What are Cattle Used for?

More than 57 million tons of beef are produced each year.But beef products aren’t the only thing ranchers and farmers use cattle for. They can be used for milk, footballs and other athletic equipment, foods like gelatin and gummy bears, medications and ointments, adhesives, toilet paper and even soaps. In fact, 99 percent of the cow is utilized. Here is a full breakdown of which part is used and what for.

Beef.

Obviously, when we think of cows, we think of steaks, ground beef, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. This is the most popular way to utilize cattle. Ranchers often raise cattle and then sell them at auctions to be slaughtered and processed.

Milk.

Dairy farmers across the country are the reason we have milk and other dairy products like butter, yogurt and cheese in our refrigerators and on our dinner tables.

Hide.

Leather is made from the cow’s hide and it makes a lot of other by products like footballs, basketballs, baseballs, soccer or baseball gloves and more. If you have a leather jacket or pants, you can thank a cow for that.

Medical products.

Synthetic insulin, antirejection medication given during transplants, and ointments can all be made from animal byproducts due to the similarities between humans and animals like cows and sheep.

Adhesive.

The glue on bandages can sometimes be from animal fatty acids.

Soaps and other household items.

Laundry soap and household cleaning items can contain animal enzymes or other beef byproducts. Even toilet paper contains fatty acids from animals that add to the softness. Dog food can also contain beef or beef byproducts.

Cattle and other ranch livestock are involved in many things we use every day and are very important to our daily operations. Prime ranchland is also in high demand, so if you’re looking to buy or sell, contact one of United Country Real Estate’s ranch experts today. Learn more at www.UnitedCountry.com.

Sources:
https://globalforestatlas.yale.edu/land-use/industrial-agriculture/cattle
https://beef2live.com/story-fun-facts-products-beef-cattle-0-104636