Harvesting a Yearling Ram

FAIR WARNING! If you don't want to see a dead animal, do not watch this!
This shows some of the steps necessary to turn a live animal into food for the table. All of my livestock are handled very humanely. This was no exception.
I don't show any of the gruesome stuff here, since it takes both hands to handle the animal, I can't do the camera at the same time. But you see the live animal, and the dead animal, and the carcass being handled.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• farmstead
• homestead
• livestock
• lamb
• slaughter
• sheep
• SHTF

[peteacher52]

Well done - excellent hygiene and humane animal handling, with a clear, non-emotive commentary. I think Temple Grandin would give the thumbs up to your method.

[hunt1803]

@peteacher52 Thank you for watching, and for the nice comment!

I've discovered over time that if you take good care of your animals, from beginning to end, and don't stress them during the harvest procedure, the meat is SO much better. We have to respect them, they give there all for us...!

[Miss65boo]

If you neuter your rams young they won't have a strong mutton taste later.

[hunt1803]

@Miss65boo The hair sheep breeds that I raise are St Croix and Dorper. They don't seem to carry a strong mutton taste even when butchered at 2 years of age, and even when the rams aren't neutered.

[kuwaizair]

do you tan hides? you could get nice things for them.

[hunt1803]

@kuwaizair I have tanned some hides in the past. It is a LOT of work, so now I simply salt them down and save them for the local fraternal organization that collects them every fall...

[hunt1803]

@UnhappyDreamer LOL we have a sicko visiting!

[bctruck]

Like vention4wh said. Not easy for someone to watch but something that might be required to know someday. I grew up in a concrete jungle in the n.e. Part of the country and learned the ways of humans at a young age. I now live in the deep south in a micro town.you presented this in an extremely tasteful and factual way. Thanks

[Miss65boo]

@hunt1803 My sister raises Katahdins, another hair sheep breed. She had purchased lamb meat from a friend a couple of years ago, it was a ram lamb slaughter at about 8 months and hadn't been neutered. The mutton flavor was subtle but still there. I'm not sure what breed it was. Thank you for writing back!

[helema23]

@UnhappyDreamer hmmm you really wann asee that?

[hunt1803]

@deadblood0 I don't grain very much, just enough to make it easy to call them in... My pastures are situated quite nicely too - they are under a very old pear orchard bordered by lots of wild blackberries. They do get quite fat and nicely flavored in fruit season...

[deadblood0]

Your stock must be getting the best combo of feed and forage; look how lean he is!