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
-A Kansas Farm Mom
