Beef Choices PDF

Beef producers offer a variety of beef choices to meet the changing lifestyles and nutritional needs of consumers. While each offers something different, they all share three common values: taste, nutrition and safety.

Grain-fed Beef – The most widely produced and tends to be less expensive. The cattle spend most of their lives eating grass in a pasture before moving to a feedlot where they are fed a high-energy, grain diet.
Grass-finished Beef – The cattle are raised on grass pastures their entire lives. Producing in large volumes is difficult in North America where few regions have the growing season to make it possible.
Certified Organic Beef – The cattle must be fed 100% organic feed and must be certified through the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing System. In addition, these cattle can not be given hormones to promote growth or antibiotics. If antibiotics are needed they are not withheld but the animal must be permanently removed from the program.
Natural/Branded Beef – By definition, most beef is natural. According to the USDA “natural” may be used on a beef label if the beef does not contain artificial flavoring, coloring, chemical preservatives or any other artificial or synthetic ingredient. Producers raising cattle for beef marketed with a “natural” label may follow different production practices in order to brand their beef.

 

Beef Cuts - Where They Come From PDF

Forequarter • Chuck - Chuck Eye Roast, Boneless - Top Blade Steak, Boneless - Arm Pot Roast - Shoulder Pot Roast, Boneless - Mock Tender Roast - Blade Roast - Under Blade Pot Roast - 7-Bone Pot Roast - Short Ribs - Flanken-Style Ribs - Cross Rib Pot Roast • Brisket - Whole Brisket - Brisket, Point Half, Corned - Brisket, Flat Half • Shank* - Shank Cross Cut

Hindquarter • Rib - Rib Roast, Large End - Rib Roast, Small End - Rib Steak, Small End - Rib Eye Steak - Rib Eye Roast - Back Ribs • Short Loin* Top Loin Steak - Boneless - T-Bone Steak - Porterhouse Steak - Tenderloin Roast/Steak • Sirloin* - Top Sirloin Steak - Sirloin Steak - Tenderloin Roast/Steak - Beef Tri-Tip • Round* - Round Steak - Top Round Roast - Top Round Steak - Bottom Round Roast - Tip Roast Cap Off - Eye Round Roast - Tip Steak - Boneless Rump Roast • Flank* - Flank Steak - Flank Steak Rolls • Plate* - Skirt Steak

* Beef primals that feature cuts lowest in fat.

 

Meat Handling Basics PDF

Although America’s food supply is one of the safest in the world, millions of Americans suffer from some type of food-borne illness each year. Farmers and ranchers, manufacturers, supermarkets and restaurants follow strict rules and regulations to help insure safe and wholesome food for consumers. These procedures end, however, when food goes into your shopping cart.
Like all perishable foods, beef must be handled and stored properly to avoid spoilage and food-borne illnesses.

• Refrigerate or freeze beef immediately after bringing home. • Place in coldest part of refrigerator. Use most cuts within 3 days, ground meat within 2 days. • Defrost in refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. • Use separate cutting board for meat, or cut meat last to prevent cross-contamination. • Cook ground beef immediately after defrosting. Ground beef, beef for stir-fry, stew and kabobs are more perishable than whole muscle cuts (roasts and steaks). • Cook thoroughly to kill any bacteria (140 F or above). • Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within 2 hours after cooking (below 40F)

Safe Handling Instructions
This product was prepared from inspected and passes meat and/or poultry. Some food products may contain bacteria that could cause illness if the product is mishandled or cooked improperly. For your protection, follow these safe handling instructions:

• Keep raw meat refrigerated or frozen. • Thaw in refrigerator or microwave. • Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. • Wash working surfaces (including cutting board), utensils and hands after touching raw meat or poultry. • Cook thoroughly. • Keep hot foods hot. • Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard.

Stop Harmful Bacteria From Multiplying!
• Ground Meat (160F)
* Cook until centers are no longer pink and juices show no pink color.

• Whole Cuts like roasts* and steaks
- Medium Rare (145F)
- Medium (160F)
- Well Done (170F)
*Cook roast to 10F below the recommended internal temperature for doneness. The temperature will continue to rise about 10F during standing time. (Allow 15 minutes).

 

Beef Cattle Production Systems

Cow-calf- Ranchers produce the cattle for the stocker market or feedlot (commercial operations) or other breeding herds (purebred operations).
Feedlot – Raises calves until they weigh 900 to 1,400 pounds and market them to packer operations.
Stocker – Ranchers graze weaned calves until they weigh as much as 900 pounds, and then market them to the feedlots.

 

Cash Receipts PDF

Beef cattle production represents the largest single segment of agriculture.

United States Agriculture Cash Receipts (Top 5 Commodities)

Cattle and Calves Dairy Products    Corn   Broilers    Soybeans

$49.1 billion $23.4 billion $21.7 billion $18.9 billion $16.9 billion

                     
Texas Agriculture Cash Receipts (Top 5 Commodities)

Cattle and Calves  Cotton    Greenhouse/Nursery Broilers  Dairy Products

$7.4 billion $1.9 billion $1.5 billion $1.3 billion $947 million

             

Each year, over 5 million calves are born on over 130,000 cow-calf operations in Texas. PDF

The nearly 1 million beef cattle operations in the United States produce over 24 billion pounds of beef which generates about $80 billion in retail beef sales. PDF

Increased productivity is the main contributor to growth in U.S. agriculture. PDF
• Beef production per cow has increased from about 400 pounds in the mid-1960s to almost 600 pounds today.
• This means more business opportunities for the producers and cost saving for consumers.

 

Breeds PDF

Worldwide there are more than 250 breeds of cattle. Over 60 of these breeds are present in the United States. However, a relatively small number of breeds (less than 20) are utilized for commercial beef production. Some of those breeds are:

Angus - Imported from Scotland in 1873 Beefmaster – Developed early 1930s in U.S. (Brahman-Hereford-Shorthorn cross) Brahman – Imported from India in 1854 Charolais – Imported from France in 1936 Brangus – Developed 1932 in U.S. (Angus-Brahman cross) Hereford – Imported from England in 1817

 

Beef Cattle Terms PDF

Bovine – A ruminant mammal belonging to the genus Bos which includes cattle.
Bull – A male capable of reproduction.
Cow – Mature female that has produced a calf.
Calf – Young male or female less than one year of age.
Steer – Male that has been castrated before maturity, especially raised for beef.
Heifer – Young female over one year old that has not had a calf.

 

Addressing Misconceptions of Beef Production PDF

Myth: Beef production uses outrageous amounts of water, feed and land that should be used for something else.
Truth: It takes 2.6 pounds of grain and 435 gallons* of water to produce a pound of beef in the U.S. 85% of the nation’s grazing lands are not suitable for farming. Cattle eat forages that humans cannot consume and convert them into a nutrient-dense food.

*Considers all factors including direct consumption, irrigation of pastures and crops, and carcass processing.

 

Beef – From Pasture to Plate PDF

Birth – Cattle have a nine-month gestation period. While calves can be born year round, many ranchers plan calving for the spring of each year, especially in colder climates. This ensures that calves are strong enough to handle harsh winters. Calves remain with their mother for the first several months of life on farms or ranches.

Cow-Calf Operation – Most beef calves are born on cow-calf operations. These are farms and ranches like those you may see along highways and country roads. During this stage, cattle graze in herds on large pastures within sight of their mothers. 
Most cattle farms and ranches are family owned and operated and daily life revolves around caring for the animals, pastures, barns and fence-lines. For many producers, raising cattle is a family tradition passed down through generations.

Weaning – As calves reach six to 10 months of age, they are weaned from their mothers. Weaned male calves (steers) may graze until about one year old (yearlings) and then be sold to a cattle feeder or a stocker/backgrounder who will prepare the animal for the feedlot.

Livestock Auction Markets – Most cow-calf operators sell their weaned calves to the highest bidder at livestock auction markets, where calves are bought by cattle producers called stockers and backgrounders. There are approximately 815 fixed auction facilities throughout rural America, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Stockers and Backgrounding – As weanlings, cattle may be transferred from cow-calf operations to backgrounders or stockers. Like cow-calf operations, these are mostly family-owned ranches and farms where cattle graze on pasture or start receiving grain to supplement their diets. Once most cattle reach approximately 12-18 months of age, they are taken to a feedlot.

Arrival at the feedlot - When cattle arrive at a feedlot, they are carefully unloaded and led through a processing barn, where they are tagged for identification purposes, vaccinated and entered into the operation’s record-keeping system. Before being grouped into pens by age, the animals may receive a growth promotant.
Most growth promotants are administered in the form of a small pellet placed under the skin behind an animal’s ear. It releases tiny amounts of hormone and safely dissolves as the treatment is completed. Most growth promotants contain naturally occurring hormones like estrogen. Growth promoting hormones help cattle build more muscle – producing a leaner beef product for consumers. Growth promoting products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after rigorous scientific tests, similar to those required for human medications. Their use in cattle production has been declared safe by scientific organizations worldwide.

Life at the Feedlot – Feedlots look different than cow-calf and backgrounding operations because cattle do not graze on pasture. Rather, they typically are separated into herds of 100 animals and live in pens that allow about 125 to 250 square feet of room per animal. Cattle usually spend four to six months in a feedlot, during which they are fed a scientifically formulated ration averaging 70 percent to 90 percent grain, and have constant access to water.
Environmental factors such as water quality, air quality and land utilization are monitored and managed in feedlots daily. Operators are not only responsible for constantly monitoring the health and well-being of cattle, but also for protecting the environment. In fact, most large feedlots have environmental engineers on staff or on contract to ensure the operation is in compliance with the strict Environmental Protection Agency regulations that govern concentrated animal feeding operations.

Animal Care at the Feedlot – Cattle can become ill at the feedlot because of changes in weather and geographic location, and mingling with other cattle that come from a variety of operations. For this reason, feedlot veterinarians may take preventive measures and give cattle vitamin supplements, vaccinations and parasite treatments to maintain their health. Similar to other stages of production, sick cattle may be given antibiotics and moved into a separate hospital pen away from their herd mates for treatment. This prevents the spread of illness and allows feedlot operators to closely monitor the animal’s health.

Transportation – Once cattle have reached 18 to 20 months old or weigh between 1,100 and 1,250 pounds, they are typically considered “finished” and are transported to packing plants to be harvested and processed. Precautions during transportation minimize stress and injury to the animals. Cattle are carefully loaded and unloaded into trailers that are specially designed to avoid injury and strain.

Arriving at the Packing Plant – When cattle arrive at packing plants, they are moved inside in a quiet and orderly manner. There is little excess movement or unnecessary noise so cattle are not unduly stressed. Packing plant technicians then use a mechanical stunning device to quickly and affectively render animals unconscious.
The slaughter process has evolved over the years based on scientific research to ensure both humane animal treatment and the production of safe food. The Humane Slaughter Act (passed in 1958 and updated in 1978 and 2002) dictates strict animal handling and slaughtering standards for packing plants. These facilities are under continuous federal inspection, with Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) personnel present in plants to ensure compliance with all regulations.

Safety Inspection/Federal Regulations – There are a number of interventions in place that decrease and attempt to eliminate potential food safety concerns at packing plants. Because this is the last stage before beef is packaged, plants use multiple interventions to ensure that products are safe.
USDA inspectors oversee the slaughter practices, food safety interventions and carcass grading that take place at packing plants. To grade carcasses, inspectors evaluate characteristics including marbling (distribution of internal flecks of fat, contributing to tenderness and taste) and the age of the animal.

Fabrication – When beef leaves the packing plant, it is in the form of large sections, either primals, like the chuck, round rib and loin, or sub primals which are smaller cuts of meat such as the bottom round, top round, eye round and round tip. Some plants sale sub primals to meat processing facilities where workers skillfully break them down into individual steaks and roasts that are sent to supermarkets and restaurants.

Supermarkets and Restaurants – Retailers and foodservice operators sell beef products in supermarkets and restaurants, where steps are taken to ensure the final safety and quality of the products. Ultimately, consumers dictate the actions of the beef production chain, from pasture to plate, by determining what kinds of beef they will buy and at what price.
Beef producers read demand signals from the meat case and customers throughout the production chain. For instance, beef cattle are now much leaner than just a decade ago as a result of the consumer demand for products with less fat. Consequently, there are now 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean, such as the tenderloin, sirloin and 95% lean ground beef.
America’s beef producers are proud to offer a variety of beef choices to meet the changing lifestyles and nutritional needs of consumers. Beef producers have adapted practices to provide consumers with the grain-fed, grass-finished, certified organic or natural beef they desire. While each kind of beef offers specific value to consumers, all beef is nutritious and safe.

The hide from one beef animal can be made into: PDF
• 20 footballs or
• 12 basketballs or
• 18 soccerballs or
• 12 baseball gloves or
• 18 volleyballs or
• 144 baseballs

The medical world relies on beef by-products for many life saving or life improving medications and treatments such as: PDF
• Chrymotrypsin – promotes healing of burns and wounds.
• Collagen is used in plastic surgery and to make non-stick bandages.
• Heparin is an anticoagulant used to treat and prevent blood clots.
• Pancreatin aids in the digestion of food.
• Vitamin B-12 aids in the prevention of B-Complex deficiencies.

Cowhide provides us with leather, which is used to make: PDF
Clothing, shoes, boots, belts, purses, wallets, gloves, luggage, furniture and automobile upholstery

Beef on the Road PDF
• Tires contain stearic acid, a by-product of animal fat that makes the rubber hold its shape under continuous surface friction. Even the asphalt on our roadways has a binding agent from fat.

• Other products we use to get down the road are:
- Upholstery, car polishes and wax, hydraulic brake fluid and antifreeze

• Beef byproducts allow 99% of every beef animal to be utilized! PDF

 

Beef Cattle Byproducts

Beef Cattle… Touching You Daily PDF
For as long as animals have been harvested as a food source, their by-products have been just as important.  Cattle provide us with many products – other than beef – which are used to create industrial, household, health and food products, many of which you consume or use everyday!

Food Items
Not only does beef cattle provide us with beef like delicious roast, steaks on the grill, or a tasty hamburger, there are also many other edible parts.
• Collagen-based
Sausage casing
• Blood
Protein extracts
Blood Sausage
• Gelatin
Ice Cream
Yogurt
Marshmallows
• Plasma Protein
Cake mixes
Pasta
Imitation Seafood
Deep-fry batters
• Fatty Acid Based
Oleo Margarine
Oleo Shortening
Chewing Gum

• Household Goods
Household items manufactured with inedible beef by-products are a daily part of life.  How many of these beef by-products do you use nearly everyday?