Nose to Tail: Honoring the Whole Animal
- Grace
- Dec 12, 2025
- 4 min read
More Than Steaks and Burgers
When most people think about beef, they picture steaks sizzling on the grill, burgers at a summer barbecue, or maybe a Sunday roast in the oven.
Out here at Big Horn Mountain Farms, we see a whole lot more.
Every animal we raise represents time, care, and resources: pasture, feed, water, fencing, local processing, and daily hands-on work. Whole-animal farming is our way of honoring that investment. It means using as much of each animal as we can—from hide to marrow—so very little goes to waste. This “nose-to-tail” mindset is a more sustainable approach to meat, and it’s quietly making a comeback among small ranches and butchers.
Below is a closer look at how different parts of a cow live on long after they leave the pasture.
Hides → Leather That Works as Hard as We Do
A cow’s hide is one of nature’s toughest materials. Once tanned, it becomes leather—strong, durable, and ready for everyday use. Most of the world’s leather is made from hides that are byproducts of the meat industry, meaning those hides would otherwise be thrown away.
On and beyond the ranch, leather from cattle hides can become:
Work gloves and belts that hold up to long days in all kinds of weather
Saddles, reins, and tack that connect us to the horses and traditions we rely on
Boots, bags, and heirloom pieces that can be used, repaired, and passed down
When a hide is turned into a functional, long-lasting item instead of ending up in a landfill, that animal’s life continues to serve a purpose for years to come.
Tallow → Candles, Soap, and Old-Fashioned Utility
Tallow is rendered beef fat—what you get when you slowly melt and strain fat from around the kidneys and other areas. For generations, families used tallow because it was practical and close at hand.
Today, tallow can still be used to make:
Long-burning candles
Old-fashioned bar soaps and laundry soap
Moisturizing balms and salves (for those who like traditional skincare)
Homestead projects like fire starters or even small-scale fuel
Modern homesteaders and makers have rediscovered tallow for candle-making and soap-making, where its slow burn and firm texture shine.
Instead of throwing leftover fat away, rendering it into tallow keeps more of the animal in use and reduces waste.
Bones & Horns → Broth, Tools, Art, and Soil Health
Bones and horns might look like “scraps” at first glance, but they’re incredibly valuable.
Bone Broth & Kitchen Uses
Beef bones simmered low and slow with water, herbs, and a splash of vinegar become rich bone broth. Many nutrition sources note that bone broth typically offers more protein per cup than standard broth or stock, along with small amounts of minerals that support overall health.
Bone broth can be:
Sipped on its own
Used as a base for soups and stews
Cooked down into sauces and gravies
Tools, Buttons, and Handcrafted Goods
Historically, people used every part of the animal they could—bones and horns were shaped into:
Buttons, toggles, and buckles
Handles for knives or tools
Simple artwork, beads, or decorative pieces
Some makers still use these traditional materials today, turning what might be waste into something beautiful and useful.
Back to the Land
Bones can also be:
Crushed into bone meal fertilizer
Composted alongside other organic materials
In this form, they help feed the soil and, eventually, the next generation of plants and pasture.
Manure → Natural Fertilizer for Future Pastures
Manure is one of the most important “byproducts” on any ranch.
Cattle manure is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—key building blocks for healthy plants. Agricultural research shows that manure helps increase soil organic matter and supports long-term soil fertility when managed well.
On pasture, manure can:
Recycle nutrients back into the soil
Feed soil microbes that help break down plant material
Support thicker, greener forage for future grazing
Instead of treating manure as a problem, whole-animal and whole-farm thinking treats it as a resource—an important link in the cycle that keeps our grasslands productive and our animals well-fed.
Why Whole-Animal Farming Matters to You
You might never see the tallow candles or the leather gloves made from a particular animal, but as a customer, your choices still matter.
When you buy from a ranch that practices whole-animal farming, you’re helping to:
Reduce waste. More of each animal is used with intention instead of discarded.
Honor the animal. The life of that cow is respected beyond just the prime steaks.
Support healthier land. Manure and byproducts feed soil and future pasture instead of being treated as trash.
Strengthen local communities. You’re backing small ranches, local processors, and craftspeople who use these materials thoughtfully.
It’s a quieter kind of sustainability—less about buzzwords and more about everyday choices on the ranch and at your table.
How This Shows Up at Big Horn Mountain Farms
At Big Horn Mountain Farms, our focus is pretty simple:
Raise cattle on Wyoming pasture with supplemental non-GMO feed as needed
Work with local processors
Make sure as much of each animal as possible finds a purpose
The steaks and roasts might be what you see in your freezer, but behind the scenes, there’s a bigger story being lived out in leather gloves, homemade soaps, garden soil, bone broth, and more.
When you reserve a whole, half, or quarter beef:
You’re helping us use the entire animal, not just the most popular cuts.
You’re part of a system that values respect—for the animal, the land, and the people eating the food.
Bringing It Back Home
At the end of the day, whole-animal farming is about gratitude and responsibility.
Gratitude for:
The animal that nourishes families and friends
The land that grows the grass
The community that supports small ranches
Responsibility to:
Waste less
Use what we have
Keep our soils, pastures, and local food system healthy for the next generation
If you’ve ever wondered what happens beyond the steak on your plate—we hope this pulled back the curtain just a little.
Ready to Go a Little Deeper Than “Just Steaks”?
If you’d like to:
👉 Interested in a nose-to-tail order or a special leather project?
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