11:15 a.m.
Dr. Dan Hale, Extension meats specialist, gave an interactive video tour of both a feedyard and packing facility. More than 250 attended the Basic Ranch Management session.
A show of hands throughout the room indicated many had never visited either type of facility.
Steak from the Outback
Outback Steakhouse buys 80 percent of its beef from Cargill and another 20 percent from Tyson. All cuts are done at the plant and shipped in a box.
Implants
Ever wondered why implants are placed in a steer's ear? Hale explained the implants are placed in the ear since they are so close to a number of glands. Also, retention is higher when placed in the ear. The hormones in the implant help produce proteins, rather than fat. Hale said using implants is another method to add value to a calf.
After viewing Hale's session this morning, he said he hoped the participants now see themselves as "producers of food" rather than producers of calves.
-BLAIR FANNIN
b-fannin@tamu.edu
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