Lambs with baby teeth & two teeth

An animal’s age is determined by their dentistry. Like humans, the number of teeth determines their approximate age and this age system is used in the buying and selling of sheep and cattle in Australia. As the animal ages, it is expected that it will most likely become tougher but it’s not always the case.

Exactly when the toughness begins is the basis of our disagreement with the traditional grading system of sheep in the meat industry.

In cattle, a prime young animal has baby teeth or two teeth. It can take up to two years, sometimes longer, for the animal to reach the two tooth stage.

In sheep, the current system is that a young sheep is considered a lamb up until it cuts its first two permanent teeth. How fast they cut these teeth depends on seasonal conditions and available nutrition. This usually takes place between 10 to 16 months of age. Some years they will cut their teeth early and some years a lot later. They can often cut their teeth before they are physically matured to a finished lamb. A finished lamb is one that has finished its meat development to a satisfactory level and is now setting fat cover which contributes considerably to the tenderness, flavour and cooking of the meat. The fat won’t start developing until the lamb reaches a certain weight.

If they cut their teeth before they mature to their finished weight, then under the current grading system, that animal is now technically a hogget and will be downgraded to mutton prices. The meat flavour, quality or tenderness hasn’t changed; the animal has simply cut its first two teeth. Under this system, lamb producers will be paid less money for this animal although it will require more work & effort  to get it to its finished weight and it is clearly still a prime young animal with superior flavour & tenderness.

The grading system favours the southern Australian lamb producers with their improved pastures and more consistent rainfall which put them at an advantage. They can produce a heavier lamb in a shorter time than QLD producers who can’t compete with a grading system that employs a production time frame based on dentistry .....so the profits go south.

Meat producers, meat buyers, stock & station agents & butchers recognise the problem and the unfairness of it.

No-one seems to be prepared to stand up and say – “Enough!” Until now.

Due to the very dry season we had at the end of 2008, most of our lambs now ready for sale have cut their two teeth while reaching their weights.  According to the traditional system, they are now hogget and required be downgraded to mutton. Despite the fact they are 100% grass fed & chemical free prime young animals. To have sold them earlier would have meant supplying unfinished animals which we elected not to do, yet they have now cut their first two teeth while we waited for grass to finish them.  If you could see these animals – prime young, heavy crossbred lambs, you would understand our frustration with this unfair grading system and our desire to say “Enough!” These prime young crossbreds are clearly not mutton and shouldn’t be considered as such.

We have always been honest about any changes to our products and from February 2009, a MGM prime crossbred yearling - refers to both MGM baby teeth and two teeth crossbred lambs. According to our seasons, the lamb packs will sometimes have meat from animals that still have their baby teeth and at other times meat from animals with their two teeth.

The only difference you will notice is that a two tooth animal will yield extra kilograms of the same fantastic meat per pack. No change to the price – a win/win situation.

Traditional Grading System	Meat Buyers Prices	MGM Grading System
Baby teeth - Lamb	Prime Lamb  prices	Prime crossbred yearling
First two teeth - Hogget	Mutton prices	Prime crossbred yearling
Four/six  teeth - Mutton	Mutton Prices	Mutton prices

Does a two tooth lamb have tougher meat?

The tenderness of an animal has a lot to do with proper finishing - developing their natural fat cover, handling, transportation and processing of the animals. Not the eruption of new teeth.

In the table of cooking & preparation methods for Lamb, Hogget and Mutton, excluding for shanks (a tougher cut), every lamb and hogget cut is listed as requiring the same cooking methods. Mutton is identified as a tougher meat and requiring different methods. If hogget were a tougher meat than lamb, it would be acknowledged in the cooking & preparation advice. It’s a concern to us that lamb producers continue to be disadvantaged by this grading system.

There has always been an issue in the meat industry of tougher meat being passed off for lamb and we don't want to have that levelled at us. Hence this lengthy explanation!

Your choice....

We want to be free to supply you with our wonderful meat without a restrictive time frame that works against us - especially in dry times. Your choice is whether you support us in that by purchasing our meat or by choosing another supplier.

Together, we have the opportunity to show the meat industry how producers and their customers can work together for mutual benefit through direct communication, if given the chance.

Thank you
George & Anna Hetherington
Mitchell Grass Meats
January  2009

Grass feeding in Australia – is it chemical free?

There is a false perception, amongst those that are interested in consuming grass fed meat for its superior health benefits that the meat is therefore free from chemicals, hormones, dips and grain finishing etc.

In reality, grass fed and grain fed meat in Australia can have a cocktail of hormones, drenches, vaccines, supplements, sprays and other chemicals used in its production. The organics industry addresses this issue to a large extent by cutting out the majority of chemical usage. However, organic producers can still choose to use “allowable inputs” of certified organic chemicals and grain feeding is considered acceptable.

Our experience is that the average health conscious person is frustrated in the search for meat that tastes good, cooks well and contains NO chemical and NO grain feeding. The production of truly 100% chemical free and grass fed animals is a more difficult choice and we acknowledge a lot of challenges as we deal with normal seasonal issues that affect animal health.

When you have a sick animal, is much easier to source some chemical based product to fix the problem. However, at MGM, we believe it is vital to encourage animals to build up strong immune systems, rather than bombarding their bodies with chemicals. We use natural methods & source natural products to assist them in a way that won’t compromise their health.

Many of our customers have health issues of their own and they have been advised by health practitioners to source grass fed (nil grain feeding) meat that is chemical free - amongst other foods. Therein lies the challenge for them – the available grass fed meat has often had chemicals used in its production and some of the certified organic meat has grain feeding and “allowable” chemicals.

Our customers trust that the MGM label means

NO CHEMICALS have been used to produce their meat -

And that is from 100% grass fed animals

We value the trust they place in us and are committed to honouring it.

Disease in Feed lots

In general, the Australian public is unaware that disease is a constant concern in feedlots. The animals are treated with antibiotics to prevent disease; they are fed grain which causes their digestive systems to be quite acidic and then buffers to treat the acidity. Respiratory disease, and many other diseases, can result if acidity is not monitored and kept under control. It’s not an environment for animals to graze naturally with low stress, exercise and fresh air.  

Fortunately, we still have the freedom in Australia to choose what we eat. Demand by consumers for grass fed, chemical free meat will encourage the small producers.

Weaning calves

There is a lot of advertising to suggest that grain feeding of animals will result in a superior tender meat. We believe that tenderness has a lot more to do with the breed, temperament, treatment of the animal and weaning.

Traditional weaning practices involve the calf being removed from the mother and the calves are kept in the yards, fed hay and handled over a 4-7 day period. It’s a stressful experience for cow and the calf. The calves lose condition.

At Mitchell Grass Meats we use Easy Wean weaner rings that are inserted like a nose clip/ring for the calf. This ring is made from hard plastic and helps to prevent the calf from drinking from the mother. The calves return to the paddocks with their mothers for a further six to 8 weeks. It is a very gentle, calm process as the mothers and calves don’t fret while the mother’s milk dries up and the calf learns to eat a 100% grass diet. We find the calves don’t lose weight through the weaning process and the experience is a very positive one.

The removal of the weaner rings does involve more handling of the herd. However, we find the extra handling in the herd situation educates the weaners making the additional work worthwhile. Well handled cattle are not only easier and safer to work with, but the stress to the animals at handling times is reduced.

January 2009