Understanding what consumers value and look for when purchasing meat can help livestock producers increase their profit potential and become more competitive in the cattle industry.
“The average livestock producer rarely follows the animals through harvest to the finished product,” said John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension and a member of the OSU Extension Beef Team.
“Understanding how prime, choice and select cuts are determined and what goes into establishing value can help producers make more informed choices in their day-to-day management on their farm operations,” Grimes said.
To help bridge the knowledge gap, beef experts with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences are offering a two-part Beef 509 series Feb. 20 and 27, designed to help producers take advantage of increasing consumer demand for high-quality beef products as well as position themselves for continued long-term success, he said.
“This workshop can offer producers a view beyond the farm gate to the consumer’s plate,” he said. “This very hands-on class lets producers see the other side of the business by evaluating actual carcass differences, understand how these differences translate to economic value, and to learn how their farm management decisions can impact their financial bottom line.”
The two-session program will include a wide range of topics focusing on many of the steps that take place after harvest that create value for the consumer, Grimes said.
“This workshop series is designed to provide producers with the information they need to keep them competitive and help them make their operations more profitable for the long term,” he said.
OSU Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center researchers and educators will teach the workshops. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college. The program is also sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council.
Each workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The program will take place at Ohio State’s Animal Sciences Building, 2029 Fyffe Road, Columbus.
Topics to be discussed include:
- Beef Harvesting Procedures and Innovations
- Carcass Aging
- Grid Pricing
- Beef Industry Update
- Taste Panel and Shear Force Evaluation
- Genetic and Environmental Carcass Merit Factors
- Beef Carcass Grading and Fabrication
- Live, Carcass and Boxed-Beef Valuations
Source: osu.edu