Can all parts of a cow be safely eaten?

Not anymore. With the recent uptick in BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy), more commonly known as "mad cow disease", certain tissues related to the spinal cord and nervous system are now off-limits for human consumption. read more

Eating some parts could pose a physical hazard; consumption of bones and horns for example could potentially harm your intestines. Nervous system tissue has the potential to transmit BSE (mad cow disease), but animals with this disease are now very rare. Some parts would be disgusting and would probably make you vomit. read more

Poor-quality cuts and meat scraps are often combined with fat trimmings to create jerky, burger and sausages. Milk is the best recognized by-product of cattle. The majority of a cow's organs are safe to eat, including liver, heart, kidneys, brains, tripe, pancreas, tongue and testicles. read more