Use the sliding scale to see how fat and classification changes the assessment of the lamb.
Assessing Fat
Dock
1. Individual bones very easy to detect
2. Individual bones easy to detect with light pressure
3. Moderate pressure to detect individual bones
4. Firm pressure to detect individual bones
5. Individual bones cannot be detected
Loin
1. Very easy to feel between processes which are very prominent
2. Prominent spinous and transverse processes felt easily
3. Tips of processes rounded. Individual bones felt as corrugations with light pressure
4. Spinous processes felt with moderate pressure; transverse processes felt with firm pressure
5. Individual processes cannot be felt
Rib
1. Individual ribs feel very bare, prominent and easy to detect
2. Individual ribs show slight cover but still easy to detect
3. Individual ribs have softer feel, with fat cover becoming more evident in between and over ribs, which are now less easy to detect
4. Individual ribs are only detectable with firm pressure
5. Individual ribs are undetectable, soft, rolling, spongy feel
Assessing Conformation
E Spinous processes undetectable, flesh creating a very convex profile, very broad shoulder area
U Spinous processes just detectable, flesh beginning to create a convex profile
R Spinous processes less prominent with flesh creating a straight profile under the hand
O Spinous processes still prominent, less concave with some evidence of flesh beginning to fill the hand
P Very prominent spinous processes evident, very concave profile to the centre of the hand