Pueblo chieftain., 1921-04-25
DISTINGUISHING THE
LAMB FROM MUTTON

Unless the housewife knows the
difference between lamb and mutton.
which few housewives do, she is apt
to got mutton when she thinks she
is purchasing lamb, say marketing
experts of the Bureau of Markets.
United States Department of Agri-
culture. Not only will sho get meat
of inferior quality. but she may pay
lamb prices for the carcasses OF year
lings and sheep, the wholesale prices
of which are considerably lower than
for lamb.
. On March "a. lambs Weighing from
"a pounds down sold on the Chicago
market for 50 to $10.s5 per 100
pounds: yearlings $3.50 to $3.50,
wethcrs $6 to .$7.c5, ewes 34.75 to
$3.50. These figures show an aver
age difference of $1.42 per 100
pounds between the price of lambs
and yearlings. a difference OF $2.36
between mature sheep and yearlinEs.
and a difference of $3.7s between
mature sheep and lambs. On the samo
date good dressed lamb sold on the
New York wholesale meat market
for IS to II cents per pound. good
dressed ycarling5 for 1s to IS cents,
and good mutton for 10 to ~ cents.
In other words, the average whole
sale price of good lamb was u cents
per pound higher than for good year.
iings. and cents higher than good
mutton.
with such n difference in price
between mutton and lamb 1t Is vast
ly TO tho financial interest of the
housewife to bc ablo 20 recognize
tho various kinds of meat. and the
following pointers by Bureau of
Markets dressed meat experts may
help her to do so.
Distinctive Points of Mutton Cnrcnsses
Generally speaking. n mutton car
cnss is heavier than one of lamb. The
color of the meat ~ one of the best
indications of age. Tho lean meat OF
lamb ranges from pink to light red.
but as the animal grows older the
color OF the mnat turns to II deeper
rcd. This is also true OF the thin
strips OF lean meat covering certain
portions of the outside of tho carcass.
Tho bones in lamb arc smaller In
proportion to the meat and usually
present reddish appearance. Tho
bones in n maturod sheep are not
only larger but whittier and more
flinty both in appearance and texture.
II the whole carcass can be seen the
ribs in a maturcd sheep Will show a
much moro pronounced spring or
bow. whereas. those of lamb arc
straiShter, giving tho side of the car
cs,ss "a more compact and less dis
tended appearance.
ono of the standard methods OF
olslin CnisnlnE latnD from mutton IL
to inspect the first or ankle joint OF
the front leg. In dressing a lamb the
knuckle. or end OF the shank bone.
is broken off and the end of the
bone presents ridged and porous
appearance. This is soft and moist
to the touch and carries n decidedly
red color. AS tho animal grows old
or tho bone becomes harder and
whittier and tho knucklo becomes
moro firmly attached to tho bone.
This is tho condition during tho year
ling stage. Tho knucklc still breaks
off but when this occurs tho end OF
the shank bone presents u hard.
rough appearance and has lost much
of It's red color.
when the lamb has passed thru
the ycarlinE stage and has become
"a sheep the bone has become so ossi-
fled or hardened that the knucklc no
longer breaks off the end of the bone
shank is made at the ankle joint.
Thereafter the knuckle normally
forms the extreme end OF tho forcleg
and presents hard, smooth. white
surface with two prominent polished
ridges In the case of mutton the
knucklc Is frequently broken off by
means in order to give
tho carcass n resemblance TO year
ling or lamb. but in these instances
the bones arc decidedly Jagged and
splintcrei and lack tho rcdnosa which
is characteristic of lamb ana year
ling carcascs
II requires some study and appli- |
cation to learn to distinguish tho |
various classes and grades of dressed
meat. but everyone whose duty II is
to provide wholesome, nutritious |
meat for family consumption and to
provide 1t economically should he
able to distinguish good meat from |
that of medium or inferior quality. |
whether It is socn in the packing |
house cooler. on tho butchers block. |
or in the home.