Kentucky Farms Feed Me - Visit a Beef Cow Farm
About
Kylie visits with the Guinn Family of Danville, Ky., who raise beef cattle on their farm. She learns what it takes to care for them, why beef cattle are important, and where they will go once they leave the farm. This video was produced by the Emmy Award-winning Kentucky Farm Bureau Studios.
MAIN IDEAS
Kentucky farmers raise more beef cattle than any other state east of the Mississippi River.
Beef calves can be born in the spring or the fall. Farmers manage their herds this way so beef is available all year.
Beef cattle have inherited traits that allow them to produce more meat than cattle used to produce milk (dairy cattle).
Beef cattle feed on plant foods to grow and provide food for humans.
Beef cattle provide natural, renewable resources used in many nonfood items.
Watch
Be sure to look at the beef cattle’s environment, structures, and behaviors.
Critical Thinking
Why do you think there are more beef cattle farms in Kentucky than any other type of farm?
Background Information
Settlers first brought cattle to Kentucky in 1775, with aid from famed explorer Daniel Boone. Since that time, cattle farming has played an important role in Kentucky’s agricultural economy. In fact, Kentucky farmers raise more beef cattle than any other state east of the Mississippi River! Our abundant grasses and forage make Kentucky an ideal place to raise beef cattle. With the cattle industry recently reaching the billion dollar mark, it’s a good time to learn more about this significant industry.
Life Cycle
Cattle are typically born and raised with plenty of room to roam on farms. An adult cow can give birth to one calf each year. This usually occurs in the spring or the fall. For the first few months, calves drink their mother’s milk and graze on pasture. At around 7-8 months old, a baby weans from its mother. By this time, it weighs between 500 - 600 pounds! All cattle will spend most of their lives on a pasture, where they graze for food. At around 12-16 months old the animal is fully grown and the farmer begins the process of finishing the animal.
Most cattle are finished in feed yards. In a feed yard, cattle have constant access to water, room to move around, and other cattle to socialize with. They eat a carefully balanced, nutritious diet of grains and forages for 120-180 days. When cattle reach harvesting weight of about 1200-1400 pounds, they move to humane processing facilities. After processing, staff break down the carcass into large sections such as chuck, round, rib, and loin. These larger cuts become the steaks, roasts, and ground beef you are used to eating at home.
Did You Know?
Cattle have so much more to offer than just beef. By-products from processing are used in hundreds of food and non-food items. For example:
Cattle organs and glands are used in the production of medicine, insulation, antifreeze, cosmetics, shampoos/conditioners, and instrument strings
Photo film, vitamin capsules, charcoal, piano keys, and glass are all derived from bones and horns of cattle.
Inedible beef fat provides us with airplane lubricants, hydraulic brake fluid, biodiesel, and can be used in perfumes and medicines
Many foods use the products of beef cattle including marshmallows, ice cream, chewing gum, and gummy candies.
Hides from cattle are tanned into leather to become shoes, purses, and wallets
2011 Field Trip - Kentucky kids Jaycie and Cade show us around their beef cattle farm in Pleasureville, Ky. Kentucky has the largest number of beef cattle east of the Mississippi River due to the high quality grasses and forages that grow here. Most all Kentucky beef cattle spend the majority of their lives on pasture.
Companion Activities
