The Beef Industry

Beef Products What products can you think of? What products can you think of?

Beef Products Beef (Roast, Steak, Hamburger, etc.) Beef (Roast, Steak, Hamburger, etc.) Bi-products Bi-products bone china leather sporting goods luggage bone meal biscuits boots and shoes paint candles pet foods cosmetics photographic film crayons plastics deodorants shampoo/cream rinses detergents shaving cream doggie chews soaps fabric softeners textiles floor wax toothpaste glue upholstery insecticides violin strings

Types of BEEF Producers Seed Stock - Produce close to “perfect” animals, sell their semen or embryos. Seed Stock - Produce close to “perfect” animals, sell their semen or embryos. Elite Breeders/Pure Bred Breeder- Try to breed the “perfect” animal. They also show these animals to build a better reputation as a breeder. Elite Breeders/Pure Bred Breeder- Try to breed the “perfect” animal. They also show these animals to build a better reputation as a breeder.

Commercial Cow Calf Producer Means that they aren’t registered to a specific breed Means that they aren’t registered to a specific breed Often crossbred Often crossbred Breed cows annually Breed cows annually Keep heifer calves to breed Keep heifer calves to breed Castrate bull calves, raise as steers for meat Castrate bull calves, raise as steers for meat

KY is the largest cattle producer East of the Mississippi

Feedlots Cow calf producers ship loads of cattle to them. Cow calf producers ship loads of cattle to them. –Typical load is 40,000lbs. They feed and keep the animal’s health up for a very low price for the cow calf producer. They feed and keep the animal’s health up for a very low price for the cow calf producer. They each get part of the profit after the animal sells for slaughter. They each get part of the profit after the animal sells for slaughter.

Slaughterhouses or Packing Plants Large scale operations that, as humanely as possible slaughter animals on a large scale for human consumption. Large scale operations that, as humanely as possible slaughter animals on a large scale for human consumption.

Wholesaler Sell large portions of meat to companies for them to make their own products with. Sell large portions of meat to companies for them to make their own products with. Example  Packing Plants Sell to Kroger Example  Packing Plants Sell to Kroger

Retailer Sell meat to the public. Sell meat to the public.

Consumer That’s YOU! That’s YOU!

The Beef Industry INFO. The average person in this country consumes 48 lbs of beef a year The average person in this country consumes 48 lbs of beef a year Meat is among the most nutritionally complete foods that humans consume Meat is among the most nutritionally complete foods that humans consume The average beef herd size is 100 animals The average beef herd size is 100 animals Most slaughter animals are crossbreds Most slaughter animals are crossbreds When animals are slaughtered they are around months and weigh lbs When animals are slaughtered they are around months and weigh lbs

Kentucky BEEF Facts Kentucky is home to over 1.1 million beef cows and ranks 5th nationally in total number of farms Kentucky is home to over 1.1 million beef cows and ranks 5th nationally in total number of farms Kentucky’s Leading Beef Producing County’s Kentucky’s Leading Beef Producing County’s 1. Barren4. Madison 2. Pulaski5. Breckinridge 3. Warren

BEEF Facts THE United States Top Producing States THE United States Top Producing States1.Texas 2. Missouri 3. Oklahoma 4. Nebraska 5. South Dakota US BEEF INDUSTRY WAS WORTH $73 BILLION DOLLARS IN 2009

Discussion Questions From an agriculturalists mindset, how much do you think the average person knows about the beef industry? From an agriculturalists mindset, how much do you think the average person knows about the beef industry? When things like recalls take place, is it important to be educated? When things like recalls take place, is it important to be educated?