Overview of Pasture to Plate Program DARRH BULLOCK UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Purpose Educate farmers on all post-weaning phases of cattle production ◦Receiving/Starting ◦Finishing ◦Carcass ◦Consumer

Purpose Educate FCS agents, chefs, butchers, industry leaders and consumers ◦Basic beef production ◦Basic feedlot management ◦Carcass characteristics ◦Healthfulness

Procedures Purchase weaned feeder calves from varying backgrounds; various breeds include examples of dairy Feed in confinement from approximately 700 pounds to 1300 pounds

Procedures Still photo and video will be collected on all cattle at all stages of finishing and processing Cattle will be weighed and ultrasound data collected at all stages of finishing

Procedures Slaughter cattle at same time point – this will likely result in some cattle being optimally finish, some being over finished and others being under finished Process example carcasses into total bone, muscle and fat separation

Procedures All carcasses will be graded to determine their USDA Yield and Quality grades Sample steak will be collected from each carcass for sensory taste panel evaluation

Educational Program Educational classes will be held at the onset, midpoint and finish of the feeding period. Instruction on feeding, evaluation, general management and marketing will be covered at each session

Educational Program Educational classes will be help post- slaughter on carcass evaluation, carcass valuation, consumer preferences and trends and health facts on beef consumption

Target Audience ANR, Youth and FCS Agent In-service Beef Producers ◦Conventional ◦Retained Ownership ◦Local Market Consumers – Chefs, Butchers, Industry

Take Home Messages - Understand proper feeding techniques and management to finish cattle - Understand basics of feeder and finished cattle evaluation - Understand basics of carcass evaluation - Understand consumer preferences - Beef part of a healthy diet

Logistics Locations: ◦Eden Shale ◦Princeton ◦Morgan County Must Register Grouped based on interest

Cooperating Entities University of Kentucky Ag Development Board Kentucky Beef Network Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association Kentucky Beef Council Kentucky Department of Agriculture USDA Forage Animal Production Research Unit

Questions? Darrh Bullock University of Kentucky