ANSC: Lecture Notes-Sept. 8: By-Products of Meat Animals

Wool and fine-wool breeds

Wool used for high-dollar garments; modern fiber handling yields premium quality fabrics.
Wool properties: wicks moisture (cool or warm garments as needed), keeps feet dry (for socks) in outdoor use.
Fine-wool breeds to know: Merino; Rambouillet.
Exam prep: expect short-answer questions; memorize Merino and Rambouillet.

Meat is generally the breakeven portion of production; profits come from byproducts.
Byproducts include: bones, blood, hair, feathers, internal organs, tallow, and more.
Some byproducts are used in research (e.g., ovaries for reproductive studies).
Byproducts support overall profitability and feed into various markets.

Variety meats add significant value; they are often lower-cost items in the U.S. and some are exported.
If all byproducts were discarded, meat prices would be higher.
Edible byproducts example values from hides:
- 144 baseballs per cowhide
- 20 footballs
- 18 volleyballs
- 12 basketballs
Hides: most are exported to Brazil or processed elsewhere; domestically produced hides exist but are fewer.
Edible byproducts also include regional specialties (liver mush, liver pudding in NC, cat fries aka mountain oysters).

Hydrolyzed feather meal: protein content around 92\%.
Feathers are a keratin-rich, high-methionine source: \text{methionine} is an essential amino acid and often the first limiting amino acid in pigs and cattle.
Why it matters: feeding feather meal helps balance amino acids in livestock diets.

Blood meal is high in protein and iron; historically explored for human and animal food uses.
Blood and other plasma/byproducts contribute valuable nutrients to animal feeds and certain non-food uses.

Tallow example: 60.6 pounds of edible tallow per every 1{,}100-lb steer.
Fats provide concentrated calories; energy density: fat contains about 2.25 times as much energy as carbohydrates or protein.
Not all fat is fed directly; some byproducts are repurposed into feeds or non-food products.

Most hides are sent overseas (e.g., to Brazil) for processing; some hides are used domestically.
Hides contribute to non-food products (leather goods) and other industrial uses.

Blood meal and other blood derivatives provide protein and iron for animal feeds and some human food research.
Fat and tallow are used across animal diets and consumer products (e.g., soaps, cosmetics) due to their energy content and functional properties.

Ranch brands and hot-iron brands help track animals and deter theft; branding can damage hide but serves safety and traceability purposes.

Temple Grandin: prominent thinker on animal behavior and welfare; contributed to redesigning handling in packing plants and confinement settings.
Core idea they emphasize: "Death for a purpose gives meaning to life"—use animals for valued purposes rather than wasteful slaughter.
In the classroom, this frames discussions on humane handling, plant design, and ethical considerations in meat production.

A factory farm is a form of intensive animal production; concerns exist about animal welfare in some settings.
Properly managed modern facilities can provide better care and health management than older systems, supporting productivity and welfare.
If concerns arise, proactive, humane actions are required to stop mistreatment.

Byproducts are the economic backbone of animal production; many everyday products come from non-meat parts.
Fine wool comes from Merino and Rambouillet breeds; wool properties matter for performance in clothing.
Nutritional byproducts (feather meal, blood meal, bone meal, tallow, fat) support livestock diets and global markets.
Ethical handling (Temple Grandin’s work) and branding provide traceability and welfare improvements across the industry.