Dautobi  Acres 

 Our freezer lambs are one of the best values in local, small, farm-produced meat.   Purchasing an entire lamb offers a better price than purchasing individual cuts and allows you to have the cuts of meat you can best utilize in your menus. 

Click to place deposit on butcher lamb(s)  Quick link for returning customers - new customers please read information below for full details.  

Since the "bulk buy" customer participates in keeping costs low, we are happy to pass along the savings. By picking up a custom-cut, whole lamb at the processor, you reduce our cost in transportation, storage, labeling, labor and distribution. When you leave your deposit for a future lamb, it allows us to plan for our flock's needs.  It takes about 13 months (including gestation) to produce a grass-fed, pasture raised lamb for processing. 

We also try to have individual cuts of lamb available for pickup at the farm. This is mainly for new customers that want to try our lamb prior to purchasing in bulk.  Farm pickup is pre-paid, self-serve, gate pickup with a specified time slot. Our inventory is limited to lambs not sold in bulk. When available, inventory is at the bottom of this page.

Our next group of butcher lambs -

Are scheduled for October 2021 and November 2021 (all earlier dates are sold out)

 The scheduled processor is  Rail 19 Quality Meat Company, located at 8843 Texas Highway 19 South, Brashear Tx 75420  They are East of Greenville Tx and South of Sulphur Springs Tx.  903-485-8505  Email  connect@rail19meats.com

 

We accept deposits year 'round until our freezer lambs are sold out.  The deposit link is below, if you are new to ordering a whole lamb, please read all the info below the link prior to ordering

Click to place deposit on butcher lamb(s)

  If you have questions abhout the general process of aquiring a custom cut, whole lamb, email us at dautobiacres @ yahoo.com 

An entire lamb, processed is about $325.00, usually made in 3 payments

- lamb deposit/securing fee of $50.00 (can be paid anytime to secure a future lamb)

the remainder due $180.00 (this is due a week before we take lambs to processor)

and then the payment for cut/wrap/freeze (made to the processor) when you pickup your order (95.00 - 110.00) for a standard cut lamb, (it costs extra to have lamb smoked, made into sausage, stew meat, frenched racks, boneless net wrapped roasts or lamb ham.)  You can discuss this cost with the processor before you leave a deposit.  Processing can even be lower - if you only need your lamb quartered or left whole for spit roasting. 

The farm accepts payments from major credits cards, checks and money orders.  The processors typically accept credit cards, cash and at least local checks - but check with them to be certain. 

We typically deliver lambs to the processor 2 or 3 times a year.  A batch in June and another in November.  After leaving an initial deposit of $50.00, the balance of $180.00 is due a couple of weeks before we deliver the lambs to the processor.  The fee for processing is due when you pickup you meat order - varies from $95 to $110 or more depending on what you have done. You are welcome to discuss processing costs and options prior to ordering. Orders are usually ready 7 to 10 days after we deliver the live lambs. Please pickup your orders promptly as small processors do not have huge amounts of freezer space. All orders are picked up by the customer at the processor - lamb is not shipped. 

How your meat is packaged - 

Front and back of a pack of shoulder chops.  Packaging options are determined by the processor and you are welcome to speak with them prior to ordering a lamb. The label indicates "Not For Sale" as it is not labeled for retail sale in a grocery store setting.  You may have your meat packaged for retail sale, as well as custom labels, but extra fees may apply. Please direct retail sales questions to the processor. We (the farm) charge the same price for the lamb regardless of it being sold to individuals, co-op groups or wholesale. 

 The toughest question to answer - 

What (cuts/meat) do I get on a whole lamb ?

You should be taking home 35 to 40 pounds of bone-in packaged meat from a whole lamb. This weight varies depending on how you have the meat cut. If you opt for lots of ground lamb and boneless stew meat, your packaged weight will be less. The basic choices are if you prefer roasts, chops and/or ground meat.  Lambs can be processed into the type of meat you cook the most. A whole lamb stores in about 2 cubic feet of freezer space. 

 

Ground lamb - A whole lamb cuts up very efficiently and makes about 5 pounds of ground using the neck, ribs, breast and trimmed pieces. If you need more ground from your lamb, you will need to have some of the basic cuts put into ground. This is one reason ground lamb is so expensive - you are using roasts to make more ground meat.  Your ground can be made leaner or with more fat - just tell the processor. It can be packaged in one or two pounds per tube (below). Other pack options may be available depending on the processor. 

Leg of Lamb - there are two hind legs that can be left whole for large roasts, cut in half for smaller roasts, cut into leg steaks or made into ground meats. If you have the leg cut into steaks, you need to specify how thick.  As the leg is tapered, the steaks will get smaller and bonier towards each end. These are fine for bone-in stew meat or ask to have them added to your ground meat portion. The lower portion of the leg has the hind or rear shanks, which can be cut individually. Legs typically weigh about 5 pounds each, including the bone and shank portion. 

Whole "American" style leg, shank off. 

Center cut leg steak. 

Shoulder of lamb - there are two shoulders that have the same options as the leg (except for shank portion).  Shoulders can be cut into chops - refered to as shoulder chops and further broken down into arm or blade chops. As the shoulder is tapered, the chops will get smaller and bonier towards each end. These are fine for bone-in stew meat or ask to have them added to your ground meat portion. They also weigh about 5 pounds each, including bone. Photos below are whole shoulder roasts and shoulder chops in a marinade.  

Lamb shanks - Front shanks and rear shanks are available (4 total).  You can leave them whole or have them sliced for exceptional bone-in stew meat. Slicing exposes the marrow better and leaving whole gives you the "standing" shank cooking option. They can also be added to your ground meat. Shanks are about 3 pounds (both rear) and 2 pounds (both front). 

 Rear lamb shanks

Lamb ribs - Whole "spare" ribs or cut "short" ribs. Ribs can be added to ground meat, but they are difficult to get all the meat off - they are a better value as ribs.  Lamb ribs (whole) are about a pound and a half each and you get two. Short ribs or rib strips are more pieces but still about 3 pounds. 

Lamb chops - This refers to the chops from the loin (loin or t-bone chops) and rack (rib chops), not those made from shoulder or leg.  Loin chops can be cut thick or thin, and this determines how many - if you want thick chops (1 1/2 inches) or thin (1/2 inch) it varies from 8 to 16, per side. Total rib and loin chops vary from 16 to 32, depending on thickness. If you want a rack of lamb (there are 2 per lamb), you will lose some or all rib chops. If you want a loin roast (there are 2 per lamb), you will lose some or all of the loin chops.   Lamb chops are not large like pork chops - they are small. You need at least two  for the "average" eater. Have them packaged 6 or more per package.   

 Loin Chops on the left and rib chops on the right. 

Instead of loin and rib chops you can have loin roast and rib roast- also called rack of lamb.  

Soup bones will be available if you have any cuts de-boned and made into ground.  

Neck, flank and breast - Most of the time the neck is tossed into the ground meat portion.  However, neck slices are "dark meat" lamb (similar to shanks) and make outstanding dishes when prepared on their own. If the breast portion is left on the spare ribs, it cannot be added to ground. The flank is small on our lambs and usually contributes to the ground meat portion. 

Organ meats - Liver, heart, kidney and tongue are available.  If you can't use them, consider them if you or someone you know have pets to feed cooked or raw meat. All organ meats have superior nutrient value compared to muscle meat. 

Lamb rack roast or rack of lamb - actually the first one I cooked.   I do not have the rack "frenched" as you just lose meat and fat and pay more. 

INDIVIDUAL CUTS OF LAMB

Sometimes we have individual cuts of lamb available. Its a good way to try our lamb before purchasing a whole lamb.  If all our lambs sell as whole lamb orders, we will not have individual cuts available.  Below are some of the cuts and the prices. 

Supporting small farms helps keep open areas open, they are more inviting to wildlife than a parking lot or fast food place or housing addition ! Our pastures and ponds support many types of birds, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans and pollinators.  If you are concerned about the watershed, food shed and/or carbon sequestration, keep supporting your local, small farms. 

 Non-venomous water snake at the pond. 

 Pasture wildflowers

 The "frog swamp". A shallow, seasonal area that is habitat for numerous frogs, snakes, snails and water birds that eat them. 

When we have lamb cuts available - all orders are pre-paid/pre-reserved prior to a pre-arranged pickup time.  

We do not share/sell your information. Prices subject to change but are typically steady unless our processor increases slaughter fees.   

Photo below -  Mittens was dumped as a tiny kitten on a cold, rainy day. He was found by my son, mewing and hiding in the cactus near the street at the front of the property. He became a champion rodent catcher and has protected many a piece of valuable farm equipment and our own vehicles from rodent damage. Thanks, Mitts.