610 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



Sometimes the head is removed. Mar- 

 kets vary in their requirements as re- 

 gards dressing. The prevailing methods 

 can be learned by writing to the com- 

 mission man. 



In bleeding the lamb an opening is 

 made with a sharp pointed knife on one 

 side of the neck, immediately back of 

 the head. The opening need not be 

 large but the blade should be given a 

 considerable sweep in order to sever the 

 artery. The appearance of bright red 

 blood is proof of this. The wool should 

 be clipped from the brisket up the belly 

 and between the hind legs, after which 

 the lamb is opened from tail to brisket. 



The skin on the inside of the hind 

 quarters should, be cut up about four 

 inches and loosened from the muscles 

 for two inches on either side for the at- 



fully spread over the exposed flesh, being 

 attached in place by good toothpicks. 

 A small slit is made in the caul over the 

 kidneys, which are pulled through. 



Where backsets or spreaders are used, 

 each end of the spreaders should have 

 a shoulder and a projecting point. On 

 the use of these Watson states as fol- 

 lows: "One of these points should be 

 inserted from the outside at the flank 

 near the opening made for the removal 

 of the intestines, the spreader crossing 

 the back diagonally and the point at 

 the other end inserted in a similar man- 

 ner in the opposite side of the lamb 

 near the chest. In like manner a second 

 spreader is inserted so that the two 

 cross each other in the form of an X 

 on the back of the lamb." 



After the caul fat is spread in place, 



Fig. 377 BAND OP SHEEP ON THE RANGE 



tachment of the caul fat. "This should 

 be removed from the stomachs before 

 they are detached and in very cold 

 weather placed in warm water until 

 ready to be used." 



The stomach and intestines should be 

 removed without disturbing the heart, 

 lungs or liver. In warm weather, how- 

 ever, these will also have to be removed 

 to keep the meat from spoiling. "As 

 soon as the intestines are removed 

 spreaders should be inserted to give the 

 lamb the best appearance when offered 

 for sale. For lambs weighing from 30 

 to 40 pounds dressed weight, spreaders 

 about 14 inches long will be about the 

 right length. If too long spreaders are 

 used, there is danger of breaking the 

 ribs and thereby injuring the appear- 

 ance." 



After the stomach and intestines 

 have been removed the caul fat is care- 



the lamb should be left to cool for 12 to 

 24 hours. In very cold weather 12 hours 

 may be enough. When all the animal 

 heat is out of the carcass it should be 

 neatly wrapped for shipment. 



For this purpose a square yard of 

 clean muslin should first be sewed on so 

 as to cover all the exposed surface, af- 

 ter which a covering of burlap may be 

 put on. Some shippers, however, put 

 two or three lambs, wrapped in muslin 

 or paper, in a neatly made crate, and 

 simply cover over the top of the crate 

 with strong burlap. Whatever method 

 is employed the point to be remembe-red 

 is that the lambs must be so handled as 

 to arrive in the market in a neat, clean 

 presentable condition. 



Watson states as a result of consid- 

 erable inspection on the market, that 

 very often insufficient provision is made 

 for removing all the bloody liquid from 



