Agricultural News
The Great Story About Beef - Feeding More People A High Quality Diet
Fri, 20 Mar 2020 09:13:17 CDT
On today's Beef Buzz, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays talks with Dr. Tyron Wickersham, associate professor of animal nutrition at Texas A & M University, about "upcycling protein" by feeding cattle.
Through research in partnership with Cactus Feeders, based in the Texas Panhandle but with operations in six states, Dr. Wickersham focused on the ability of cattle to take low quality forage and biomass (that humans cannot utilize) and convert it to high quality protein. This process does not compete with humans for sources of edible protein.
Wickersham said the basic concept of "upcycling protein" is taking low quality protein, which doesn't do a good job of meeting our human needs for essential amino acids and adding value to it by feeding to cattle.
Using the example of feeding 7-800 pounds of corn to cattle versus feeding that same amount to humans, Wickersham said that amount could feed three toddlers. However, if cycled through cattle, that same amount feeds 17 toddlers. Toddlers have the highest need for essential amino acids due to their rapid growth cycle.
This is an excellent story the cattle industry needs to tell, Wickersham said.
At the end of the day, the message should be we're adding high quality, human edible protein and feeding more people a high-quality diet.
This illustrates the whole cattle production chain, from the cow/calf producer to the feedlot, is efficient and sustainable, Wickersham said.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear the complete interview with Tyron Wickersham as he talks with Ron Hays.
The Beef buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
