Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
By Carie Moore
May is National Beef Month and Beef Burger Day is May 28th! It’s quite a coincidence that it falls during a time when beef is hard to find in your local grocery store. Many farm sales are happening more than ever and giving producers a direct market to consumers. This is allowing for an exchange of information directly to the consumers about how their beef is grown and who it is grown by. It is making a connection that many didn’t have before.
Like many jobs, there are a lot of things you can specialize in within your field or career. Same with ranching. Some people raise cow-calf pairs, some have feed lots and finish cattle out for market, some are breeders, and some deal mainly in the care of animals. Care of the animals can focus on their feed, their environment and natural resources, and some deal with the health and vaccination protocols used on farms and ranches.
No matter what path a person chooses when it comes to livestock, handling and care is of the utmost priority. Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programs are in place to provide those in the cattle industry with guidance and certification to be diligent in their animals' well-being.
You can find so much information about any question you may have by visiting the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association websites. Once you learn about the work involved in raising cattle you understand why ranchers care so much for their animals.
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/raising-beef
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/resources/infographic-library
Did you know that a cow has a four-chambered stomach? That is why they are always chewing their cud and regurgitating their food. The gas they emit by fermentation is very little compared to what cars and other transportation methods put into the environment. Cattle upcycle, which means they take from the environment and in turn give back. Manure is used to help fertilize pastures, which provides lush grasses and forbs for the cattle to eat.
A great resource for kids and parents is an interactive game called "The Steaks Are High" where you can be your own cattle rancher while learning math skills. There are also a number of other great games designed to help you learn while you play. Check it out at: http://www.myamericanfarm.org/classroom/games/.
Other great beef-related resources include:
https://www.agfoundation.org/files/BeefeReaderFLIP/mobile/index.html#p=1
http://www.agintheclassroom.org/TeacherResources/AgMags/BeefAgMag.pdf
If you are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on your beef supply, here are some great answers you might be in search of https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/newsroom/covid-19-faqs
Social media is using various outlets to share information to consumers and producers so they can connect and help each other out during this time of food instability. Please look into buying local and helping a family out and let them share their story with you! You might be surprised to find out what the media tells you isn’t always true!