MANCHESTER, Iowa — On Saturday, May 18th Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Delaware County partnered with the Edgewood Locker to provide an educational experience about meat quality and production for our local 4-H and FFA members. Twelve youth, along with a few of their parents, attended the workshop.
4-H and FFA members learned about beef and swine nutrition, meat quality, different cuts of meat, and more. Denise Schwab, ISU Extension and Outreach Beef Specialist, presented many interesting facts about beef production and the effects on the overall quality of the processed meat. Ken Kehrli and Swine Superintendent Al Monaghan provided the education on swine production.
Members got to view hanging beef and swine carcasses in the locker. They learned how to measure the ribeye area, back fat, and KPH (kidney, Pelvic, Heart fat) on a carcass to help determine the yield grade. Most of the youth had never had this experience before and were very eager to learn.
Edgewood Locker owners, Baili Maurer and Payson Kerns, gave the 4-H and FFA members an inside tour of their facility. Youth learned the steps for processing meat and the day to day functions of a meat locker. Youth were amazed at the in-depth process it takes to produce high quality meats for consumers to enjoy.
Thank you to everyone who made this workshop possible. It was a very educational experience for our youth and parents who attended. 4-H and FFA members left with a better understanding of the importance of good production practices as it relates to the quality of meat of their projects.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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