Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

PELTING

• With the sheep lying on its back on the cradle,  the hind leg is grasped and opened down on the posterior aspect of the leg from the hoof to the bung.
• The knife should be held fairly flat to the carcass in making the opening in order not to cut the felt (connective tissue between muscle and skin) or expose the muscle.
• The hind shank is skinned out.
• The foot at the joint just above the hoof is removed.
• The tendon over the back of the hock is loosened.
• The the opposite leg is skinned out.
• A fore leg is graspped and pelted down the anterior aspect of the leg up to the jaw.
• The same is continued on the other fore leg, having the two cuts meet in a point in front of the brisket.
• The fore legs at this point is skinned out.
• Alternatively the skin over the fore legs can also be removed by pulling after removing the fore feet without making the incision.
• The front foot is removed at the ‘break joint’ (the break joint recognized by a swelling in the cannon bone at its lower extremity, just above the hoof) in the lambs, and in case of yearling mutton older than 15 months at the spool joint.
• A hook is inserted through the tendons of both hind legs to engage in an over head trolley.