready this respect. 



for Shipping. or 



dressed lamb, no matter how heavy, to a commission house is to 



invite failure, as it is not weight so much as quality that counts 



in the early lamb business. 



A lamb with a fat tail is invariably fat, although it may not 



be particularly heavy or thick in flesh, therefore handling the tail 

 or dock is a safe criterion as to how the lamb 

 "will die inside/' and the inside caul and kid- 

 ney fat count for a good deal in spring lamb. 

 All lambs should be fasted for a while before 

 killing. The meat is the better for it and danger 

 of rupturing the intestines in dressing is reduced 

 to a minimum. 



No elaborate appliances are necessary in the 

 home butchering of a sheep or lamb. A Stick- 



Shipping Crate. ing knife? ft gkinning knife? ft gmall hoisting 



pulley, a bundle of skewers and a few home-made backsets are 

 sufficient. 



Sticking with a sticking knife is the best way of killing a 

 lamb. The broad axe is not just the proper weapon for this 

 work, as the head can not be taken off so cleanly or neatly with 

 it as with the knife at the latter end of the dressing. 



