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. 41). 

 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 flat 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 



:nay 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 



peen adjusted. 



Fi<;. 42. Lamb on dressing table 



