The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Daisys Mum on June 28, 2010, 03:11:42 pm

Title: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: Daisys Mum on June 28, 2010, 03:11:42 pm

Just heard from my butcher who is butchering the 3 last years lambs that went to the abattoir last monday. One has had it's spinal cord removed.
Can anyone tell my why this would be done, they were about 13/14 months old, I have phoned the abattoir to ask but person I spoke to had no idea and someone was going to call me back but hasn't.

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: spikey_fridge on June 28, 2010, 03:57:21 pm

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/2000/jul/27/sheep-spinal-cord-removal

something to do with slight risk of BSE i think.

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: spikey_fridge on June 28, 2010, 03:58:54 pm

something to do with slight risk of BSE i think.

actually its a precautionary measure since nothing has been proven

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: Daisys Mum on June 28, 2010, 04:09:26 pm

I can appreciate that  but why do it with only one? They were all the same age.

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: bazzais on June 28, 2010, 04:44:52 pm

It may have been as that one was slightly more developed and looked older than 12 months which is the age where they have to be removed.

Ta

Baz

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: Fleecewife on June 29, 2010, 12:40:50 am

The criterion is whether they have their first adult teeth erupted, which happens sometime between 12 and about 15 months.  So just the one of yours had adult teeth, the others would still have had their baby teeth.  At some abattoirs it costs more when the spinal cord has to be removed.

Title: Re: Removal of spinal cord
Post by: Daisys Mum on June 29, 2010, 08:03:33 am

Thanks all  :) :sheep: