What makes a lamb a lamb? And a hogget a hogget? NEW DEFINITION CHANGE

It appears a lamb may not always be a lamb… in technical farming terms anyway!

Previously, once a lamb lost its baby teeth and its bottom two front teeth, or incisor teeth, were observed protruding from the gums, its official label changed from a ‘lamb’ to a ‘hogget’, which would generally occur around one year after birth.

Now, thanks to a federal government amendment to export laws, the definition has been modified so a lamb is a lamb until its incisor teeth start have experienced noticeable wear.

The move gives animals about four more months of ‘lamb-hood’ before it graduates to a hogget. It’s an advantage to sheep farmers because lambs are worth more on the markets than hoggets (even if there are mere days difference between the two), therefore fetching them a better price at market.

There should also be more lambs on the market, which may lower the price slightly.

The move pulls Australia in line with New Zealand who have the same definition.

It just shows that despite not having a tooth ‘lamb’ fairy, that lamb teeth are just as, if not more, valuable!

Sean discussed the issue with the Member for Roe, Peter Rundle on the Break Show, which you can peruse here.