Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

100 SCOPE 

110 This technical data supplement is for use by USDA for the procurement of 

lamb leg roasts and shoulder chops, frozen. Lamb roasts and chops will 

be produced in accordance with the Institutional Meat Purchase 

Specifications (IMPS) and the special instructions specified herein. 

200 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

210 IMPS General Requirements, Interim, Effective June 1996. 

211 IMPS for Fresh Lamb and Mutton, Series 200, Effective April 1996. 

213 IMPS Quality Assurance Provisions (QAPS), with revisions that are 

Effective June 1997. 

214 Grading and Verification Division (GVD) Instructions 

300 ORDERING DATA TO BE SPECIFIED BY THE PURCHASER 

310 Domestic Origin – All lamb will originate from U.S. produced livestock as 

defined in the purchase Supplement. 

311 Humane Handling – All lamb shall be humanely handled in accordance 

with all applicable FSIS regulations and AMS requirements. 

313 Refer to the Ordering Data section within the IMPS For Fresh Lamb and 

Mutton, Series 200 and the following item descriptions for: 

313.1 IMPS 233A – Leg, Trotter Off – Type 5. 

313.2 IMPS 1207 – Shoulder Chops – Type 6. 

 

TECHNICAL DATA SUPPLEMENT FOR 

LAMB LEG ROASTS AND SHOULDER 

CHOPS, FROZEN (TDS-LRC-2012) 

Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) 

Livestock and Seed Program, Standardization Division

Room 2607 S-Bldg, Phone: (202) 260-8295

Effective: May 2012
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

314 Product shall be certified by USDA, AMS, GVD. 

314.1 IMPS QAP’s AQL Major 6.5, Minor 25. 

314.2 Defect Classification Table 200 H for Item No. 233A and Table 200 M for 

Item No. 1207. 

315 Class – 1. Lamb. 

316 Grade – USDA Choice or USDA Prime. 

317 Frozen, Freezing Option 1. (See IMPS General Requirements). 

318 Weight Range - IMPS 233A – Cut into portions weighing 3 - 8 pounds. 

319 Portion-Cut Thickness Style IMPS 1207 – Shoulder Chops – 1.0 inch thick 

(+/- 3/16-inch tolerance). 

320 Style 

320.1 Shoulder Chops may be derived from Carcass Cutting Instructions Styles 

A or B. 

320.2 Legs shall be derived from Carcass Cutting Instruction for Style A. 

321 Fat Limitations 1⁄4 inch maximum at any one point for IMPS 1207 and 

IMPS 233A. All fell shall be removed over the fat covered areas. 

322 Purchaser Specified Options. 

322.1 IMPS 1207 – Shoulder Chops – All chops from each square-cut shoulder 

shall be placed into one flexible container. The rib bones and sternum 

may remain on the shoulder chops. (See figure 1). 

 Rib bones and sternum 

Figure 1 

 
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

322.2 IMPS 233A – Leg, trotter off – the leg shall be cut into 3 portions (shank 

portion, center leg, and sirloin) weighing 3 – 8 pounds by making the 

following 2 cuts as illustrated in figure 2. For legs that are smaller in 

weight, split the leg in half by cutting posterior to the aitch bone making 2 

portions that are 3 – 5 pounds as illustrated in figure 3. The sirloin 

portions shall be ‘notched’ as illustrated in Figure 4. 

 Knob of the aitch bone 

 Stifle Joint 

Anterior Posterior

Figure 2 

 Anterior to the stifle joint; and 

 Immediately posterior to ‘anterior knob’ of the aitch bone, so that the resulting cut 

appears as illustrated in figure 4. 

For legs that are smaller in weight, split the leg in half by cutting posterior to the aitch 

bone making 2 portions that are 3 – 5 pounds as illustrated in figure 3. 

Anterior Posterior 

Figure 3 

 
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

Figure 4 

 Sirloin portion - Saw cuts shall be made at approximately 3⁄4 inch intervals passing 

through the sacral vertebrae and pelvic bone without cutting completely through the 

lean (notched) so that the sirloin portion is left intact. This will enable the user to 

slice the items into portions before or after roasting.” 

400 IMPS GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

410 Packing and Packaging 

410.1 Roasts (leg portions) shall be individually vacuumed packaged. 

410.2 Chops, from each shoulder, shall be placed into one flexible package 

container and vacuum packaged. 

410.3 Packaged roasts and chops shall be placed into shipping containers to a 

net weight of 38 – 42 pounds. 

411 Labeling 

412 Both immediate and shipping containers will be labeled to include all 

information required by FSIS regulations as well as the following 

information: 

413 Immediate Container 

413.1 A traceability code that is traceable back to establishment number, 

production lot, and date. 

 

Sirloin portion (‘notched cut’) 
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

413.2 A “Best-If-Used-By” date that is 180 calendar days from the date of 

production. 

413.3 Safe Handling Instructions. 

413.4 Ingredient declaration (including single ingredient products). 

413.5 An allergen statement in a format which complies with the Food Allergen 

Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for any product which 

contains milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy or 

wheat; e.g., Allergen: This product contains ______. 

413.6 Nutrition facts panel based on actual nutritional analysis of the product. 

414 Shipping Container 

414.1 USDA shield at least 2 inches high and appearing on the top of the 

container or on the principle display panel. 

414.2 Applicable purchase order number. 

414.3 A traceability code that is traceable back to establishment number, 

production lot, and date. 

414.4 Applicable product name: IMPS 1207 – Lamb, Shoulder Chops or IMPS 

233A – Lamb, Leg, trotter off. 

414.5 Material number: 

414.6 IMPS 233A - material number 100087.

414.7 IMPS 1207 - material number 100089. 

 
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

420 Palletized Unit Loads 

421 All products shall be stacked on new or well-maintained pallets and 

palletized with shrink wrap plastic. 

430 Delivery Unit 

431 The delivery unit will be 36,000 pounds net weight (minus 60 pounds 

tolerance). 

440 Condition of Containers. 

441 Exam is limited to observing the sampled packaged product for defect 

criteria listed within the IMPS QA provisions, or monitoring production, to 

assure items are properly vacuum packaged. Delivery units will be 

scanned for damaged containers. Damaged containers will be reworked 

or replaced. 

450 Sealing. 

451 The AMS agent shall assure that all boxes are palletized. Individual boxes 

need not be sealed. The traceability code for each lot shall be recorded 

on the certificate. 

460 Purchaser Specified Examination - Net Weight (in accordance with IMPS 

Quality Assurance Provisions). 

470 Contractor Checkloading.

471 Contractor will perform checkloading examinations at the time of shipment 

and issue contractor’s certificate to accompany each shipment that 

includes all of the following information: 

471.1 Purchase Order Number. 

471.2 Sales Order Number. 

471.3 Destination of Shipment. 

471.4 Name of product and applicable material number. 

 
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Approved by_________ MEO 

Date Issued: 04/01/09 

Date Revised: 05/03/12

471.5 Shipping Date. 

471.6 Production lot number(s) and date each lot was produced along with 

shipping container and immediate container code(s) and the code used 

that provides traceability to establishment number, production lot and 

date. 

471.7 Count of shipping containers and total projected net weight in each 

production lot. Count and projected net weight verified. 

471.8 Identity of car or truck (car numbers and letters, seals, truck license, etc.) 

as applicable. 

471.9 Contractor certification that product conforms to the applicable 

specification (TDS-LRC-2012) and signature of company official 

responsible for checkloading.