Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported that Abu Burda slaughtered the animal as a sacrifice before the ('Id) prayer. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:

Offer a substitute for it (since it does not absolve you of the responsibility of sacrifice). Thereupon he said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . I have nothing with me but a goat of less than six months. Shu'ba (one of the narrators) said: I think he (al-Bara' b. 'Azib also) said: And it is better than a goat of one year. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Make it a substitute for that (and sacrifice it), but it will not suffice for anyone (as a sacrifice) after you.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ - حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ، قَالَ ذَبَحَ أَبُو بُرْدَةَ قَبْلَ الصَّلاَةِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَبْدِلْهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَيْسَ عِنْدِي إِلاَّ جَذَعَةٌ - قَالَ شُعْبَةُ وَأَظُنُّهُ قَالَ - وَهِيَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُسِنَّةٍ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ اجْعَلْهَا مَكَانَهَا وَلَنْ تَجْزِيَ عَنْ أَحَدٍ بَعْدَكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏