99% -- minus the moo!

Lipstick, Jell-O, dog food, piano keys, dish soap, and for those of you old enough to remember, film.  What do all of these have in common? These are just a few of the products that we use everyday that come from the byproducts of beef. Let me preface this with products that are made from byproducts are safe and pose not direct threat to your health or overall well being (unless you eat the entire bag of marshmallows by yourself on your next camp-out, then that's your fault!)

Myth: The only part of the animal we use, is the meat.
Fact: We use 99% of the animal. In addition to the meat - the hide, the hooves, and even the bones get used.

Lets start with the hide. Leather purses, shoes, wallets, office chairs, and car seats are all made from the hide. In fact, from 1 cow hide you can get
12 basketballs or
144 baseballs or
20 footballs or
18 volleyballs or
18 soccer balls or
12 baseball gloves.

Where do marshmallows come into the picture you ask? Marshmallows are made from the gelatin that comes from the connective tissues. Other familiar products made with gelatin include gum, fruit snacks, gummy bears and Jell-O!

Ever hear that glue was made from hooves, well I am here to confirm that suspicion The hooves of cattle and horses are key ingredients in glue. But what might surprise you, is that the sticky part (the one that hurts so bad to rip off) of a band-aid is also made from the fatty acids which can be turned into adhesives! The power of fatty acids doesn't stop there, they can be found in toilet paper and soap *GASP* to optimize softness!

With all this by-product talk, lets not forget about the most obvious and common byproducts...FOOD! Juicy steaks and hot dogs, milk and cheese, even yogurt! 

Stearic acid (a fatty acid): is a popular ingredient in tires, lipstick, and lotion. (Animal byproducts are not used in all cosmetics, as some people have allergies)

While not near as popular in the United States as other places around the world, we can't leave out the nutritional benefits from some of the other byproducts: 

Livers: high in vitamin A, iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamins C and D, copper, and fatty acids.

Hearts: contain large amounts of iron, and are a good source of selenium, zinc, phosphorous, niacin, and riboflavin, but are very low in sodium. 

Brains: rich in niacin, phosphorus, B12 and vitamin C

Tripe: abundant protein and B12

Sweetbreads: high in vitamin C

Kidneys: high in protein and contain riboflavin and niacin.

Tongues: good source of B12, but low in sodium

(USDA, Where's the (Not) Meat? Byproducts from Beef and Pork Production.) 

I snagged this picture from Facts About Beef blog.

As we discovered, there is more to a beef cow that just a hamburger! Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns! Have a great day!

Just the Facts - Beef Byproducts. http://ardc.unl.edu/JTF-BEEFBYPRODUCTS.pdf
Marti, Daniel. Rachel Johnson. Kenneth Mathews, Jr. Where's the (Not) Meat Byrpoducts from Beef and Pork Production. Nov. 2011.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/147867/ldpm20901.pdf