Definition
A casing species is the animal the natural casing comes from: hog (pig), sheep (sheep and lamb) or beef (cattle). The species fixes the calibre range, the wall thickness and the bite, and therefore the sausages a casing can be used for.
The three species compared
| Criterion | Sheep casings | Hog casings | Beef casings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the animal | Small intestine | Small intestine | Small intestine (rounds), large intestine (middles), caecum (caps) |
| Calibre range | 16/18 to 26/28 mm | 26/28 to 44/46 mm | Rounds 35 to 46 mm+, middles 45 to 60 mm+, caps 90 to 120 mm+ |
| Wall | Thinnest, most elastic | Medium | Thickest, strongest |
| Bite | Tender, fine snap | Firm snap | Firm, often peeled before slicing |
| Typical length per end | 7 to 16 m+ on soft tubes | Standard lengths to 14 m+ XXL | Rounds in long hanks; middles and caps as pieces |
| Teijsen selection | 2 mm strict; AA, A, AB grades | 2/4 mm strict; A quality | Sorted by calibre and type |
| Teijsen origin | China, Australia, New Zealand | Europe, North America, China (separate lines) | South America |
| Typical make-up | Soft tubes | Salted bundles, soft tubes, easy fill | Salted bundles |
Tenderness and bite
The wall thickness of the submucosa differs by species. A sheep casing is the thinnest; it cooks tender and gives the fine snap of a frankfurter or a chipolata. It is also the most fragile on the line, which is why sheep casings are mostly supplied on soft tubes and in long ends. A hog casing is thicker and tougher. It takes higher stuffing pressure, holds a coarse fresh-sausage filling and gives the firm bite of a grilled bratwurst. A beef casing has the thickest wall. On a cooked ring sausage it is eaten; on a salami or mortadella it is usually peeled before slicing, so its function is mechanical: holding shape through fermentation, drying or cooking.
Calibre range
Species and calibre overlap only at the edges. Below 26 mm you need sheep; between 28 and 44 mm hog is the default; above 45 mm beef is the only natural option. At the overlap of 26/28 mm, sheep gives the more tender product and hog the lower cost per metre. The calibre guide lists typical calibres per sausage type; the ranges above are typical and not a guarantee for any individual lot.
Typical products per market
Germany and Austria. Bratwurst, Thüringer, Bockwurst and Weisswurst in hog casing, 28/30 to 40/42 mm. Nürnberger, Wiener and Frankfurter in sheep casing, 20/22 to 24/26 mm. Fleischwurst rings in beef rounds, salami and Zungenwurst in beef middles.
The Netherlands and Belgium. Verse worst and braadworst in hog casing, 28/30 to 32/34 mm. Rookworst traditionally in beef rounds or hog casing. Chipolata in sheep casing.
Spain and Latin America. Chorizo, salchichón and longaniza in hog casing, 32/34 to 38/40 mm; larger salchichón and chorizo cular in beef middles and caps. Salchicha in sheep casing for the fresh market.
Portugal and Brazil. Linguiça and chouriço in hog casing, 30/32 to 36/38 mm; alheira and farinheira in hog or beef rounds; morcela in beef rounds or hog casing.
United States. Natural-casing hot dogs and breakfast links in sheep casing, 22/24 to 26/28 mm. Italian sausage, bratwurst and pepperoni in hog casing, 32/34 to 38/40 mm. Ring bologna and kielbasa in beef rounds.
United Kingdom and France. Chipolata and Cumberland in sheep (18/20 to 22/24) and hog (30/32 to 34/36). Toulouse and saucisse de Montbéliard in hog, merguez in sheep, boudin noir in beef rounds or hog.
Each Teijsen product page lists the sausage types it is typically used for: hog casings, sheep casings and beef casings.
Cost per metre and cost per sausage
Purchase price is quoted per metre, per hank or per bundle. Cost per sausage is what reaches your margin, and the two can point in different directions. Four factors to weigh, qualitatively:
- Yield per animal. A pig yields many more usable metres of casing than a sheep, which is one reason hog casings are generally the lowest cost per metre and sheep casings higher. Beef casings are expensive per metre but hold far more filling per metre.
- Calibre. Filling per metre rises with the square of the diameter. A 34/36 hog casing holds roughly 50 % more filling per metre than a 28/30, so the casing cost per kilogram falls as the calibre rises.
- Line stops. Short ends cost operator time at every reload. Long-end sheep casings of 7 to 16 metres and XXL hog casings of 14 metres and more cut stops sharply; see why long-end casings pay back.
- Breakage and waste. A fragile or poorly selected casing bursts at the stuffer and wastes filling. Quality grade (AA, A, AB) and selection tolerance matter here more than species.
Prices move with season, origin and exchange rates, so this article gives no figures. Ask your sales contact for the current specification per species and calibre.
A decision sequence
- Start from the sausage: eating quality, finished diameter, cooking or drying method. That fixes the species in most cases.
- Choose the calibre class from the calibre guide and your stuffing horn.
- Choose make-up and length class from your line: automatic lines favour soft tubes and long ends, hand-linked lines accept salted bundles; see soft tubes versus salted bundles.
- Specify origin where your market requires it. Teijsen keeps European, North American and Chinese hog casings on separate lines; see the quality page.
- Request a sample per species and calibre and run it on your own line before you commit to a season.
Last updated: 5 October 2026
