What do we get from cattle (besides a headache when they get out of their pasture)? A lot.
So the obvious products we get from cows are meat and milk, right? If that wasn’t obvious to you, it’s totally ok. The bottom line is that all cattle produce milk but we really only collect milk for sale and consumption at the grocery store from dairy-type cattle i.e. Holsteins, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, etc.
On the other hand, ALL cattle are meat producers. After they have lived their life on this Earth, they are slaughtered for consumption and processed into steaks, roast, ground beef, sweet breads and many, many more consumable meat products. Dairy cattle actually account for about 20% of U.S. beef production!
End of story, right? Wrong-o.
Cattle provide us with so many by-products that it’s astonishing we haven’t proclaimed them our national animal, equal to the bald eagle (do not send me threats, please). Pop quiz – which of the following is not made with by-products from a cow carcass?
Piano keys
Medicine
Beef jerky
Leather
Photo film
Tires
Cosmetics
Plasma
So that was kind of a trick question, because ALL of those products are made using by-products from cattle slaughter. The uses for a beef carcass are innumerable – in fact, those of us in the ranching community like to say “We use everything but the moo!” It’s true!
Image courtesy Florida Beef Council
Cattle are some of the most efficient animals in the barnyard. In fact, 85% of grazing land for cattle isn’t suitable for raising crops, so using it for raising cattle is its best application. When combined with the marvelous use of cattle by-products in real world settings, it’s easy to see why cattle are such a valuable livestock species.
So tell me, did any of these products surprise you? Which one made your jaw drop!
Until next time<
~ Buzzard ~
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