Transitioning to grass-fed

[pnw-farmer]

Our program does this in 20-22 months. All grass no grain. Clean white fat and tender enough to cut with a spoon. A lot is determined by the genetics of the animal. The rest is determined by how you finish the animal.

What kind of grass are you finishing them on?

 

[Ebenezer]

Buddy... you are out of line and have been. Get a clue.

And he cannot spell "whine"! Folks are not asking for a scientific conclusion only. They want to know if it translated to better health, longer life and if they will be able to "run faster and jump higher" to steal an old sneaker sales phrase. Arrogance is always ugly.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

First - both reports I posted claimed GF was LOWER in FAT. That's a given. No argument.
In the summary you posted it reads:
Grass-fed also showed a more favorable SFA lipid profile containing less cholesterol-raising fatty acids (C12:0 to C16:0) but contained a lesser amount of cholesterol-lowering C18:0 than grain-fed beef.
OK ----- has LESS cholesterol-raising fatty acids BUT ----- has LESS cholesterol-lowering. Hmmmm
And the reports I posted discussed the Omega 3's, etc - but it still did not make it healthier.

OK FOLKS - is this a game changer????? That proved nothing to me.
As I originally said, read the two reports I posted. The Michigan report is one that this fancy worded one refers to, but somehow makes it sound a lot different. Mumbo Jumbo
Snake Oil - you name it.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Picked this steer up yesterday for our freezer. I saved the prettiest one for us. Check that marbling.

 

[Wall Murray Greys]

What kind of grass are you finishing them on?

From what I have learned and studied, the key is a heathy green grass with a little legumes.
For me, that ends up being Bermuda, bluestem, hay grazer in the summer months. In the winter, they have oats, wheat, and native grasses to our area. As for legumes, I put out a few different varieties and it ends up being whatever comes up. Most the time it's a pea variety. Wish clover would grow here but I haven't had much success.

I have found the better shape I keep the pasture in, the better the meat turns out.
This is my experience and I understand everyone's is a bit different. Hopefully that helps.

 

[Wall Murray Greys]

And he cannot spell "whine"! Folks are not asking for a scientific conclusion only. They want to know if it translated to better health, longer life and if they will be able to "run faster and jump higher" to steal an old sneaker sales phrase. Arrogance is always ugly.

I enjoyed your question, "will this allow me to run faster and jump higher".

I have found that you can find anything on the internet to prove or dis-prove anything you want.

I can honestly say that converting to grass-fed beef has been a good thing for me personally. The only "lifestyle" change I made was eating grass-fed vs grain-fed. I still eat beef everyday and I don't exercise anymore or any less. Before the change, Doctor said my "numbers" were high. Blood pressure, cholesterol, ect. After making the change, and about 6 months, went back and numbers were "good" or in the "normal" range. Doctor stopped giving me a hard time about eating beef.

I can't say this works for everyone, but it did for me. The data that I found claimed that if you take the same cut of meat from a grass-fed vs a grain-fed animal, that the calories, saturated fat, cholesterol are all about a 1/3 less. I can't confirm or deny their study, just letting you know that I read it.

Maybe it was the change in the beef I eat, maybe not, but thought I could share with y'all.

Thanks

 

[Silver]

I like a good steak where I find it. I find our beef which is always harvested in the winter with little to no grain to be quite nice with nice white fat. I've had some from neighbours that was summer harvested that had very yellow fat and was strong tasting for my liking (all in what you're used to?).
Barley finished beef seems like it is always good with nice white fat. I have had corn fed and it was okay. Fat looks off putting to me but flavour was okay.
I personally don't care which type is considered healthier by the "experts", I put lots of food in my system that I have no idea what all the ingredients are. I think a steak however it's finished is better for me than any processed or ultra processed food on the shelf.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I don't think there is much difference between the method of feeding beef. Some people do a great job finishing beef. Some don't.
I have a customer that has not been able to eat beef for years. Made her sick. She still loved it, so occasionally would steal a bite from hubby. Hubby started buying beef from me. She stole a little. Stole a little more. Never got sick. Obviously, it was something in the processing of the store bought meat.
She is totally enjoying her own steaks now.
Everybody is different. We all like different things. And that is a good thing.
My own experience with grass fed beef was my own animal. Fat cull cow. Butcher said steaks look great. Wrong. We hate the TASTE. Good and tender. I guess, the older the animal, the stronger the taste. Not my liking.

 

[CowboyRam]

I think there is a place for both. I have a cousin that said beef does not sit well with her gut, but deer meat does not bother her. I told to her it is probably the corn that most beef in the grocery store is finished with, because she has trouble with corn as well. In northwest Colorado there is no corn raised so the deer don't eat it. Here a month ago she stayed with us for a couple days, and she didn't have any problem with my barley finish beef. From what I have seen I don't think there really is that much deference, and in the end it is not going to make hill of beans which is ate. We are all going to six feet under at some point; might as well enjoy it while you can.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Funny you would make that comparison. This gal I was talking about - COULD eat venison that her husband killed. So, "for her", corn wasn't the issue. But, I am sure there are people that would/could be affected by whatever product the animal ate.

 

[snakegap1]

I think there is a place for both. I have a cousin that said beef does not sit well with her gut, but deer meat does not bother her. I told to her it is probably the corn that most beef in the grocery store is finished with, because she has trouble with corn as well. In northwest Colorado there is no corn raised so the deer don't eat it. Here a month ago she stayed with us for a couple days, and she didn't have any problem with my barley finish beef. From what I have seen I don't think there really is that much deference, and in the end it is not going to make hill of beans which is ate. We are all going to six feet under at some point; might as well enjoy it while you can.

Might be GMO corn that bothers her. There is a farmer near me that raises conventical hybrid corn and I am trying to secure a couple of tons to feed out a steer. I have gone the grass fed route; not many people have the forage quality to adequately finish an animal. Plus I prefer the corn fed taste.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

@snakegap1 I agree with preferring the corn fed taste.
I don't agree with the GMO - but that's just me. GMO has SAVED us lots of chemicals going onto a field and also lots of fuel to put those chemicals on the fields.

 

[Travlr]

I enjoyed your question, "will this allow me to run faster and jump higher".

I have found that you can find anything on the internet to prove or dis-prove anything you want.

I can honestly say that converting to grass-fed beef has been a good thing for me personally. The only "lifestyle" change I made was eating grass-fed vs grain-fed. I still eat beef everyday and I don't exercise anymore or any less. Before the change, Doctor said my "numbers" were high. Blood pressure, cholesterol, ect. After making the change, and about 6 months, went back and numbers were "good" or in the "normal" range. Doctor stopped giving me a hard time about eating beef.

I can't say this works for everyone, but it did for me. The data that I found claimed that if you take the same cut of meat from a grass-fed vs a grain-fed animal, that the calories, saturated fat, cholesterol are all about a 1/3 less. I can't confirm or deny their study, just letting you know that I read it.

Maybe it was the change in the beef I eat, maybe not, but thought I could share with y'all.

Thanks

There was a lot of hype back in the eighties with people testing bulls for the amount of cholesterol they had... and breeding specifically for low cholesterol animals, but I haven't heard of anyone doing it for years now. Makes me wonder if the cholesterol content was found to be feed related rather than genetics.

I never jumped on that band wagon because it sounded hokey to me at the time, and in fact I've had a hard time believing cholesterol as portrayed by the medical community is a problem to begin with.