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