An important component of the clean livestock policy is the handling of animals pre-slaughter. Young lambs can suffer carcase bruising easily but sheep of all ages are also prone to damage caused by improper handling.

Grabbing animals by the wool when catching greatly increases the occurrence of bruising while giving lambs too much room in a handling pen and running them around the pen and against gates or equipment also increases the risk.

Overcrowding during transport can also be an issue with young lambs.

Carcase damage

Another area that is not a regular occurrence but can cause problems is carcase damage from an abscess.

This can be caused by an incorrect injecting technique or a dirty needle being used. Injecting sheep into the muscle in the hindquarters is not as common as with cattle but still occurs irregularly. Animals should be injected in the neck region as if damage occurs it is in a much lower-value area.

Read more

Sheep management: clostridical vaccine and liver fluke

Sheep management: scanning early lambers and ram management