Selecting lambs for slaughter

Weight and appearance can give you a good indication of whether an animal is ready for market, but the best way to make an accurate assessment is to handle the animal and check its condition in person.

Present even batches of lambs that are matched to specific market needs in terms of weight, conformation and fat.

Mixed groups, where not all lambs meet the buyer’s requirements, will not achieve the best prices, whereas more even groups can attract a significant premium.

Treat lambs as individuals as they are growing, but place them into even lots to sell them.

Typically, five key points are used to assess the finish and fat class of lambs.

During post‑mortem inspections, any organ, or part or whole carcase, not meeting the required standards will be rejected.

Meat quality can be influenced by many different factors on the farm as well as pre- and post-slaughter.

Understanding these can help you to improve the eating quality and consistency of the end product.

To successfully market prime lamb, you need to produce and sell the type of sheep buyers want and are willing to pay the most money for.

Our virtual selection tool shows how real and virtual animals look at different points in the classification grid.

It also takes you through different carcase cuts, yield data and several other topics related to selection.