Farm History – Beef Production Part Two

Farm History quiz – Do you know what it takes to get
from cattle in the field to steaks on the grill?

If you don’t know, don’t worry, because you will find out here. In this farm history video we see
the complete beef cycle from cattle on farm to steaks on the barbecue grill. Since this is a two
part video you may want to start with Part One.

To add a bit of humor, here’s a comment I read last year: “I don’t know why they have to kill
animals when you can buy meat at the grocery store”. As you will see in these farm
history videos, producing food has been a passion and a profession for many people.

Our Family’s Beef Story

When my Grand Father would butcher a cow, he would divide the quarters with his 3 sons.
The quarters were rotated so if you got right front this time you would get left front next
time. I still remember going to the locker to bring home some meat to restock the refrigerator.

Beef Rings the Bell

Beef Rings the Bell is a promotional film about beef production, which features a butcher cutting
sides of beef, meat packaging, and an early 1960s backyard barbecue with burgers on the grill.

00:00 -03:16 ( all times are approximate )
Aerial view over the cattle feed lots, showing thousands of cows in
holding pens. View of mill processing plant used for making animal
feed and scientists working in laboratories.

03:17 – 08:13
Beef carcasses hanging in processing plant. Government inspector
examines each carcass & stamps them with “USDA” approved
or choice. Plant workers cut beef carcasses, put them
in refrigerated trucks for transport. Butcher cuts beef.
Great diagram of cuts made on hind quarter of beef:
the flank, the sirloin tip, the loin, & the round.
Cutting beef, narrator describes where each steak comes
from as the butcher points it out.

08:13 – 10:05
Factory worker wraps meat in plastic + styrofoam with
machine. Butcher weighing meat packages + pricing them.
Consumers choosing meat at supermarket from refrigerated
display case. View of advertisements for meat industry.
Nebraska license plate “The Beef State,” + bumper sticker reading
“Enjoy Beef Every Day.”

10:06 – 13:19
Backyard barbecues. Close up of hamburgers on the grill. Cook
serving hamburgers. Friends & family eating hamburgers outdoors.
Man cooking sirloins steaks on backyard grill. Man wears apron
“Genius at Work” & chef hat. Close up of steaks cooking on grill.
Credits (Union Pacific Railroad logo).

We hope you enjoy this look into the past.

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