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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Cattle are used For What?!


I have a great guest blog for all of you this week written by my 9 year old son.  He gave this speech for a 4-H competition this spring and said that it would be OK if I used it for my blog.  Our entire family (all 3 generations on both sides) loves to teach people about agriculture.  As we researched this talk, I even learned a thing or two about where the rest of a cow is used in our society other than beef.  Do you think you use something with beef in it everyday?  Read on and find out.  Leave me a comment so I can share it with the guest writer as well.  He will love it!

Did you know that a market steer can weigh 1200 pounds?  We get 600 pounds of steaks, roasts, and hamburger from that steer, but where does the rest go?

Today I will show you where the other 600 pounds goes and teach you about Beef by-products.

Let’s start with the hide like my table cloth. 



The hide can be used for basketballs, footballs, baseballs, saddles, bridles, cowboy boots-Wow that’s a lot of outdoor activities!  Some apparel like coats, wallets, purses, hats and belts can even be made out of leather.  



We all know that beef comes from a steer, but did you know there are other foods that contain beef?  These foods are ice cream, gelatin, yogurt, chewing gum, marshmallows, margarine, candy and jelly.  



I really hate to get a steak with fat on it, but fat is a valuable part of the steer.  I bet all of you used beef fat this morning.  Let’s go to the bathroom: makeup, deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, soaps, toothpaste and mouth wash all have beef by-products in them.  Even your toothbrush can be made from cattle.

All around your house you can find beef by-products.  They are important in everyone’s life.  Maybe you have some of these things in your house:  candles, crayons, detergents, fabric softeners, floor wax, glue, paint, plastics, wall board and linoleum.

Beef gets us places! You see beef on the road every day in the following places:  asphalt, rubber tires, fabric on your seat covers, car polishes and waxes, hydraulic brake fluid, and antifreeze.

Now let’s see if you remember what the other 600 pounds of a steer is used for.


Almost every one of us used a product made from cattle this morning-at least that is correct if you don’t have bad breath.


You might have eaten beef and you didn’t even know it.  Foods that contain gelatin are often a by product of beef.  Some of my favorites are ice cream, marshmallows and some chocolates.

Mooving on.  Cattle help get to get us places.  Not a cow pulling a car, but Beef by products are found in many parts of a car and the road.

Cattle don't play sports, but leather is used to make a lot of different sporting equipment.  

Your house doesn't look like a cow but you may have beef by products all over your house.  

So now you see why beef is so important and you know that over 99% of a steer is used.
Are there any questions? 

Didn’t he do a great job?  He presented this to the entire third grade at his school and didn’t even get nervous!  If you would like to know more about beef by-products, check out this link or this one.  I am sure there are some things on the list that will shock even the most seasoned rancher.

We are frantically getting ready for the first 4-H fair of the season.  Most of the projects are finished and the livestock are ready to go.  Leave me a comment if you would like to see some of the kids projects from the fair.  You can leave me a comment here or on my Facebook Page.  4-H is way more than cows, sheep and pigs these days- you might be amazed!

Have a great week everyone!  

-A Kansas Farm Mom

7 comments:

  1. Awesome speech!!! He did such a great job!

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    1. Thanks Leah! The boys love reminding me where beef is found in other foods. They really like to try to convince me that marshmallows are a main dish. :) Have a great day and I will let him know that you liked it!

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  2. We are getting 4-H projects finished for judging next week too. I live in Ohio. My son took wood working and made an elephant toy box. He also took Reptiles and amphibians. He takes nubian goats to the fair as well as mini rex rabbits. Our fair does not happen until the 3rd week of September. So we have a bit until we need to have the animals ready!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! My son has been in the geology project for several years and this year he took up lapidary. We have been tumbling rocks in my mudroom for months, but he did make me a beautiful jewelry set out of some of the agates. I sure wish our fair was in September. It is really hot here now. I think it is harder on the kids than the animals though. My sons will be showing lambs and a Limousin heifer tonight for one of the early community fairs.

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  3. Thanks for reposting this one!! I totally missed it in July! I was an 11 year 4-H member and owe a lot to the organization. Love that my older two are taking up the reins and getting involved in this wonderful organization too. The your little one he did a great job!! It is totally amazing what we can use animal by-products for. Has he researched other animals too? Pigs and sheep can be found in interesting places too.

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    1. Thanks for checking it out. My youngest is starting 4-H this year and he is so excited! If his brother gets stumped on the next line, he helps him out. LOL I love the public speaking and confidence that kids in 4-H gain more than anything else in the program. We have worked on some of the crops, but not too much on other species. Maybe you and I should work on some blog posts about those though. ;) Have a great day!

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    2. We should!!! Lots of interesting things out there from all species. Beutiful here today! Can't beat this wonderful weather.

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