RESOURCES
Meat Supply Chain tools and suggested readings.
MEAT SUPPLY CHAINS
Meat Supply Chain tools and suggested readings.
CSU research and extension works to advance market opportunities, build connections, and support collective skills development and learning across many segments and scales of Colorado and the Western U.S.’s meat supply chain.
Animal Nutrition
Beef Nutrient Requirement Tables, 2018:
https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP391.pdf
https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP391.pdf
Sheep Nutrient Requirements:
http://www.sheep101.info/201/nutritionreq.html
National Research Council Requirements for Sheep:
https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/f/6685/files/2015/09/NRC-Sheep-1985-1m52js8.pdf
Nutrient Requirements for Sheep and Goats:
https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/livestock/nutrient-requirements-of-sheep-and-goats/
Nutritional Requirements for Pigs:
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-pigs/nutritional-requirements-of-pigs
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-pigs/nutritional-requirements-of-pigs#v4641986
Comprehensive Guide to Feeding Pigs- Table 17 shows AA content of feeds:
http://porkgateway.org/resource/national-swine-nutrition-guide-tables-on-nutrient-recommendations-ingredient-composition-and-use-rates/
Feed Composition Tables for Cattle, Sheep and Goats:
https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/agriculture/feed-composition-for-cattle-and-sheep-1-615/
Breeds of Livestock- Oklahoma State University:
http://afs.okstate.edu/breeds/
BIOSECURITY
Healthy Farms Healthy Agriculture: for training and source of current information on how to make biosecurity a routine on the farm and anywhere livestock animals are raised.
https://www.healthyagriculture.org/
https://www.healthyagriculture.org/
Animal Disease Information USDA APHIS:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information
Animal Disease Traceability:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/traceability
Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University, Information on bovine diseases and biosecurity:
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/traceability
Colorado Secure Beef Supply Plan:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Cow-Calf-Emergency-Disease-Response-Plan.pdf
Colorado Dept of Ag: Animal Health Division:
https://www.colorado.gov/aganimals
Reportable Diseases in Colorado:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/aganimals/livestock-health
Production/Finishing Animals for Meat
American GrazingLands Services Bookstore:
https://www.americangrazinglands.com/collections/books-more
https://www.americangrazinglands.com/collections/books-more
OnPasture:
https://onpasture.com/
Animal Feeding and Nutrition, 11th Edition:
https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Feeding-Nutrition-JURGENS-MARSHALL/dp/0757591132
The Art and Science of Grazing: How Grass Farmers Can Create Sustainable Systems for Healthy Animals and Farm Ecosystems by Sarah Flack. Chelsea Green Publishing. 2016.
https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-art-and-science-of-grazing/
Happy Pigs Taste Better: A Complete Guide to Organic and Humane Pasture-Based Pork Production by Alice Percy. Chelsea Green Publishing. 2019.
https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/happy-pigs-taste-better/
Selecting Cattle for Finishing on Grass by Dr. Allen Williams. Article in Graze, 3/1/2014.
http://www.grazeonline.com/selectingcattlegrassfinishing
Scaling Grassfed Beef by Dr. Allen Williams. Article in HMI, 4/13/2018
https://holisticmanagement.org/featured-blog-posts/scaling-grassfed-beef-by-allen-williams/
Live Ultrasound for Assessing Beef Carcass Quality videos by Dr. Allen Williams at the 2018 Grassfed Exchange Conference.
https://pasturemap.com/live-animal-ultrasound-explained/
Determining Market Readiness of Beef Cattle (Cornell Cooperative Extension) video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrF5aCEAI-0
The Biggest Pitfalls to Producing Grassfed Lamb by Janet McNally. Article in Graze, 10/1/2015.
https://www.grazeonline.com/pitfallsgrassfedlamb
Livestock Handling & Slaughter
Temple Grandin’s Guide to Working with Farm Animals: Safe, Humane Livestock Handling Practices for the Small Farm. Storey Publishing. 2017.
https://www.storey.com/books/temple-grandins-guide-working-farm-animals/
https://www.storey.com/books/temple-grandins-guide-working-farm-animals/
Livestock Transportation Best Practices video from Penn State Extension:
https://youtu.be/sG8B6zT3ZEE
Importance of sending clean cattle to slaughter video from AHDB Beef & Lamb, UK:
https://youtu.be/61_gN7U0Fe8
Meat Processing & Fabrication
NMPAN Beginner’s Guide to Local Meat Processing
https://www.nichemeatprocessing.org/beginners-guide-to-local-meat-processing
https://www.nichemeatprocessing.org/beginners-guide-to-local-meat-processing
Four short and easy-to-read fact sheets — free to download — cover:
Beef & Pork Whole Animal Buying Guide, Iowa State University. 2009
This full-color, coil-bound consumer-oriented guide explains buying pork and beef as whole animals (or portions thereof). Includes marketing terms and information on storage and handling, meat inspection and meat weight, and common retail pork and beef cuts. Sturdy, coated card stock meant for regular use. Also downloadable as a pdf.
https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Beef-and-Pork-Whole-Animal-Buying-Guide
Meat Weights & Pricing Terms, from Cornell University Meat Suite project
http://meatsuite.com/page/weights-and-pricing
Butchering Beef: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering, by Adam Danforth. 2014. Storey Publishing.
https://www.storey.com/books/butchering-beef/
Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering, by Adam Danforth. 2014. Storey Publishing.
https://www.storey.com/books/butchering-poultry-rabbit-lamb-goat-and-pork/
Beef Carcass Evaluation video (Cornell Cooperative Extension)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-I8LJL9uCU
Beef Retail Fabrication video (University of Kentucky)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PBGvoEFE74
Pork Retail Fabrication video (University Of Kentucky)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sVVqx8vvA0
Regulations
Explaining the 4 Types of Meat Inspection– federal, state, retail exempt, and custom exempt.
http://www.nichemeatprocessing.org/meat-inspection
http://www.nichemeatprocessing.org/meat-inspection
Resource Guide to Direct Marketing Livestock and Poultry. Cornell University Small Farms Program (in process of being updated, this version is from 2011).
https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/resource-guide-to-direct-marketing-livestock-and-poultry/
Marketing & Pricing
Meat Suite– a project of Cornell University to help consumers find freezer meat in New York. A good model for connecting consumers to farmers.
http://meatsuite.com/
http://meatsuite.com/
Cornell Meat Price & Yield Calculator, a project of Cornell Cooperative Extension. This tool helps you set meat prices for each marketing channel in which you sell, to ensure you reach your PROFIT goals.
http://calculator.meatsuite.com/
Websites/Sales Platforms for selling meat online (not an endorsement of either company, just options to look at)
Other Publications/Online Journals related to niche meat production and marketing
Stockman GrassFarmer
Acres USA
On Pasture
Graze
Drovers Cattle Network
High Plains Journal
APPPA Grit
A growing number of our members are interested in accessing niche markets. Colorado State University’s work on meat supply chains helps to bridge gaps between producers, processors, and markets.
MARTHA SULLINS
Extension Regional Specialist, Agriculture and Business Management
Extension Regional Specialist, Agriculture and Business Management
