“He (the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the eating of the meat of sacrificial animals after three (days). Thereafter, he said: ‘Eat, take provisions, and store.’”

Narrated by al-Bukhārī (no. 1719) and Muslim (no. 1972), with the wording being his, from Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him.
And in a narration reported by Abū Dāwūd (no. 2813), from Nubayshah, may Allah be pleased with him: “We had previously forbidden you from eating its meat beyond three days, so that it might suffice you; then Allah granted abundance. So eat, store, and give in charity.”

Brief Explanation of the Hadith

 The Uḍḥiyah is among the manifest symbols of Islam. It is a great act of devotion by which the Muslim draws nearer to Allah, Exalted is He, on the Day of Sacrifice and the Days of Tashrīq, in revival of the Sunnah of Ibrāhīm—peace be upon him—, in compliance with the command of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in manifestation of gratitude for His blessings, and in veneration of His sacred ordinances.
In this ḥadīth, the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—prohibited storing the meat of sacrificial animals beyond three days, so that the wealthy might give abundance to the poor. This reflects the perfection of Islamic law in its consideration of people’s circumstances and its care for their welfare and interests. For this prohibition was not an absolute one; rather, it was due to a temporary circumstance—namely, the arrival of poor people in Madinah who were afflicted by famine. The Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—therefore wished to provide relief for those in need, and so he forbade storing the meat beyond three days, in order that generosity and charity might become more widespread.
Then, when the reason ceased and circumstances became more ample, the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—granted them permission to eat, store, and make provision. Hence his statement in the ḥadīth: “Eat, make provision, and store.” This meaning is also established in the ḥadīth of Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh and the ḥadīth of Nubayshah—may Allah be pleased with them—indicating that Allah had brought about ease and abundance.
“Al-Ḍaḥāyā (the sacrificial animals)” are those that are slaughtered on the Day of Sacrifice and the Days of Tashrīq as an act of drawing nearer to Allah, the Exalted. His statement, “after three,” means after the Days of Tashrīq, as indicated by the ḥadīth of Jābir ibn ʿAbd Allāh—may Allah be pleased with them both—reported in the Ṣaḥīḥ: “We used not to eat from the meat of our sacrificial animals beyond three days in Minā.”
And in this ḥadīth is an indication that the rulings of the Shariah take into account the welfare of the servants, that they are contingent upon their underlying causes, whether present or absent, and that the Law of Allah is founded upon mercy and ease, not upon restriction and hardship.