Everything You Ever Wanted
to Know About Lamb
Lamb is often overlooked in America as a delicacy or
even a standard component of a well-balanced meal. Although
a popular dish in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
regions of the world, for some reason it never caught
on in the West. Some believe that because some Eastern
and Middle Eastern societies have forbidden meats such
as pork or beef, lamb was a readily available alternative
and thus became part of many holidays, including Ramadan,
Chanukah and some Easter traditions.
The Sheep Industry
The sheep industry in America has been declining since
its peak in 1946 when there were 56 million head in
production. Sheep farming has now returned to the numbers
of the early 1800's; about 7 million head. The advent
of synthetic fibers in the 1950's eliminated the need
for wool, which in turn made lambs' meat solely responsible
for the profitability of raising sheep. With lamb consumption
on the decline as well, sheep farms have been closing
steadily over the past half-century.i
According to the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), the decline of lamb/sheep production in the
US has mainly occurred in the closing of large scale
operations, yet the remaining large scale operations
still own most of the sheep in the country. Farms with
under 25 sheep only control 4% of the market, whereas
farms with 1,000 or more own 55% of the market. This
is typical of meat production on the whole, in which
a few big companies have concentrated the most animals
(and profits) in their operations.ii
Industrial Production
As with almost all industrial animal production, the
large scale production of sheep tends to ignore the
needs and natural cycles of the animals in favor of
increased production. For example, in just under thirty
years (1975 – 2002) the average weight of sheep
and lambs has increased by almost 40 pounds.iii
The USDA attributes this to feeding practices, and the
number of sheep raised in feedlots.
Feedlots (places where large numbers of cows or sheep
are kept and fed) do not adhere to sustainable practices
such as a natural grass diet and room for the animals
to graze and fertilize the soil. Here, sheep are normally
fed corn and grain, which creates a heavier animal but
often has adverse effects on their health. iv
Another feeding practice, found also on cattle feedlots,
is feeding ruminant proteins and tissues (cow and sheep
parts) back to other ruminants. Scrapie, the sheep version
of mad cow disease,
was found to be spread this way. Although a feed ban
was enacted in 1997 to end these unsafe practices, there
are loopholes which make it impossible to ensure the
safety of factory farmed meat. Proposals have been made
to further tighten safety measures in meat production,
but even these proposals do not fully close the loopholes.
Visit our Issues section
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Although these types of large scale sheep farms have
been declining steadily while the number of smaller
sheep farms has increased, larger operations still control
much of the market for lamb, mutton and wool. This makes
buying sustainably-raised lamb and wool products key
to ending unsafe industrial food production.
Sustainable Production
Smaller-scale sheep farms are growing in number, possibly
due to the fact that the remaining lamb consumers of
today are a small niche market that values quality cuts,
hence making large-scale production less profitable.
Sustainable sheep farmers create a higher-quality product
because they let animals roam on pastures and graze
on grass and other plants they would naturally eat.v
Many small-scale sheep farmers also work to preserve
heritage breeds
(breeds not mass-produced and therefore facing extinction)
and can offer a unique variety of lamb meats with more
subtle flavors than the standard type produced by large
scale operations. Sustainable lamb producers also refrain
from giving their flock unnecessary antibiotics to promote
growth or to overcompensate for unclean conditions (such
as those found on factory farms). Grain and other unnatural
feeds (like animal byproducts) are avoided in sustainable
farming practices.
This care in breeding and feeding means a healthier
product for consumers; leaner meat with fewer calories
and more essential fatty acids like Omega-3s. vi
It also means that when you buy sustainably-raised lamb,
you are contributing to a healthy environment and helping
to end factory farming. Each purchase we make of sustainable
products takes demand away from the big producers and
gives it to those producers who keep our environment
and food supply safe while contributing to our local
economies.
Holiday Lamb Recipes
Lambs are normally born in the spring and processed
sometime within the first year, making the season for
lamb late fall through spring. This could be one reason
why many lamb dishes come from holiday traditions. Check
out our lamb recipes
in the Sustainable Kitchen.
Don't forget to visit Sustainable Table's Eat
Well Guide for local farms, stores and restaurants
where you can buy sustainable lamb this holiday season,
or for any occasion!
- By Jill Peterson
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