Seeking the perfect lamb

Many farmers  are passionate about their breeds, and compare their attributes with others, as they look for a perfect sheep for their properties.

But as the old adage explains " there is a greater difference within breeds than between breeds", which is backed up by Ovation NZ saying good quality well muscled lambs, come from all breeds.

So farmers need to buy genes from heavily selected well muscled animals that will spread those attributes over a wide number of animals.

Also interesting to see, they have had no negative feedback from customers on the taste/taint differences between ram lambs and ewe lambs. 

Farmers were given an idea of what makes up the perfect lamb by specialist lamb processor Ovation New Zealand at last week's Manawatu Monitor Farm Annual Seminar 2011.The company has lamb processing plants at Gisborne, Waipukurau and Feilding. About 100 farmers at the seminar were told about boning for different markets, as well as the perfect lamb they might produce – 18 kilograms, with a GR (rib meat) measurement of 10 millimetres.

Mr Brown said there had been price increases in all markets, and people were chasing chilled product, and were prepared to pay more for it in European markets reports The Manawatu Standard. But he expected prices to fall as more chilled lamb became available. "Markets want free range. They also want tender meat and well-muscled lambs." He said well-muscled lambs produced high-value cuts, which came from lambs of all breeds rather than one in particular.

Ovation takes lambs that are 16kg to 18.9kg (killed weight) and have a GR of 1mm to 16mm. The lambs should also be presented with short wool and should have no dags. Mr Brown said Ovation's job was to have them killed within a few hours of their arrival at the works, which also meant less stress for the animals.

"In the past, when lamb reached a certain price, it was taken off the US restaurant menu."Company representatives were asked by a farmer about the difference between large male lambs (which some farmers think have a taint once they are sexually active) and ewe lambs. He said Ovation was also concerned that shipping companies, worried about their impact on the environment, were going slower to lower their global carbon footprint. This had an impact on chilled meat exported from New Zealand. "Maersk is delaying shipping by seven days to Europe. Our customers want to guarantee they have 21 days' shelf life. We won't be able to have that if the ships take an extra seven days to reach a port.