Yanchi Tan Lamb

Yanchi Tan Lamb

Yanchi Tan Lamb is a product with geographical indication.

　　Due to its unique grazing environment, the lamb has bright red meat, milky white and evenly distributed fat with low fat content. The muscle fibers are clear, dense, resilient, and elastic, with a natural wind-dried membrane on the surface and a moist cut that doesn’t stick to hands. The meat is tender, not gamey or fishy, and is widely recognized as high-quality lamb. Under free-range conditions, adult wether sheep can weigh between 50 to 60 kilograms, while adult ewes can weigh 40 to 50 kilograms. Two-month-old lambs weigh 6 to 8 kilograms with less fat and even more tender and delicious meat. The fine flavor of Yanchi Tan Lamb has long been well known.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yanchi County is located in the eastern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on the transition zone from the Ordos Plateau to the Loess Plateau, spanning longitude 106°33′–107°47′ and latitude 37°04′–38°10′. With an average elevation of 1,600 meters, it stretches about 66 kilometers from east to west and 110 kilometers from north to south. It borders Dingbian in Shaanxi Province to the east, Huan County in Gansu Province to the south, Otog Front Banner in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north, and Lingwu and Tongxin cities (counties) in the region to the west. The total area is 8,661.3 square kilometers, with Tan Lamb production covering all eight towns and townships in the county. Annual output totals 590,000 sheep and 8,850 tons.

　　Natural Ecological Environment and Humanistic Historical Factors

　　(1) Soil and Topography: Yanchi County has abundant land resources. Situated on the transition zone from the Ordos Plateau to the Loess Plateau, its central-northern part consists of gently sloping hills with undulating terrain and continuous sand dunes, covering about 80% of the total area. The southern part is a loess plateau area with crisscrossing gullies and alternating ridges and valleys, covering about 20% of the total area. The county’s usable grassland spans 7.15 million mu (approximately 476,667 hectares), accounting for 82.6% of the land area. The natural grasslands are divided into two major types: dry grassland and desert steppe. These grasslands grow a variety of premium forages, including over 110 types of medicinal plants such as licorice, sophora alopecuroides, wild basil, mint, artemisia capillaris, bupleurum, astragalus, adenophora, tribulus, anemarrhena, plantago, and plantain seeds. Additionally, most of the grassland soil consists of ordinary calcareous and light calcareous soils, rich in calcium and phosphorus with over 40 types of mineral elements. This unique combination of soil, water quality, and abundant grassland forage perfectly suits the ecological needs of Tan Sheep, making it one of the rarest and most suitable regions in China for raising Tan Sheep. This forms a solid foundation for the development of the Tan Sheep industry in Yanchi.

　　(2) Hydrological Conditions: With low precipitation and high evaporation, the climate is dry and arid, with an average annual rainfall of 200–280 mm concentrated between July and September, and an annual evaporation rate of 1,250–2,550 mm. The grasslands in Yanchi receive little rainfall and suffer high evaporation, leading to limited groundwater replenishment. However, shallow groundwater is relatively widespread, with high water tables and good water quality, rich in mineral elements.

　　(3) Climatic Conditions: Yanchi County has a typical continental monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 9.2°C, 3,124 hours of sunshine, a frost-free period of 148 days, annual precipitation of around 280 mm, and annual evaporation of 2,100 mm. Sunshine is abundant.

　　(4) Humanistic Historical Background: Tan Sheep have a long history of breeding in Yanchi County. The local people are not only engaged in animal husbandry but also excel at it. The formation of the Tan Sheep breed dates back over 200 years. According to historical records from the “Xiaozhi of Yinchuan” published in the 20th year of the Qianlong reign (1755): “All regions of Ningxia produce sheepskin and lamb meat, but Yanzhou (now Yanchi) is particularly excellent.” It also mentions the beautiful and elegant fur patterns resembling ears of grain. The “New Gazetteer of Gansu” from the 34th year of the Guangxu reign (1908) states: “The furs of Ningxia are especially fine,” referring to the breed commonly known as “white sheep” at the time, whose pelts were called “Tan skins.” As these “Tan skins” gained fame both domestically and internationally, the term “white sheep” gradually became synonymous with Tan Sheep. Historical records indicate that Tan Sheep, as a breed primarily valued for its lightweight pelt, had already formed by at least the Qianlong period. Tan Sheep are one of Ningxia’s “Five Treasures” and are listed among the country’s 15 protected local breeds of high-quality sheep. In the 1970s and 1980s, the number of Tan Sheep in the Helan Mountain foothills in Ningxia, Yanchi, neighboring parts of Tongxin County, and certain areas of Lingwu City reached around 1.2 million. Currently, due to various factors, there are no longer any Tan Sheep in the Helan Mountain foothills. Lingwu and Tongxin, which neighbor Yanchi, have crossbred their Tan Sheep, leaving only Yanchi County designated by the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Government as a conservation area for Tan Sheep. A national-level Tan Sheep breeding farm has also been established in Yanchi, maintaining an annual population of around 1.37 million.

　　Production Technical Requirements

　　(1) Origin Selection and Special Provisions: Yanchi Tan Sheep live on the vast lands of Yanchi.

　　There are no industrial or mining enterprises within Yanchi, ensuring a pollution-free environment. The drinking water, atmosphere, and soil all meet national standards, and the origin environment must comply with the requirements of the “Technical Conditions for Green Food Production Areas” (NT/T391-2000).

　　(2) Breed Selection and Specific Requirements: Yanchi Tan Sheep are selected through a combination of individual, pedigree, and progeny testing, as well as phenotypic and genetic selection. The main method is population-based generational breeding, flexibly using both homogeneous and heterogeneous mating to establish an open breeding system. Comprehensive promotion is given to identification and selection techniques during birth, two-month, and growth stages, achieving a secondary quality ratio of over 90% to cultivate a core breeding group of Tan Sheep, improve supply capacity, and enhance protection efforts.

　　(3) Production Process Management: Tan Sheep are a unique Chinese breed of pelt-producing sheep and are a second-class nationally protected breed. Their fat is evenly distributed, the meat is tender, and the gamey smell is minimal, making them representative of Ningxia lamb and renowned nationwide. The feeding process follows the “Four Fixed and Three Diligent” principles: fixed timing, quantity, quality, and personnel; diligent observation, movement, and handling. The production process strictly adheres to the “Feeding Management Guidelines for Meat Sheep – NY/T5151.” Inputs for Yanchi Tan Sheep must comply with the “Regulations on Veterinary Drugs Administration” and the “Regulations on Feed and Feed Additives Administration,” following the “Non-Polluting Meat Sheep Veterinary and Epidemic Prevention Standards – NY5149-2002.”

　　(4) Product Harvesting and Slaughter Technical Specifications: Slaughter is conducted according to different fattening stages. Post-slaughter Tan Lamb products are divided into lamb and wether meat. Meat processing enterprises must comply with the “Sanitary Regulations for Meat Processing Plants,” “General Technical Conditions for Livestock Slaughtering and Processing,” and “Emission Standards for Water Pollutants from Meat Processing Industry.” Lamb products must meet the “Lamb” standard.

　　(5) Production Record Requirements: Each flock of Tan Sheep must have related documentation, including origin, characteristics, and main production performance. Details on feed types, sources, consumption, and additives must be recorded. Immunization records must be established and maintained, including vaccine name, manufacturer, batch number, dosage, and immunization date. Records of morbidity, mortality, causes, and harmless treatment must be kept. Sales records—including contracts and channels—should be maintained. Laboratory test results, medication, and vaccination details must also be documented. All records must be preserved for at least two years after the flock is disbanded.

　　Product Quality Characteristics and Safety Standards

　　(1) External Sensory Features: After slaughter, the carcass shows glossy, lubricated muscles with uniformly distributed red color. A thin layer of white fat covers the surface and is evenly distributed. Muscle fibers are fine, with a triangular or wedge-shaped fat tail that is full, smooth, and tapers to a pointed tip reaching the hock joint, with no gamey odor. Lamb meat from young Tan Sheep has fine, tender, juicy fibers that are easy to digest, with moderate fat content and a full, smooth triangular fat tail. When boiled, the broth is clear and transparent, with fat gathering on the surface, exuding the distinctive fragrance of Tan Lamb, known for being so fragrant it wafts outside the house.

　　(2) Internal Quality Indicators: Yanchi Tan Lamb, tested by qualified biological laboratories, contains over 90% protein (on a dry basis), with relatively high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and lower saturated fatty acids. It has a rich variety of mineral elements in moderate amounts, with no detection of harmful substances like lead, mercury, or arsenic, nor the gamey-causing decanoic acid. Each 100 grams of Yanchi Tan Lamb contains 93.02% protein (dry basis), with high unsaturated fatty acids, a rich and balanced variety of minerals, especially selenium at 0.073 mg/kg, offering strong health benefits. No harmful elements such as lead, arsenic, or mercury are detected, nor is the gamey-causing capric acid. Carbonyl compounds are at just 1 mg/100g, the lowest compared to other lamb (1.31 mg/100g). Purine content related to flavor (0.8 mg/100g) is the highest compared to others (0.3 mg/100g). Cholesterol (28.83 mg/100g) is the lowest compared to other lamb (49.43 mg/100g). Cooked meat yield (over 65%) is the highest compared to others (around 50–55%). Muscle fiber diameter (14 nanometers) is the finest compared to others (18–20 nanometers).

　　(3) Safety Requirements: The origin environment meets the “Livestock Farm Environmental Quality Standard – NY/T388”; livestock drinking water meets and maintains the “Livestock Drinking Water Quality – NY5027”; feed and its use comply with the “Guidelines for Feed and Feed Additive Use in Livestock – NY5032-2006”; veterinary drugs and usage follow the “Guidelines for Veterinary Drug Use in Livestock – NY5030-2006”; disease prevention for Tan Sheep aligns with the “Veterinary Epidemic Prevention Guidelines for Livestock – NY5339-2006”; product quality meets the “Fresh and Frozen Carcass Lamb – GB9961” and non-polluting lamb “NY5147” standards; Tan Sheep feeding management follows the “Feeding Management Guidelines for Meat Sheep – NY/T5151.”

　　Packaging, Labeling, and Related Standards

　　Lamb is categorized into large lamb, lamb, and fattened lamb. Packaging uses polyethylene (PE) bags,

　　40cm×15cm×36cm and 34cm×14cm×2cm boxes, as well as 40cm×30cm vacuum bags for hind legs, 36cm×26cm vacuum bags for front legs and racks, and 25cm×18cm bags for lamb mince and rolls. Storage and transport must comply with the “Veterinary Sanitation Regulations for Livestock Slaughter and Processing Enterprises.”

　　Bagging, 40cm×15cm×36cm, 34cm×14cm×2cm 4-pack boxes. Vacuum-sealed bags for hind leg of lamb (40cm×30cm), front leg and lamb chops (36cm×26cm), as well as packaging bags for lamb mince and lamb rolls (25cm×18cm), etc. Storage and transportation must comply with the requirements of the "Veterinary Sanitation Regulations for Livestock Slaughter and Processing Enterprises."