By:Taylor A. King

                  LIVE SHEEP                                    TO A                                LAMB MEAL 

     The word Lamb actually comes from the Germen word Lambiz.The first sheep was brought to North America by Spanish soldiers under the command of Cortez in the year 1519.There are many types of lamb breeds: Border Cheviot, Corriedale, Dorset, Hampshire, Leicester, Lincoln, Montadale, Oxford, Rambouillet, Soutdown, Shropshire, and Suffolk.Rare breed meat costs a little more than reuglar lamb, but many chefs and gourmets agree the difference between them will be obvious in the extra flavour which is worth paying more for. Some rare breeds are; Boreray, Castlemilk Moorit, Hebridean, Manx Loghtan, North Ronaldsay, Soay, Balwen Welsh Mountain, Cotswold, Devon and Cornwall Longwool, Dorset Down, Dorset Horn, Greyface Dartmoor, Hill Radnor, Leicester Longwool, Lincoln Longwool, Llanwenog, Norfolk Horn, Oxford Down, Portland, Ryeland, Shropshire, Southdown, Teeswater, Wensleydale, Whitefaced Woodland, and Whiteface Dartmoor.During the Middle Ages, farmers learned Sheep were more then just animals they could be used for clothing and to eat.Food wise Lamb has aways been the least popular of red meats in North America.People here would rather eat beef  or pork mostly because of traditional reasons.

     To eat a lamb the lamb must be at least four months and killed from March to early October.  

"The ewe could be run on veld or kikuyu for the summer months and on maize stalks or kikuyu foggage for the winter months.Lambing down in autumn would be on kikuyu or irrigated Italian ryegrass/clover. The ewe would return to kikuyu foggage or go to maize stalks once the slaughter lamb has been weaned at a mass of 18 kg.

These are the activities and the timing of activities of a possible slaughter lamb system.

• Mate: 9 October - 30 November (ewes on veld or kikuyu)
• Lamb: 9 March - 30 April (on kikuyu or irrigated ryegrass/clover)
• Wean: June/early July at 18 kg (ewes to foggaged
• Kikuyu: lambs remain on irrigated ryegrass/clover)
• Market lambs: September/October at 40 kg (off irrigated ryegrass/clover)
• Stocking rate: 25 to 30 ewes plus their lambs per hectare of irrigated ryegrass/clover

Once the lambs have been marketed, i.e. by 15 October, the irrigated ryegrass/clover pasture could be used for:

• steaming up the ewes in order to improve fecundity;
• sheep speculation purposes;
• growing ryegrass seed for home "consumption";
• steaming up beef cows, prior to calving, or for calving down purposes;
• grazing by beef long yearlings.

     These five options are discussed in greater detail under the heading post marketing strategy". Lamb sells mainly in the U.S like Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, New York and Chicago.Lamb is usually made for special and rare holiday's. not man people eat it everyday like chicken. Normally lamb is eaten with some type of gravy. Lamb is popular in many cuisines used in rich spicy stews, kebabs and rice dishes in French, Spanish, Greek and Middle Eastern cookery. Mutton usually appears in Indian recipes. Lamb now is a popular food for our dogs and cats today.That is because Lamb contains high-quality protein and their meals contain other fine ingredients to provide optimum nutritions for them.Because lamb is such a tender meat, most cuts lend themselves well to the main cooking methods.Some ways to cook it is by slow cooking it, roasting it, and baking it.

There are many different ways to cook Lamb, here are some recipes to make Lamb meals.

Greek Lamb Stew is made with..

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
• 5 1/2 pounds boned shoulder of lamb, trimmed of excess fat and cut into cubes about 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
• 5 medium onions, sliced finely
• Salt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 celery stalks, minced
• Leaves from 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthways, and then halved across
• 3 (14.5 ounces) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 1/4 cups lamb, beef stock or water
• 1 bottle dry white wine
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ditalini or other small tubular pasta
• 2/3 pound feta cheese
• 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, oregano or basil leaves

     Or Grilled Organic Lambchops

Lamb Information

Article contributes by Hrayr Berberoglu

Copyrite:1990-2009

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artlamb.html

Lamb Information

By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

From:About.com

Date Updated:Unknown

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/lambhistory.htm

Lamb Meal Information for Pets

By Susan Peters

Date Written/Updated:Febuary 13,2008

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/592465/natures_variety_prairie_brand_lamb.html?cat=53

Lamb Picture

Blog Designed by Helen Based on Copyblogger theme by Chris Pearson 

Date Updated:Unknown

http://helengraves.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/lamb-rack-above.jpg

Two Lamb Pictures and Information

From:BBC FOOD-bbc.co.uk

Date Uploaded:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/get_cooking/cooks_guide/lamb.shtml 

Arrow Picture

http://www.clker.com/cliparts/b/7/1/e/12065697731638242145pitr_red_arrows_set_4.svg.hi.png

Lamb Stew Recipe

Food Network.com

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/greek-lamb-stew-recipe/index.html