Sheep processing

[Boondox]

Similar to deer processing, but a couple of questions. (1) Considering how hard a ram's head is between the eyes, does the .22 LR still work at stunning them or does it just get them riled up? (2) The fleece isn't supposed to contact the meat; is there a trick to that? (3) Since our high this time of year is about 20, with a low in the single minus digits, aging the carcass isn't an option. It has to be butchered quickly. Any trick to that? (4) Never used a gut hook before; is there a trick to it?

That ram has begun terrorizing the Wife, so I'll be darned if I intent to feed the fellow for the next several frozen months. Gotta do it this weekend, as the USDA vet is showing up next week for the scrapie inspection and the fewer sheep we have on the ground the better.

TIA for any advice. Pete

 

[DUMBDOG]

First of all when I grew up we did not have sheep, but I can tell you that we did have pigs, sometimes you had to shoot them more than once. My brother has told me that one time they had one that they shot twice and ran out of shells and so they had to slit the throat to kill it.

I do not know about the gut hook, would you not just gut it like a deer?

 

[FL_Cracker]

Try sending the .22 LR down the ear. That is a direct way to the brain and I think it will do the trick fast. Don't know about the fleece thing but do your best. Could you not age the meat in the barn or garage and keep it out of the extreme cold? As for the gut hook, I have used one for years and it works great. Use your knife first to cut the skin, then cut a small hole in the belly right between the rear legs, put the gut hook in there and pull down all the way to the ribs. I sometimes put two fingers from my left hand inside the gut and let them slide down on both sides of the gut hook. This keeps the gut hook from snagging the guts and I can use the back of my left hand to keep the guts out of the way until I have finished the cut. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Last of all you can then take your heavy knife and split the ribs all the way to the throat.

Good luck......

 

[scout180]

Why not shear them first? Then you've got a slick skin for no contamination. You should be able to market the wool. Look in your area for a pro shearer - he/she can tell you about the local market for shorn wool. Some folks who do their own spinning will but raw fleece as well.

 

[stevenf]

I'm sorry but Mutton just ain't the thing for us. I shot two in Bandera,TX and I'll have to say there are recipes out there but my favorite is something like buy a case of beer put the sheep on the spit drink a beer, light the fire drink a beer, let the fire burn down to coal drink a beer etc etc eventually the sheep falls off the spit and into the coals and you go to bed.
I am the cook for a mens group and they challenge me to cook anything they bring me and I've never found any good way to cook a wild sheep that taste any better than say toilet water.
Now to answer your question bearing in mind that I'm in South Texas and so without a walkin cooler there is no aging the meat safely, butcher it get it on ice now. If your familiar with deer processing you can follow the same methods except I agree keep the wool out of the meat, no Tricks.
Actually if you smoke the meat for about twelve hours over just a hint of smoke from fruit bearing trees and about 175 degrees at the smoke chamber you'll end up with some pretty good eats. About 4 hours into the process depending on the color of the meat you may wrap it up and keep on smoking at 175 it is pretty darn good but I still prefer wild hog.
I'm sorry I don't remember who said shoot it in the ear but absolutely through the ear going straight across or slight angle up for sure not down or you'll have a deaf, jawless, angry Ram.
Also and here again I don't remember who replyed but two fingers one on either side of blade is precisely my method for this pull up with your fingers a little and you'll go right thru all the way to the neck, actually a good sharp knife is just as if not more effective for this method.
Steve

 

[FL_Cracker]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm sorry I don't remember who said shoot it in the ear but absolutely through the ear going straight across or slight angle up for sure not down or you'll have a deaf, jawless, angry Ram.)</font>

Sounds like my wife, when she gets home and I've forgotten to do the only thing she ask me to do on a Saturday because I'm playing with one of my new toys. (RTV, Tractor, Skidsteer Loader, Boat, Gun, etc...)

 

[Boondox]

Thanks for all the replies (and the PM from Egon). A couple of followups: Weasley is about ten months old, but by far the biggest ram lamb we have. A bully. So I'm hoping he won't be all that gamey or like old mutton, though the comments about wild sheep were hysterical! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif We haven't shorn him since May because we wanted the fleece (skin and all) for a seat cover in my truck.

And lastly, the Wife talked me into taking him to a slaughterhouse. With the ground frozen and snow everywhere, getting rid of the waste this time of year would be a pain, not to mention the job would be bitterly cold once the hands get wet. Besides, the Wife feels there is plenty of appeal in him coming home in neatly wrapped packages.

Come warmer weather it'll be my turn. Thanks again! Pete

 

[PhilNH5]

Pete,
On your homepage you mention how expensive it would be to have a USDA approved operation. So I always assumed the farm was a labor of love. Yet in this post you mention a USDA vet inspection. Are you now in business?

Phil

 

[Bird]

Pete, I think your wife definitely has the right idea. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Egon]

Ahh - Sanity prevails.

Think many Etnic groups like their animals about six months old so 10 months should be quite okay.

Your hand's don't get cold when inside a warm body! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon