[Sca-cooks] back to food was PETA

[Pixel, Goddess and Queen]

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004, UlfR wrote:

> [Quick note since I suspect that general anti-PETA stuff is off topic
> here.]
>
> Sue Clemenger <mooncat at in-tch.com> [2004.01.16] wrote:
> > lists were pointing out that many breeds of sheep *have* to be sheared,
> > as they don't shed naturally.  (I do not know if that's a result of
> > breeding, though.)
>
> First principles; if there was a wild sheep that would not survive
> unsheared, what would shear it? Also, IIRC, even today some primitive
> breeds will shed.
>
> > --maire, trying and failing to come up with OFC (to early, not enough
>
> Taste effects of breeding (would the ancient proto-sheep have tasted
> like goat, what was the fat content of proto-sheep and medieval ones,
> compared to todays breeds?), and of getting meat in contact with the
> wool during butchering.
>
> UlfR

Unless butchering techniques have changed substantially in the last couple
of hundred years, you usually peel animals before you cut them up.

To my knowledge, there has never been a concentrated effort to breed
leaner sheep as there has been with hogs. Most efforts in the
sheep-breeding arena were aimed at larger, more muscular animals, more
robust animals, ewes that lamb prolifically (ie, twins) and easily), and
traits that help with various ovine diseases and suchlike. Oh, and wool.
:-)

Margaret, fiber-holic