HOW DOES THE
“THE KAROO LAMB CONSORTIUM”
CERTIFICATION WORK?

A. WHAT DOES THE MARK CERTIFY AND/OR GUARANTEE? B. HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT THE DIFFERENT ROLE PLAYERS CONFORM TO THE SAID STANDARDS? C. WHO CAN USE THE CERTIFICATION MARK? D. HOW DO I IDENTIFY TRUE KAROO MEAT OF ORIGIN? 

A. WHAT DOES THE MARK CERTIFY AND/OR GUARANTEE?

  • Meat with distinct Karoo flavour.

  • Free Range Mutton and Lamb grazing on indigenous Karoo veldt vegetation. Produced and slaughtered in the Karoo region (as defined by the Karoo Development Foundation)

    • Sheep born in the Karoo

    • or sheep born outside the Karoo but remain in the area for at least 6 continuous months before slaughter, and free of scheduled diseases.

  • Regardless of breed

  • No added hormones

  • Traceable to farm of origin

  • Farms required to comply with Good Stockmanship and Animal Welfare Practices.

  • Only carcasses falling in the following categories of the South African meat classification system (as specified in Meat Classification Regulations No R863 published in the RSA Government Gazette of 1 September 2006) qualify for certification as Karoo lamb/mutton meat of origin:


In particular, the following classes of carcasses do not qualify for certification:

  • Age classes: AB, BBB, CCC stamped MD indicating rams or carcasses showing signs of late castration in those age groups

  • Carcasses with code 2 and 3 damage

  • Excellent quality

  • Certified users in the supply chain comply to Food Safety and other legal requirements

B. HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT THE DIFFERENT ROLE PLAYERS CONFORM TO THE SAID STANDARDS?

 The KDF has appointed independent, 3rd party auditors to check if the licensees conform to all the said standards.

C. WHO CAN USE THE CERTIFICATION MARK?

Registered and approved role players in the commercial sheep meat market, with effective traceability systems, e.g. farmers, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants:

  • may be allowed to affix the certification mark to freshly packed meat/carcasses/derivative products

  • may use the certification mark on associated packaging/labeling/advertising material

D. HOW DO I IDENTIFY TRUE KAROO MEAT OF ORIGIN? 

The carcass can be identified by the KMOO stamp on the leg of the lamb / sheep.

It can also be identified by a CERT KMOO rollermark on the body of the carcass.


All certified Karoo lamb is sold with the Karoo Meat of Origin mark on the packaging. It may / may not be marked with the tracking number (taking you back to the farm where the lamb originated from) and / or a certiciation number (the certification number allocated to a packer / processor, butchery or abattoir).


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