Meat Producer

All Meat Producer Content

Producing Safe Food Means On-Farm Antimicrobial Stewardship

Antibiotic stewardship and residue prevention programs can help establish trusting relationships with end users by ensuring safe, wholesome meat or dairy products on your farm.

Several portions of ground beef being inspected at a meat processing facility.

Ground Beef Basics

Fact sheet on navigating regulations and misconceptions of ground beef.

Goldilocks and Bison Carcass Size Considerations

Many are familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the three bears, where Goldilocks tries to find a bed that's not too hard, nor too soft, but “just right.” Learn how this same concept can help producers find a carcass size that's "just right" for bison processing.

Producer presenting frozen lamb meat products in a deep freezer.

Direct Marketing Lamb: Selling Direct to Consumer

The growing interest in food chain transparency has fostered the growth of direct marketing meat to consumers. Learn some of the challenges and opportunities this style of marketing offers lamb producers.

Man negotiating lamb purchase with female producer.

Direct Marketing Lamb: Selling to the Ethnic Market

The ethnic market plays a big role in the lamb industry. Learn some keys to success for taking advantage of seasonal demand and price fluctuations in this growing market, including when and where to sell.

South Dakota Master Pork Producer winners announced

February 24, 2023

The 2022 South Dakota Master Pork Producer winners were announced Jan. 11 during the 54th annual South Dakota Pork Congress in Sioux Falls.

Left: Black cow with the appropriate amount of fat cover, or finish for market. Right: Red steer that needs more time on feed.

Raising Freezer Beef: When Is the Animal Finished?

Many producers have had their own beef processed for years, and some may have been selling animals to their neighbors on occasion. It's another matter entirely when the objective is satisfying customer expectations, especially if finishing cattle hasn't been a normal part of your operation.

Several red angus cattle feeding at a feed bunk.

Raising Freezer Beef: Management Considerations

A trend that has become more prominent in recent years is for ranchers to finish a few animals and sell beef direct to the consumer. Proper feeding and management is key to capturing extra value and in meeting customer expectations.

Black angus cattle eating a corn feed ration from a small feeding bunk.

Raising Freezer Beef: How To Feed Grain-Finished Beef

A trend that has become more prominent in recent years is for ranchers to finish a few animals and sell beef directly to the consumer. This article will address a few options for hand-feeding a small group of cattle to finish.