PRIMARY CUT USAGE Carcass attributes recorded in the carcass classification system The South African NECK 1. Carcass mass Use slices for or a braised dish. 2. Age of the animal Serving a tender whole neck is very fashionable. 3. content of the carcass 4. Carcass conformation 5. Damage to the carcass THICK RIB Lamb thick rib chops are mostly grilled, while mutton thick rib chops are braised. Mutton can 6. In the case of bulls in the B and C grades, the gender of the animal also be cut in cubes for , and lamb cubes can be used for . is recorded

Age of the animal SHOULDER Dentition is used to divide carcasses into four age categories: A (0 teeth), Deboned and rolled, the lamb shoulder can be oven-roasted, and the mutton shoulder pot- roasted. Debone and butterfly this cut for oven- or over the coals. Cubed AB (1 to 2 teeth), B (3 to 6 teeth) and C (more than 6 teeth). Ruminants can be used for kebabs. cut their first set of permanent incisors (teeth) between the age of 1 and for lamb, mutton, & 2 years and when slaughtered are classified as AB age carcasses. The BREAST AND FLANK fourth incisor erupts at the age of between 3 and 4 years, and when Deboned and cut into a rectangular shape it can be used for a roll. Rolls can be pot-roasted slaughtered this will place the carcass in the C age category. Beef car- or cooked in aluminium foil. Salted can be prepared from the rib portion, or cubes (25 mm) casses are classified as (calf) until the first pre-molar teeth erupt, can be used for and stews. Deboned lamb breast, cut into 25 mm wide strips, can be used for concertina kebabs. normally between 5 and 6 months of age, these carcasses are classified as A carcasses. RIB The rib ends of a whole rib of lamb can be Frenched (i.e. remove all cartilage, fat and meat Fat content from the first 2.5 cm of the rib ends) and used for oven roasts such as a rack or crown roast. Following a visual assessment of carcass fat content and fat distribution Rib chops can be sawn for grilling. by a trained official, carcasses are assigned to one of 7 fat classes (0 (no LOIN fat) to 6 (excessively fat)). Oven-roast the loin, or cut chops for grilling. Alternatively, the loin can be deboned, rolled and secured with skewers. Cut through the meat between the skewers to make Saratoga chops for grilling, or remove the eye muscle, tie with a string at 25 mm intervals, and cut through the string to make noisettes.

LEG The leg can be kept whole for pot-roasting with or without the bone. Debone the leg to make a roll, or for . Cubes can be cut for kebabs, and sliced shin is ideal for braises and stews.

CHUMP Chump chops can be grilled or roasted.

SHANK Cubes can be cut for kebabs, and sliced shin is ideal for braises and stews. Serving whole lamb shanks is also very fashionable.

We provide health information on Lamb & Mutton and delicious recipes Sponsored by the R e d M e a t I ndustry of www.skaapvleis.co.za • www.lambandmutton.co.za • www.healthymeat.co.za • • • • a manner that does not imply that a carcass in one class is more or or more is class one in carcass l a that imply in not code does class that a manner allocated a is carcass each classification carcass During Why issomemeatstamped? is what to as decisions own want. they what choose to their and desirable, make to prefer often Consumers and needs p own classification his to Carcass according carcass a needs. select to and buyer all the enables that preferences assumes same and the merit have of buyers order in characteristics carcass grade Why classifycarcasses? R e r

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s tics within a specific class. class. specific a within tics r cass grading however, grading cass r ding to the South South the to ding m plet e ly ly • • South African production systems sification andMarkingofMeat. Standards Product Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 Of 1990) No. R. 342. Regulations Regarding the Clas- Agricultural 1990. Agriculture. of Department National REFERENCE • •

feeding. concentrate without types veld most on achieved not is cover fat veld to a marketable fat cover (fat code 2) because this acceptable The casses (A2). Most in feedlots. months two for off finished the majority cultivated pastures,with More they grazenaturallyonopenfields. More than 80% of are pasture fed, which means AB class specifically makes provision for to be raised on of these animals are slaughtered as age A, fat code 2 car- 2 code fat A, age as slaughtered are animals these of than 60% of South African beef are produced on natural or :

Shin Shoulder T Breast he Flank lamb S outh Chump Shin Thick rib Thick Loin Leg Rib A frican Neck C arcass C lassification The South African African South The since June 1992 (Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act (Act 1990 Act, Standards N Product (Agricultural 1992 June since

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. Carcass FATNESS 119 of 1990)) and classifies lamb, mutton, beef and goat goat and beef mutton, lamb, classifies and 1990)) of 119 carcasses based on a set of pr of set a on based carcasses C B AB A

6 (666rollermark)-excessivelyfat 5 (555rollermark)-over-fat 4 (444rollermark)-fat 3 (333rollermark)-mediumfat 2 (222rollermark)-lean 1 (111rollermark)-verylean 0 (000rollermark)-novisiblefat

Meat fromslightlyolderanimals (green ABABrollermark) (purple AAArollermark) (brown BBBrollermark) Meat fromanolderanimal Meat fromayounganimal Meat fromanoldanimal C (red CCCrollermark) arcass arcass H H S A Z t a e m y h t l a e y h t l a e C lassification System has been in use use in been has System lassification ystem M e defined characteristics. defined t a e

Flavour Fatness Tenderness