Light lambs for slaughter raises concern in Ireland
In the recent days, Ireland slaughterhouses have witnessed an additional supply of light lambs presented by farmers. In response, the factory buyers have issued a warning about future penalties for those who continue to do so, reports Agriland magazine.
There are limited markets for light lambs at this time and the process of selecting lambs for slaughter has registered kill-out rates as low as 40%.
Appearance can deceive the eye, one of the procurement managers said. Although lambs may appear to be heavy enough for slaughter, enlargement of the gut – caused by a falling grass quality, a move away from milk diets and more fibrous grass – will bring down the kill-out rates achieved.
If not supplemented with concentrates, lambs may not reach the optimal weight of more than 16 kg carcass. Also, processors advise the farmers to regularly weight lambs in order to avoid to send them under-fleshed to the slaughterhouses.
(Photo source: Australian Butchers Guild)
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