Sustainability and utilisation of the whole animal

"From nose to tail" is not just a clever slogan — it is part of the future of the butchery trade. The better you become at utilizing the whole animal, the less waste there is, and the better the industry utilizes the resource an animal really is.

§By-products — more than waste

Beyond the known cuts, a slaughter animal produces a number of edible by-products such as liver, heart, kidneys, tongue and diaphragm. These by-products typically account for around 4 percent of the slaughter weight and can either be sold directly as food or processed further into, for example, pâtés, soups and specialities. In addition, animal by-products are produced that are not intended for consumption and must therefore be handled according to special rules — they typically go to other uses such as feed, technical use or energy production.

• 01Edible by-products: liver, heart, kidneys, tongue, diaphragm – can be used directly or further processed.
• 02Animal by-products not intended for consumption are handled according to special hygiene and environmental rules.
• 03Cracklins and other byproducts can be utilized instead of ending up as waste.
• 04Better utilization of by-products reduces both waste and climate footprint per kilo of meat on the plate.

§Climate footprint and 'nose to tail'

Meat production impacts the climate, and part of the solution lies precisely in wasting less of what the animal has already provided. Calculations suggest that better utilisation of by-products and less food waste throughout the chain — from slaughterhouse to kitchen — can provide a significant reduction in emissions from livestock production. The "nose to tail" approach, where all parts of the animal are consciously used, is today practised both in restaurants and by butchers who brand themselves on responsibility.

§Your responsibility as a butcher

As a butcher you are closer to this challenge than most other links in the food chain. Every time you plan a cut a production or a day's work you make decisions that affect how much ends as waste. Good professionalism and good sustainability go hand in hand here: precise cutting correct storage and creative use of trim is both good craft and good economics.

§A sector in motion

Danish slaughterhouses actively pursue shorter supply chains, less waste, and better use of by-products as part of more responsible food production. For you as an aspiring slaughterer, this means sustainability is not a side track to your trade — it is becoming a core part of the professional pride in doing the job well.

“The best piece of meat is the one that never ends up as waste.”