EXPLORING THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

Interest Approach  Ask the students to name all of the things they eat or use that come from the beef, swine, or sheep industry. Also ask them to consider how the products that they use get to them in the form that they want. Use this discussion to lead into the lesson.

Student Learning Objectives. Instruction in this lesson should result in students achieving the following objectives:  1 Understand the beef industry and the numerous products that come from the beef animal.  2 Understand the swine industry and the numerous products that come from swine.  3 Understand the sheep industry and the numerous products that come from sheep.

Terms. The following terms are presented in this lesson (shown in bold italics):  Cow-calf operation  Feeder pig producer  Feedlot operation  Iron  Lamb  Marbling  Market hog producer  Mutton  Pork  Protein  Purebred operation  Zinc

OBJECTIVE 1: Understand the beef industry and the numerous products that come from the beef animal.  Anticipated Problem: What is the beef industry and what products do beef animals produce?  I. The beef industry includes the different types of operations used to raise cattle and the different products and by-products made from the cattle.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  A. There are three types of beef cattle operations—purebred operations, cow- calf operations, and feedlot operations.  1. A purebred operation raises cattle of a single, pure breed. This type of operation produces purebred bulls to be used in cow-calf operations and animals to be sold to other purebred cattle farms. Breeders of the purebred animals are responsible for many of the genetic improvements in the beef cattle industry.  2. A cow-calf operation is responsible for producing the calves that will enter the feedlots. These operations are located in areas with plenty of grass to allow cows to graze. Calves are usually born in the spring, stay with their mother through the summer, and are weaned, or taken away from the mother, in the fall.  3. The owner of a feedlot operation buys calves from the cow-calf operation and feeds them until they put on enough weight to be harvested. Most feedlot operations are located in the Midwest because of the ready supply of grains, like corn, for feed.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  B. Beef cattle are raised to produce high quality meat cuts called beef.  1. When a 1,000 pound animal is harvested it will yield on average a 600 pound carcass. This carcass will be cut into approximately 465 pounds of retail cuts, which are cuts of meat that are sold in grocery stores. One quarter of the carcass will be steaks, another quarter will be roasts. A remaining quarter will be ground beef or stew meat. The last quarter will be fat and bones.  2. The fat located in the meat, or muscle, is called marbling and gives the meat flavor and tenderness. Beef is a good source of the important nutrients zinc, iron, and protein. These nutrients keep the body strong and are important in the growth of young children. Protein builds, maintains, and repairs body tissues. Iron helps red blood cells carry oxygen to body cells and tissues. Zinc is a necessary mineral for growth and reproduction and for maintaining the integrity of the body’s immune system.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  C. Many other products are by-products of the beef industry. By-products are made from some part of the beef animal.  1. Medicines—The systems of the human body and those of cattle are very similar. That means our bodies are able to use a number of medicines that come from cattle to keep us healthy.  a. Blood factors are used for treating hemophilia, killing viruses, and making antirejection drugs.  b. Chymotrypsin promotes healing of burns and wounds.  c. Collagen is used in plastic surgery and to make non-stick bandages.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  d. Cortisol is used as anti-inflammatory.  e. Glucagon treats hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.  f. Heparin is used as an anticoagulant to treat blood clots.  g. Insulin is used for treating diabetes or high blood sugar.  h. Pancreatin aids in digestion of food.  i. Thrombin is used as a coagulant to help blood clot.  j. Vasopressin controls intestinal and renal functions.  k. Vitamin B-12 prevents B-complex deficiencies.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  2. Food—Gelatin comes from the connective tissue of cattle and is used to make many of the foods we often eat.  a. Candies  b. Dairy products  c. Desserts  d. Diet products  e. Jellies

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  a. Candles  b. Ceramics  c. Cosmetics  d. Crayons  e. Deodorants  f. Detergent  g. Floor wax  h. Insecticides  i. Insulation  j. Linoleum  k. Mouthwash  l. Paint  m. Paper  n. Perfume  o. Plastic  p. Soap  q. Shaving cream  r. Textiles  s. Synthetic rubber  t. Toothpaste 3. Household Products—Many of the items in our homes are made from fats and proteins in beef cattle.

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  4. Textiles and apparel—Cowhide is used to make leather, which gives us many of the items we wear or use.  a. Clothing  b. Shoes  c. Boots  d. Belts  e. Purses  f. Wallets  g. Gloves  h. Luggage  i. Automobile/furniture upholstery

OBJECTIVE 1 continued  5. Transportation—Traveling would be much more difficult without beef by-products, like fats and proteins.  a. Antifreeze contains glycerol derived from beef fat.  b. Asphalt contains a binding agent from beef fat.  c. Beef fats and proteins are used to make auto and jet lubricant, outboard engine oil, high-performance grease, and brake fluid.  d. Glue from beef protein is used in automobile bodies.  e. Tires have stearic acid, which makes rubber hold its shape.

MAJOR EXTERNAL PARTS OF A STEER

LOCATION OF MAJOR BEEF CUTS

OBJECTIVE 2: Understand the swine industry and the numerous products that come from swine.  Anticipated Problem: What is the swine industry and what types of products do swine produce?  II. The swine industry includes the different types of operations used to raise hogs and the different products and by-products produced from hogs.

OBJECTIVE 2 continued  A. There are two basic types of swine operations—feeder pig producers and market hog producers.  1. Feeder pig producers maintain a large number of sows that give birth to two litters of piglets each year. In most cases, a crossbred sow is bred to a purebred boar to produce offspring with good qualities from each parent. The feeder pigs are then sold to the market hog producers when they are about five to eight weeks old.  2. The market hog producer feeds the young pigs until they reach a market weight of 220 to 240 pounds. This process usually only takes about six months. When the pigs reach their market weight, they are sold to a processing plant to be harvested.

OBJECTIVE 2 continued  B. The swine industry has made great strides in the past twenty years to produce a very lean and trim hog compared to those in the past. The U.S. swine industry brings in over $10 billion dollars in sales each year. The United States is the third largest swine producer in the world.

OBJECTIVE 2 continued  C. The meat obtained from a pig is called pork. Examples of pork are ham, sausage, bacon, pork chops, ribs, and tenderloins.  1. When a 215-pound hog is harvested, it will usually result in a 150 pound carcass once all of the unusable portions are removed. The highest priced wholesale cut per pound on a pig is the loin, followed by the ham, then the boston butt, or the shoulder, and finally the picnic, or the area surrounding the front leg.  2. The average American eats 46 pounds of pork each year. This makes pork the second most consumed red meat.

OBJECTIVE 2 continued  1. Glass  2. Fertilizer  3. Glue  4. Buttons  5. Paint brushes  6. Gloves  7. Insulation  8. China  9. Pet food  10. Linoleum  11. Chalk  12. Cement  13. Cosmetics  14. Plastic  15. Rubber  16. Crayons  17. Matches  18. Antifreeze  19. Floor wax  20. Herbicide D. There are many by-products that come from hogs.

MAJOR EXTERNAL PARTS OF A HOG

LOCATION OF MAJOR PORK CUTS

OBJECTIVE 3: Understand the sheep industry and the numerous products that come from sheep.  Anticipated Problem: What is the sheep industry and what products does it provide?  III. The sheep industry includes the different types of operations used to raise sheep and the different products and by-products produced from sheep.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  A. Sheep are produced and used for many purposes.  1. Sheep have an impressive history. As far back as 10,000 years ago, primitive man in the Mesopotamian Plain used sheep for three basic human needs: food, clothing, and shelter. Thousands of years later, sheep are still providing humans with the “basic three.” However, they also make possible dozens of other products.  a. From hide and wool: lanolin, drum heads, insulation, rug pads, asphalt binder, paint and plaster binder, tennis balls, felt, carpet.  b. From fats and fatty acids: paints, ceramics, medicines, dish soap, biodegradable detergents, antifreeze, candles, shaving cream, protein hair shampoo and conditioner.  c. From the bones, horns, and hooves: syringes, bone china, wallpaper and wallpaper paste, photographic film.  d. From manure: fertilizer.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  2. When you add up the value of items such as wool suits in clothing stores, lamb chops in restaurants, lamb roasts in grocery stores, and the many other products produced from sheep, the U.S. sheep industry contributes over $1 billion each year to the American economy.  3. Compared to citizens in other countries, Americans eat more lamb than mutton. Lamb is the meat from a sheep that is less than one year old. Mutton is the meat from a sheep that is one year old and older. Because Americans favor lamb over mutton, the United States typically sends sheep over one year of age to Mexico, which has a strong mutton market.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  4. Sheep are earth-friendly animals, no matter where they graze. In many areas of the country, sheep are used to graze leftover stalks and seeds after crops have been harvested. Sheep also help control weeds in ditch banks, roadsides, and pastures. They have even been used to graze heavily weeded areas to reduce the amount of flammable materials that could catch fire! The wool from sheep can be made into mats that are used to soak up oil spills both on land and water.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  B. Sheep are raised in every state of the Union, from tiny islands off the coast of Maine to the Alaska Peninsula.  1. Those who raise sheep are as diverse as the regions they call home.  2. The term sheep producer is used to define any person raising sheep, regardless of the number of sheep he or she raises. Some producers have farm flocks of 50 to 200 animals. Other producers have large range operations of 1,000 to 5,000 sheep with shepherds who live with the sheep and dogs that guard the sheep from predators and help move them to new grass and water.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  C. U.S. sheep producers raise many breeds and crossbreeds of sheep. Almost every breed provides two products—meat and wool. The exception is hair sheep that do not produce wool. Some breeds of sheep are genetically geared toward producing higher quality meat or wool. For instance, meat breeds are geared to producing just that—meat—while wool production is stressed in wool breeds, be they fine-wool breeds or long-wool breeds. There are also sheep that are called “dual purpose breeds” because wool and meat production are equally emphasized.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  1. Fine-wool sheep produce fine-textured wool with an average staple length of 4 inches. (Staple length is the length of a single fiber.)  a. Fine wools are generally softer and are often used to make expensive garments like suits and evening gowns.  b. Find-wool breeds raised in the United States are the Merino and Rambouillet.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  2. Medium-wool sheep are often dual-purpose sheep, used for both meat and wool.  a. Medium wools are typically used in blankets, sweaters, and socks.  b. Medium-wool breeds include the Columbia, Corriedale, and Dorset. Mediumwool sheep tend to be the white-faced breeds.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  3. Long-wool sheep are usually larger than other breeds and produce long wool with a staple length of 6 to 8 inches.  a. Long-wool breeds include the Lincoln, Romney, and Cotswold.  b. The fleece from long-wool sheep is often used in carpets.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  4. Crossbred-wool sheep are crosses between two different breeds and, therefore, have the traits of both breeds.  a. Fleece from crossbred-wool sheep is typically referred to as commercial wool in the sheep industry.  b. Most crossbred-wool sheep are dual purpose.

OBJECTIVE 3 continued  5. Hair sheep are generally used for their meat.  a. Hair sheep breeds include the Katahdin, Dorper, St. Croix, and Texels.  b. These sheep are prized for their excellent mothering abilities.  c. The good muscle quality of most hair sheep makes them an outstanding meat breed.  6. Coarse-wool sheep, such as the Suffolk and Hampshire, are often blamed for the scratchy feel of wool.

MAJOR EXTERNAL PARTS OF A SHEEP

MAJOR WHOLESALE AND RETAIL LAMB CUTS

REVIEW  1. What is the beef industry and what products do beef animals produce?  2. What is the swine industry and what types of products do swine produce?  3. What is the sheep industry and what products does it provide?