The Colorado Livestock Association recently participated in the fourth annual 4th grade agricultural fair, known as Food 4-Ever hosted by the Windsor School District and the Windsor High School Future Farmers of America. CLA was asked by Andy Klatt, a physical education teacher from Weld RE-4 School District who organized the fair, to help teach the students and community about livestock production through a lesson or hands-on experience.
Nearly 500 students from the Windsor-Severance Re-4 School District, rotated through different presentations given by industry groups and agribusinesses covering everything from setting irrigation tubes, livestock nutrition, composting, honeybees, plant breeding and grain production.
For as long as animals have been used as a food by humans, their by-products have been just as important. Cattle, sheep and pigs provide numerous by-products that we use daily. Parts of the animal, other than meat and milk, are used in the manufacturing process for many industrial, household and health products.
CLA staff member Kellee Mitchell taught the students by asking them to identify whether everyday household items like shampoo, band-aids, crayons and glue are made with by-products from cattle, sheep and pigs. The students were surprised to learn about all of the things, that we use daily, that are made using by-products from livestock. Everything, but the ‘moo,’ the ‘baa’ and the ‘oink.’
