When you first hear the words "market lamb" what is the first thing that comes to mind? To many it's a lamb that is raised and showed at a county fair by a 4-Her or FFA member and then auctioned off and sent to market. Yes, that is what a market lamb is, with each fair or show having their own rules and regulations from everything about breeds and sizes to weights and colors. But should this really be called a market lamb project? Many would say, "Of course, why not?" But what they don't understand is that while these are meat breeds being raised for market, how the lamb is raised and what the judge bases a champion lamb on is almost the complete opposite of what meat packers and consumers want in a quality product. Let's take a look at what the average lamb judge looks for when selecting his or her champion lamb. Structurally Correct A judge looks for a lamb who is structurally correct. By this we mean a correct mouth bite as well as feet and leg straightness. While it is basically common since that a judge isn't going to want a lamb that is not structurally correct, will the consumer? The consumer will never know if the lamb they are eating had weak pasterns, buck knees, and a parrot mouth. You can't taste those things. However, the lamb must not be too off in structure or there could be problems with growing and producing a good carcass. For example a lamb with an overshot or undershot mouth could have trouble eating compared to lambs with a normal mouth. This could slow down the growing process. If a lamb's legs are extremely crooked, they may not be able to get around as easily as other lambs. This will cause weaker muscles and possibly a slower time making it to the feed bunk to compete with other lambs. Straight Topline Every judge looks for that straight topline on a lamb. They want a lamb that when viewed from the side, their topline is as straight as possible from where the neck ties in all the way to the dock. Does this matter to the consumer? Nope. If you had two lambs that were exactly the same except one had a straight topline and the other didn't, the consumer would never know the difference. Both lambs would have the same amount of meat to offer the consumer, but each is just layed out differently. Greatest Percentage of Length in the Hindsaddle The judge's whole purpose for wanting a lamb with a long hindsaddle? The judge is judging a "market lamb" show, and the longer the hindsaddle, the more meat there is. This is true and every meat packer will appreciate this. The more meat they can get off a single lamb, the better. The consumer, however, will more than likely not know just how long the hindsaddle is. The products they will consume will be cut up and they'll never know the true length of the hindsaddle. You may think that we've found a common feature for both the judge's and the meat packer's likings, but think again. Yes, they will both enjoy the longer portion, but when grading and judging lamb carcasses, length isn't even considered. The loin, which makes up most of the hindsaddle, is graded on thickness and width. So why does length really matter then? Thick, Wide Loin All judges appreciate a thick, wide loin. However, some prefer a longer loin over one that is thicker or wider. It is all based on personal opinion. As mentioned above, when it comes to the consumer or when grading the carcass, thick and wide is what they want. When the loin is cut to determine the loin eye area, it is based on how thick and wide the loin is. The thicker and wider it is, the larger the area. The larger the loin eye area, the more meat that is available for consumption. Wider in the Rear Than in the Front Most judges agree that lambs with small, smooth fronts are more desirable than those with a big, bulky front. Why? That's just how it is. But if you think about it, the bigger the front end, the more meat there is on it. While the meat from the front of a lamb is not as pricey or desired compared to the back portion of the lamb, it is still edible meat that can be sold, usually in the form of burger. So why wouldn't a market lamb judge want a lamb that could offer more meat? Adequate Fat Cover Adequate fat cover is wanted in the show ring. Otherwise, a lamb would look boney and sickly. The proper market lamb needs adequate fat cover to complete the carcass. In the consumer's eyes less fat may seem good, but really it's not. With a population that is trying to live a healthier lifestyle, most believe less fat is better (unless you're on a low-carb diet). However, the less fat a lamb has on it, the less likely the consumer will enjoy their meal of lamb. The fat, when cooked, is what gives the meat its flavor. However, too much fat is just too much fat and it will need to be cut down. Judge's keep this in mind in the show ring and try to determine the proper amount of cover or finish on the lamb by feeling the live lamb in distinct places on the body (rib cage, flanks, etc.). However, adequate fat can't all be determined by the hands of a judge. The fat that gives meat the most flavor is not found on the outside of the meat, but on the inside, known as marbling. The only way to determine how much marbling a lamb has is to cut it open and see. So how can a market lamb judge that? No Excess Skin Market lamb judges are always looking for that tight-hided lamb. When you eat a lamb, do you eat the skin? Of course not. During processing, lambs are skinned to get to the meat of the animal. So exactly why does it matter if your lamb has excess skin? Excess fat is obviously not a good thing, but skin really doesn't matter when you're going to eat a lamb. Long, Lean Neck The longer and leaner a lamb's neck is, the more desirable that lamb is in show ring. But what about on the dinner table? Not many people eat the meat from the neck of the lamb. But if you were to eat it, wouldn't you want a muscular neck versus a lean one? The more muscle, the more meat...right? Thick, Muscular Legs Now this is the area that many people fail to see why it would be desirable in the show ring, but not at the packing plant. These thick, muscular legs that judges look for are to show the meatiness of the animal. Exhibitors know there are ways to help condition the muscle to make it feel and look bigger and harder. But what these exhibitors don't know is that by performing all these exercises and muscle-gaining techniques is that they are ruining the quality of their lamb's meat. While large, meaty lambs are desirable for eating (more meat, more food), only the lambs with the naturally large muscles are the ones that taste good. The loin of the lamb is the most prized piece of meat. This is because it is the most tender meat and consumers like tender meat. So why is the loin so tender? Because a lamb doesn't use the loin muscle like it does the other muscles in its body. The more a muscle is worked, the tougher the meat becomes. For this reason, a lamb who is worked to "build" muscle, is a lamb with tough meat. Who likes to eat tough meat? Not me. So what do you think? Is a market lamb really a market lamb? I don't think so. I think those "market" lambs being shown should be refered to as "show" lambs, since they are obviously not what consumers want in their market. |
This page was last updated on: January 7, 2005
The Lambinators 4-H Club of Scioto County, Ohio |
Your Market Lamb: Why It Really Isn't |
When you first hear the words "market lamb" what is the first thing that comes to mind? To many it's a lamb that is raised and showed at a county fair by a 4-Her or FFA member and then auctioned off and sent to market. Yes, that is what a market lamb is, with each fair or show having their own rules and regulations from everything about breeds and sizes to weights and colors. But should this really be called a market lamb project? Many would say, "Of course, why not?" But what they don't understand is that while these are meat breeds being raised for market, how the lamb is raised and what the judge bases a champion lamb on is almost the complete opposite of what meat packers and consumers want in a quality product. Let's take a look at what the average lamb judge looks for when selecting his or her champion lamb. Structurally Correct A judge looks for a lamb who is structurally correct. By this we mean a correct mouth bite as well as feet and leg straightness. While it is basically common since that a judge isn't going to want a lamb that is not structurally correct, will the consumer? The consumer will never know if the lamb they are eating had weak pasterns, buck knees, and a parrot mouth. You can't taste those things. However, the lamb must not be too off in structure or there could be problems with growing and producing a good carcass. For example a lamb with an overshot or undershot mouth could have trouble eating compared to lambs with a normal mouth. This could slow down the growing process. If a lamb's legs are extremely crooked, they may not be able to get around as easily as other lambs. This will cause weaker muscles and possibly a slower time making it to the feed bunk to compete with other lambs. Straight Topline Every judge looks for that straight topline on a lamb. They want a lamb that when viewed from the side, their topline is as straight as possible from where the neck ties in all the way to the dock. Does this matter to the consumer? Nope. If you had two lambs that were exactly the same except one had a straight topline and the other didn't, the consumer would never know the difference. Both lambs would have the same amount of meat to offer the consumer, but each is just layed out differently. Greatest Percentage of Length in the Hindsaddle The judge's whole purpose for wanting a lamb with a long hindsaddle? The judge is judging a "market lamb" show, and the longer the hindsaddle, the more meat there is. This is true and every meat packer will appreciate this. The more meat they can get off a single lamb, the better. The consumer, however, will more than likely not know just how long the hindsaddle is. The products they will consume will be cut up and they'll never know the true length of the hindsaddle. You may think that we've found a common feature for both the judge's and the meat packer's likings, but think again. Yes, they will both enjoy the longer portion, but when grading and judging lamb carcasses, length isn't even considered. The loin, which makes up most of the hindsaddle, is graded on thickness and width. So why does length really matter then? Thick, Wide Loin All judges appreciate a thick, wide loin. However, some prefer a longer loin over one that is thicker or wider. It is all based on personal opinion. As mentioned above, when it comes to the consumer or when grading the carcass, thick and wide is what they want. When the loin is cut to determine the loin eye area, it is based on how thick and wide the loin is. The thicker and wider it is, the larger the area. The larger the loin eye area, the more meat that is available for consumption. Wider in the Rear Than in the Front Most judges agree that lambs with small, smooth fronts are more desirable than those with a big, bulky front. Why? That's just how it is. But if you think about it, the bigger the front end, the more meat there is on it. While the meat from the front of a lamb is not as pricey or desired compared to the back portion of the lamb, it is still edible meat that can be sold, usually in the form of burger. So why wouldn't a market lamb judge want a lamb that could offer more meat? Adequate Fat Cover Adequate fat cover is wanted in the show ring. Otherwise, a lamb would look boney and sickly. The proper market lamb needs adequate fat cover to complete the carcass. In the consumer's eyes less fat may seem good, but really it's not. With a population that is trying to live a healthier lifestyle, most believe less fat is better (unless you're on a low-carb diet). However, the less fat a lamb has on it, the less likely the consumer will enjoy their meal of lamb. The fat, when cooked, is what gives the meat its flavor. However, too much fat is just too much fat and it will need to be cut down. Judge's keep this in mind in the show ring and try to determine the proper amount of cover or finish on the lamb by feeling the live lamb in distinct places on the body (rib cage, flanks, etc.). However, adequate fat can't all be determined by the hands of a judge. The fat that gives meat the most flavor is not found on the outside of the meat, but on the inside, known as marbling. The only way to determine how much marbling a lamb has is to cut it open and see. So how can a market lamb judge that? No Excess Skin Market lamb judges are always looking for that tight-hided lamb. When you eat a lamb, do you eat the skin? Of course not. During processing, lambs are skinned to get to the meat of the animal. So exactly why does it matter if your lamb has excess skin? Excess fat is obviously not a good thing, but skin really doesn't matter when you're going to eat a lamb. Long, Lean Neck The longer and leaner a lamb's neck is, the more desirable that lamb is in show ring. But what about on the dinner table? Not many people eat the meat from the neck of the lamb. But if you were to eat it, wouldn't you want a muscular neck versus a lean one? The more muscle, the more meat...right? Thick, Muscular Legs Now this is the area that many people fail to see why it would be desirable in the show ring, but not at the packing plant. These thick, muscular legs that judges look for are to show the meatiness of the animal. Exhibitors know there are ways to help condition the muscle to make it feel and look bigger and harder. But what these exhibitors don't know is that by performing all these exercises and muscle-gaining techniques is that they are ruining the quality of their lamb's meat. While large, meaty lambs are desirable for eating (more meat, more food), only the lambs with the naturally large muscles are the ones that taste good. The loin of the lamb is the most prized piece of meat. This is because it is the most tender meat and consumers like tender meat. So why is the loin so tender? Because a lamb doesn't use the loin muscle like it does the other muscles in its body. The more a muscle is worked, the tougher the meat becomes. For this reason, a lamb who is worked to "build" muscle, is a lamb with tough meat. Who likes to eat tough meat? Not me. So what do you think? Is a market lamb really a market lamb? I don't think so. I think those "market" lambs being shown should be refered to as "show" lambs, since they are obviously not what consumers want in their market. |
