Everything But the Moo , Oink , and Baaa
When we think of animal agriculture , we often think of cattle , pigs , and sheep being raised for food . But animals are used for more than meat , and they play a huge role in our everyday lives , even when we have no clue .
Animals provide different chemicals , compounds and materials that can be used to make everyday items . These items are called byproducts . A byproduct is something produced in the process of making the main product . For instance , about 99 percent of an animal can be used for meat and more . Now that is ensuring nothing goes to waste ! Here are seven sometimes surprising ways animals contribute to our lives .
1 . Clothing - One of the most visible uses is in our clothes and shoes . Animals give us leather , wool , and other fabrics to wear . They also show up in our upholstery and other home décor .
2 . Cosmetics and Beauty Products - Animals play a big role in many of our daily beauty regimens . Collagen , lanolin , keratin , and hyaluronic acid all come from animals . These components can help smooth and strengthen our skin , hair , and nails .
3 . Sports Equipment - You ’ ve probably heard the term “ pigskin ” for a football . The nickname traces back to the late 1800s , when certain animal
Sources : KansasFarmFoodConnection . org and FarmCreditOfVirginias . com
parts were used to make balls . However , today footballs are made from rubber or leather , which are also used in other sporting equipment like baseball gloves .
4 . Jelly and Gummy Candy - These are just a couple of examples of things we eat that use gelatin , which comes from animals . Gelatin is known for its jelly-like consistency . Gelatin is made from collagen and can also be used for medicinal purposes to make capsule casings for pills .
5 . Medicine - Chemicals produced by animals can be used in our medications . Animals also provide materials to help make valves for grafts , including for human hearts , and to treat burns !
6 . Adhesives - Collagen has adhesive properties and is often used to make glue for woodworking and even sandpaper ( where the coarse and smooth papers must be tightly bonded ). Another animal byproduct - casein - is a milk protein often used to make cheese , but it can also be used in glue , paint , and materials to repair our teeth .
7 . Plastic - Stearic acid is used in a variety of products , including plastic . Stearic acid has a waxy texture and is treated for use in PVC products as well as plastic bags . ( Tallow , which is used in candles and cosmetics , contains stearic acid .)
True or False ?
Do the products listed below come from animal agriculture ? Write true next to the products you think come from cattle , pigs , or sheep and false next to the ones that you don ' t think come from these animals .
_______________ 1 . Heart valves _______________ 2 . Paints _______________ 3 . Chewing gum _______________ 4 . Paper _______________ 5 . Cosmetics _______________ 6 . Wood fence boards _______________ 7 . Salt _______________ 8 . Deodorant _______________ 9 . Instrument strings _______________ 10 . Fertilizer _______________ 11 . Plastics _______________ 12 . Rubber _______________ 13 . Footballs _______________ 14 . Bacon _______________ 15 . Carrots _______________ 16 . Yarn _______________ 17 . Baseballs _______________ 18 . Lamb chops _______________ 19 . Concrete _______________ 20 . Artists ' brushes _______________ 21 . Pork chops _______________ 22 . Drum heads www . GrowingYourFuture . com - 7