We 3D Printed our Beef Cuts Last Night
People who are not in the meat producing industries often wonder about the different meat cuts found in animals. I was fortunate to learn about the various beef cuts during Veterinary School at the illustrious Tuskegee Veterinary Institute, but also during my basic training for the Army Veterinary Corps. We Vets started our basic training with all the new medical specialty soldiers, including both human and animal medicine but once we broke into our individual specialties the Veterinary officers found that our classes were being held in a meat cooler. That’s right, during the Army Veterinary Corps basic training we donned freezer coats and hats to learn about these very important cuts of meat.
I have had Pre-Vet students ask for the reasons why some cuts are more of a delicacy than others. What we learned about in Veterinary school are the differences between so-called red and white meat.
The level of myoglobin in meat is what ultimately dictates whether it will be “red,” “dark,” or “white.” The muscles in red meat are used for standing, walking, and other frequent activity, and they’re made up of slow-twitch muscle fibers. Red meats’ high levels of myoglobin make it red or dark in color.
White meat, on the other hand, is made up of fast-twitch muscle fibers and is comprised of muscles used for quick bursts of activity only. They get energy from glycogen and contain little myoglobin. This is why birds can fly for long periods of time. Their wing and breast muscle, which we see as white are working those slow twitch muscles and don’t fatigue easily.
At VetsIn3d, Dr. Croom created this 3D printed Beef Cuts display for use with 4-H groups, Pre-Vet Clubs, and perhaps even the USDA as a training tool for their inspectors, but of course they can also be useful for the everyday purchase of meat to become familiar with the location of the cut you are going to purchase.
I hope you enjoy this 3D Print, and that you’ll come visit us at VetsIn3D.com
Doc Croom
