Lamb Slaughtering, Cutting, Preserving, and Cooking on the Farm

The Federal Meat Inspection Act requires that all meat which is to be sold or traded for human consumption must be slaughtered under inspection in an approved facility under the supervision of a State or USDA meat inspector. A person can slaughter his animals outside such a facility only for use by him, members of his household, his nonpaying guests and employees. He is not allowed to sell any portion of the carcass. For more details about these regulations, consult your county extension agent or write to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington D.C. 20250.
This bulletin supersedes Farmers’ Bulletin 2152, “Slaughtering, Cutting, and Processing Lamb and Mutton on the Farm.”
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Stock No. 001-000-03709-9
Lamb Slaughtering, Cutting, Preserving and Cooking on the Farm
Several factors should be considered before slaughtering a lamb for home consumption. The most important considerations are health, care of the animal prior to slaughter, kind of animal (lamb or mutton), and expected meat yield.
One should take care that an unhealthy animal is not selected for slaughter. At the time of selection, look for signs of sickness such as fever, increased breathing rate and diarrhea. Animals suspected of being unhealthy should be treated by a veterinarian until the animal is returned to a healthy state.
To obtain high-quality meat, it is important to exercise proper care of the animal prior to slaughter. Pen the animal in a clean, dry place the day before slaughtering. Restrict the animal from feed 24 hours prior to slaughter, but provide access to water at all times. Withholding feed results in greater ease of evisceration (because the gastrointestinal tract is smaller) and minimizes the migration of ingested bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood stream. Access to water enhances complete bleeding, results in brighter colored lean in the carcass, and enhances pelt removal.