Renovated from 1998 to 2005, the Michigan State University Meat Laboratory offers teaching, research and extension opportunities in a state-of-the-art facility. This 67,000 square foot facility is located in Anthony Hall and is managed by the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. The Meat Laboratory meets academic needs of the University in addition to producing product for retail sales.
Mission Statement of the MSU Meat Laboratory: To provide opportunities for advancement of the meat industry through research and education
Goals
- To allow students to have hands on learning experiences and better prepare them for careers in the industry.
- To provide opportunities for the livestock producer, meat processsor, and consumer to gain knowledge and resources to improve their operations.
- To be a support system for research in agriculture and other related fields at MSU.
Functions of the MSU Meat Laboratory
Education
The Meat Lab provides carcasses and cuts for class instruction. Students are taught how to break down beef, pork, and lamb carcasses in addition to learning to make processed meat products. List of Courses Offered.
Research
The facility provides meat for research projects or harvests livestock to collect carcass data and samples for animal studies in areas such as nutrition and genetics.
Outreach/Extension
Meat Extension Specialists and Educators utilize the MSU Meat Laboratory to provide training for meat processors, livestock producers, consumers, and youth throughout the state.
Meat Judging
The Meat Lab provides carcasses and cuts for the Meat Judging Team. Students have the opportunity to learn how to Quality and Yield Grade carcasses based on USDA standards. They also learn how to evaluate cuts of meat to identify if they have been cut according to specifications. All of these skills are directly applicable to future careers in the meat industry. Read more about the Meat Judging Program and our Meat Judging Team here.
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