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Grass fed beef in the southeast.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:28 am
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:28 am
Isn't the beef we purchase in the southeast predominantly grass fed simply because grass is an easy to grow food source? Do ranchers in the southeast feed their cows grain?
What is the difference between "pasture raised" and "grass fed"? It would seem that pasture raised and grass fed would be the same however when you look at the meats at the butcher the pasture raised looks like it has more fat content.
What is the difference between "pasture raised" and "grass fed"? It would seem that pasture raised and grass fed would be the same however when you look at the meats at the butcher the pasture raised looks like it has more fat content.
4
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:31 am to GumboPot
quote:
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASTURE RAISED AND GRASS FED?
True grass-fed systems keep the cattle on grass for the entire length of their lives, rotating the herd to different areas as they chew through their meals. Whereas Pasture-raised animals receive a significant portion of their nutrition from organically managed pasture and stored dried forages.
In comparison to 100% grass-fed cows, pasture-raised cows may receive supplemental organic grains, both during the grazing season and into winter months.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:37 am to AlxTgr
Cows eat grass. If piled into a commercial feedlot where there is no grass, they have to be fed and that feed can be a variety of things. This is what you are going to get at a store, unless otherwise marked.
A small farmer will have the cows graze on grass and will feed them hay when the grass is not growing. Typically, they will separate the animals they intend to eat and fatten them up with corn and maybe some soy pellets.
If true grass fed, the animal is only eating grass and hay.
A small farmer will have the cows graze on grass and will feed them hay when the grass is not growing. Typically, they will separate the animals they intend to eat and fatten them up with corn and maybe some soy pellets.
If true grass fed, the animal is only eating grass and hay.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 10:56 am to SpotCheckBilly
quote:
Cows eat grass. If piled into a commercial feedlot where there is no grass, they have to be fed and that feed can be a variety of things.
I can see this in the West, Midwest and western Texas. But from east Texas to the Atlantic (southeast) why would any rancher go though the trouble of feeding their cows grains when grass (and hay) are so cheap and readily available? My point is all beef in the southeast is probably "grass fed", right?
Posted on 3/1/23 at 11:53 am to GumboPot
I prefer corn finishes beef over grass fed
Posted on 3/1/23 at 11:54 am to GumboPot
Grass fed but grain finished
Posted on 3/1/23 at 12:04 pm to GumboPot
quote:
why would any rancher go though the trouble
They typically don't. They typically sell them to someone that finishes them before slaughter. I know grass fed is the rage now but give me grain finished beef all day everyday.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 12:04 pm to GumboPot
quote:
why would any rancher go though the trouble of feeding their cows grains when grass (and hay) are so cheap and readily available?
to fatten them up so the rancher gets paid more. if 'grass fed' isn't that rancher's goal/focus then it pays to put them on grain & corn along with the required antibiotics. corn is not good for a cow.
eta- corn, in large quantities, is not good for a cow long term
This post was edited on 3/1/23 at 12:05 pm
Posted on 3/1/23 at 12:10 pm to Stexas
quote:
I know grass fed is the rage now but give me grain finished beef all day everyday.
Me too.
But if we get into the nutrition argument that some people make that grass fed is better (especially in terms of vitamin K2) I cannot see a massive difference between grass fed and grass fed with grain finished beef. Both have been fed grass their entire life except for the month or so for the grain finished beef at the end of their life.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 2:38 pm to GumboPot
Buy from a local butcher and you generally shouldn't have to worry about those issues.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 3:07 pm to GumboPot
quote:
I can see this in the West, Midwest and western Texas. But from east Texas to the Atlantic (southeast) why would any rancher go though the trouble of feeding their cows grains when grass (and hay) are so cheap and readily available? My point is all beef in the southeast is probably "grass fed", right?
There are different scenarios, but no, if grass is available, that's what farmers are going to provide for them.
Sometimes they may sell the animal at the stock yard to someone else who finishes them off with corn, or feed. The commercial feed will put on weight quickly, but could be most anything.
If the farmer is keeping the animal for his own use, he'll probably finish the animal off with grass and corn for the last six months or so--at least that's how my BIL does it.
If you asked him for a grass-fed cow, he's probably say, "why?" He just prefers the taste of one finished with corn, but it would be less work for him.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 4:21 pm to GumboPot
quote:
southeast is probably "grass fed", right?
I think the answer depends on where you get you beef. If it's a small local butcher or say Curters' (sp?) at the BR farmers market, then you may get grass raised. But if you get your beef from Albertsons, Winn Dixie, Rouses, Costco, Sam's, Walmart and all of the other regional groceries, then unless it's labeled grass-feed, you are getting feed lot beef which is probable finished with grain. It's a matter of scale, the southeast doesn't have number of cows.
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:42 pm to wickowick
quote:
prefer corn finishes beef over grass fed
Had a steak at the Wynn in Vegas last year. It was grass fed beef finished on carrots. It had a much more earthy taste than your usual feed lot steak. It wasn’t bad at all, just different.
Santa Carota Farms
Posted on 3/1/23 at 8:54 pm to GumboPot
If it doesn't say "Grass Fed" on the package, it's not. It doesn't matter where you buy it. The issue isn't that grass doesn't grow, it's about how fast it takes to fatten them up to get them to slaughter. Grass isn't as fast as corn (I am not a rancher.)
H-E-B sells grass fed ground beef (usually from Australia from my anecdotal tracking of the labeling over the past 10 years) for about $6 a pound. It is clearly labeled as grass fed.
I buy grass fed ground beef for the better Omega 3/6 profile, but I don't think 97% of people would notice a difference in a properly cooked skirt steak, tenderloin, etc. Cook it wrong, and it won't matter if the cow's tail was gingerly massaged 24x7.
H-E-B sells grass fed ground beef (usually from Australia from my anecdotal tracking of the labeling over the past 10 years) for about $6 a pound. It is clearly labeled as grass fed.
I buy grass fed ground beef for the better Omega 3/6 profile, but I don't think 97% of people would notice a difference in a properly cooked skirt steak, tenderloin, etc. Cook it wrong, and it won't matter if the cow's tail was gingerly massaged 24x7.
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