Hands and equipment must be kept clean in order to produce a clean
carcass. Dirt and wool on the carcass are very difficult to remove and
usually have to be trimmed. Make certain there is a good supply of
clean water available at all times. Also, pelting (fisting) is much
easier if the hands are kept slightly wet.
_Legs, Breast and Midline_.—The pelt can be opened around the legs and
along the midline and breast from the horizontal or suspended
position. The procedure selected depends on personal preference and
the equipment available.
_Horizontal method_.—Place the animal on its back on a clean floor
(concrete, slate, or piece of plywood) (fig. 5). Standing to one side
of the lamb, hold one front leg between your knees and allow the lamb
to lean away. Remove a narrow strip of skin down the front of the
foreleg, being sure to remove the skin over the knee (fig. 6). Turn
the knife (with the cutting edge toward the skin) and make an opening
to the neck in front of the breast (fig. 7). Make certain to cut
toward the skin to avoid cutting through the thin membrane (fell)
covering the outside of the carcass. If this membrane is broken, the
lean muscles will bulge through and give the carcass an unattractive
appearance.
[Illustration: Sheep lying supine on a plywood sheet]
Figure 5.—Horizontal position.
[Illustration: Man cutting pelt off front leg using a knife]
Figure 6.—Skinning foreleg.
[Illustration: Man cutting pelt up leg to breast using a knife]
Figure 7.—Skinning neck.
Skin the opposite leg the same way, meeting the cut made in front of
the breast. Open the pelt down the neck to the opening made by
sticking (fig. 8). This will form a V-shaped strip of pelt over the
breast. Remove the pelt over the breast by pulling the pelt up and
back. Once started, it is best to complete by fisting. Push the fist
under the pelt with the knuckles next to the carcass and the thumb
over the first finger (fig. 9). Press the fist up against the skin
working it away from the carcass. Work slowly and avoid tearing
through the fell and muscles. After the pelt is loosened over the
brisket (fig. 10), stop and skin out the rear legs.
[Illustration: Man using knife to skin up to neck]
Figure 8.—Skinning neck.
[Illustration: Man pulling up on pelt on breast]
Figure 9.—Fisting brisket.
[Illustration: Man pulling up on pelt, peeling it back away from head]
Figure 10.—Fisting brisket.
Stretching the rear legs, remove a strip of skin down the back of the
leg and over the hock (fig. 11). With the leg still between your
knees, turn the knife outward and open the skin from the hock to a
point in front of the anus (fig. 12). Skin around the hock and down
the shank. Remove the foot at the last joint (the one next to the
hoof). See fig. 13. Follow the same procedure on the other leg and
then fist the pelt off the inside of the legs and over the crotch
(fig. 14).
[Illustration: Man cutting pelt off hindleg using a knife]
Figure 11.—Skinning hindleg.
[Illustration: Man cutting up leg to anus using a knife]
Figure 12.—Cutting to midline.
[Illustration: Man cutting off foot using a knife]
Figure 13.—Removing foot.
[Illustration: Pelt partially removed]
Figure 14.—Fisting over inside of legs.
From the breast, fist down the belly and around the navel to the
opening at the crotch (fig. 15). The carcass is now ready to be hung.
[Illustration: Man pushing hand down between pelt and carcass]
Figure 15.—Fisting down belly.
Tie a heavy cord around the hindlegs, and suspend the carcass. The
point of hanging should be approximately seven feet from the ground to
provide a good working height.
_Suspended method_.—Tie a heavy string around one of the rear legs and
suspend the carcass (fig. 16). On the leg not suspended, remove a
strip of skin over the hock and past the dew-claws (fig. 17). Turn the
knife outward and open the skin from the hock to a point in front of
the anus. Skin around the hock and down the shank (fig. 18). Remove the
foot at the last joint.
[Illustration: Sheep hung up by one rear leg]
Figure 16.—Suspended carcass.
[Illustration: Man slicing pelt away from lower hindleg near hoof]
Figure 17.—Skinning hindleg.
[Illustration: Man slicing pelt away from upper hindleg]
Figure 18.—Skinning hindleg.
Remove a strip of skin along the suspended leg and cut the skin from
the hock towards the anus, connecting with the cut from the other leg
(fig. 19). Remove the skin around the shank. Fist along the cut
between the legs, removing the pelt around the back of the legs, in
the crotch and around the front of the legs. Suspend the carcass by
the opposite leg and remove the foot on the loosened leg. Tie a heavy
cord around both rear legs and suspend the carcass (fig. 20).
[Illustration: Sheep hung up by one rear leg]
Figure 19.—Skinning hindleg.
[Illustration: Sheep hung up by both rear legs using a single rope]
Figure 20.—Both legs tied.
Remove a strip of skin along the back of the front legs from the knee
to the foot (fig. 21). Make a split in the pelt beginning at each knee
and connecting at the neck in front of the breast. Open the pelt down
the neck to the opening made by sticking (fig. 22).
[Illustration: Man slicing across front leg just above the hoof]
Figure 21.—Skinning foreleg.
[Illustration: Man slicing pelt away from breast using a knife]
Figure 22.—Opening pelt to neck.
Remove the pelt over the breast by pulling the pelt up and back (fig.
23). Once started, it is best to complete by fisting. Fist along the
belly and around the flanks, meeting the opening made at the rear legs
(fig. 24).
[Illustration: Man sliding hand between pelt and chest]
Figure 23.—Fisting brisket.
[Illustration: Man sliding hand between pelt and belly]
Figure 24.—Fisting belly.
_Sides and back_.—Open the pelt down the midline of the belly and
loosen the navel. Hold the pelt tight with one hand and fist off the
sides, work around to the back, and up around the hindlegs (fig. 25).
If the fell is broken try to work around the break to get a new start.
Fist down past the shoulder, around the sides and up over the rump.
From underneath the hock, push up until the pelt hangs by the skin
that is fastened to the tail and anus (fig. 26). It will be necessary
to use a knife to remove the pelt around the tail (fig. 27). Carefully
skin around the tail and allow the pelt to drop (fig. 28).
[Illustration: Man sliding hand between pelt and sides]
Figure 25.—Fisting side and back.
[Illustration: Man pulling pelt up and away from back]
Figure 26.—Pulling pelt up.
[Illustration: Man slicing pelt around tail using a knife]
Figure 27.—Skinning around tail.
[Illustration: Pelt laying on ground at head of suspended animal]
Figure 28.—Let pelt drop.
The front feet can be removed by cutting through the joint at the knee
(fig. 29) or by breaking them at the “break” or “spool” joints. To
break the legs at the “break” or “spool” joint, cut across the tendon
between the knee and foot (fig. 30), grasp the foot in one hand, the
leg in the other, and break back and sideways. On young lambs the
“break” joint will snap easily and the foot can be removed. On older
lambs, it will be necessary to cut across the pastern joint and twist
the toes off. This joint is called the “spool” joint (fig. 31). Wash
the carcass thoroughly before eviscerating. Remove the head at the
joint closest to the head (fig. 32).
[Illustration: Man slicing through front knee joint using a knife]
Figure 29.—Removing foreleg.
[Illustration: Man slicing off front foot using a knife]
Figure 30.—Removing front foot at spool joint.
[Illustration: Sliced spool joint]
Figure 31.—Spool joint.
[Illustration: Man slicing through neck using a knife]
Figure 32.—Removing head.