[Sca-cooks] lamb vs. mutton

[Terry Decker]

While this describes the condition of lamb Bonnefans desires as a delicacy, 
it does not specifically define what is a lamb.

Platina says that lambs are sold to the butcher before they are weaned.  Is 
this because they are only lambs until then or because the lactating ewes 
can be milked, providing further profits?

While considering some other aspects of lamb, it occurred to me that a key 
difference between a lamb and a sheep is sexual maturity.  Different breeds 
mature at different rates but the average is 6 to 8 months.  Modern breeding 
recommendations suggest 13 months for males and 15 months for females. 
Castration for wethers is recommended after 3 months.

Interestingly, Platina states that castration should be at 5 months.  The 
variance in castration times suggests that modern diet may lead to earlier 
maturation, but lacking corroborating evidence, that is pure speculation.

Bear



> Although Bonnefons does not mention what distinguishes lamb from mutton in
> 'Les Délices de la Campagne', he does describe lambs as sometimes being 
> the
> size of a rabbit (which, although I'm no expert in either wild rabbits, 
> nor
> lambs generally, I take to mean a pretty young lamb), sometimes bigger. 
> Lamb
> also has to be fat from milk (L'Agneau gras de lait...)
>
> Not quite period, but close enough.
>
> Petru
>
>> Lambs can wean in as little as 3 to 4 weeks or as much as 5 to 6 months, 
>> so
>> weaning may not be a solid indicator of "lambness."  So the question in 
>> my
>> mind is what is the proof that a sheep is not a lamb after weaning.  The
>> only evidence I've found so far is in Platina, and it does not provide a
>> thorough definition of lamb.
>>
>> Bear