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 Grass Fed & Finished Health Benefits
Grass-fed beef contains 10 times more beta-carotene than beef not raised on grass and studies have shown that it is important for:
•Stimulating the immune system
•Maintaining healthy vision, skin and bones
Grass-fed beef contains three times more vitamin E than beef not raised on grass and research reveals that it helps:
•Prevent cancer
•Prevent cardiovascular disease
Healthy fats—the omega-3 fatty acids—are present in three times the amount in grass-fed beef, and have been shown to:
•Reduce blood pressure
•Prevent cardiovascular diseases
•Maintain healthy brain function
•Prevent and slow the growth of many cancers
•Prevent arthritis
•Prevent and treat depression
Grass-fed beef contains three times more CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, which is another of the healthy fats and has been shown to be good at:
•Lowering LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad” cholesterol)
•Lowering the risk of diabetes
•Lowering the risk of heart disease
•Lower the risk of many cancers
What does Grass Finished mean? Finishing is the term for the four to six months prior to harvest when the cattle are putting on weight and building flavorful muscle and fat. Their feed regiment during this time helps define the flavor of the meat and the marbling of the fat.
Grass-finishing ensures a pure grass-fed flavor and means the animals are never confined or fed hay or grain during this period.
Does Grass-Fed & Finished taste different than grain-fed beef?
Yes, for several reasons. First, grain imparts a deep “beefy” flavor to meat. The term “beefy” is something we have learned to identify with commercial feed-lot beef. However, previous to grain-intensive feeding programs, when cattle finished on grass, the expectation was that beef would have a deep “beefy” flavor also; it just had a different flavor profile. Some people think that grass-fed beef is more assertive, and others feel it’s more subtle in flavor. We think it simply tastes like the best beef in the world.
The second point is that grass-feeding concentrates the flavor components of natural forage. Chlorophyll, for instance, is converted in the cow’s stomach to terpenes which are related to the aroma compounds in herbs and spices. So grass-fed beef tastes different, and can even vary from month to month, depending on the forage components. We like these variations and we love the flavors.
What is CLA? Conjugated linoleic acid is much in the news these days. It’s a recently identified fat component that appears to have important health benefits. In scientific trials it has been shown to block cancer initiation, promotion and metastasis, as well as to slow the growth of tumors. In addition, it appears to have anti-atherogenic properties, anti-diabetic (type II) effects, and helps improve bone mineralization. Some of the very best sources of CLA are grass-fed meats and dairy products.
What are Omega-3s? Omega-3 essential fatty acids are molecules that have been shown to be highly beneficial to good health, can protect against disease and can treat illness. Omega-3s are important in structural membranes of cells throughout the human body, especially in nerve tissue and the retina. They also can lower cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoproteins, the “bad” cholesterol). Humans cannot synthesize essential fatty acids; they must be obtained from the diet. Fatty fish are a good source for omega-3s. But since plants can make omega-3s, animals that eat grass also store this essential nutrient.
Why do our steaks have a different color than steaks at the store?
First, due to the higher level of beta-carotene, the fat on our steaks may have a slight, creamy or yellowish tint. Second, the high level of vitamin E produces a more darkened appearance to the meat. |
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When considering a totally grass fed meat diet, please look at the type of grass the animal has access to. Frankly all cattle are grass fed until they are sent to the feed lots/factory farms. There, they are feed horrendous diets of solutions made from cow’s blood, fish emulsions and other ingredients not known to the consumer and certainly not at all required for the animal to obtain the vitamins and nutrients required.
Many times you will read labels stating that the meat has omega 3’s, grass fed etc. There are two ways to recv’v Omega 3’s, one is with fish the other is with proper types of grass. In order for large chain grocery stores to supply the amount of meats to all their stores the animals are also fed corns, grains and soy, also they are then shot full of hormones steroids antibiotics. These ingredients will then force the animals body to grow faster than it was intended. CHANGING THE ANIMALS OVER ALL DNA.
With our animals, we feed them strictly a grass fed diet. Then we feed them more of the same grass to finish them on. The difference between our grass fed animals and most all other grass fed animals is simple. We feed them the proper types of grass so they receive the proper amounts and types of vitamins, minerals. We feed our cattle the following: RYE, BARLEY, MILET, CLOVER, OAT and WHEAT grasses. Why do we do this, why have we taken the time to feed our animals the proper diets? The main reason is simple. Would you want to consume a product that could really have an adverse effect on your health?
The animals diet requires more than just ‘field grass’ as most animals claiming to be fed grass is consuming. The grass types simply do not have the nutritional value to sustain the animal. This is why dairy farmers in our area feed their dairy cow corns and other grains, the same for meat producing cattle.
Now; there are some ranchers stating they too have grass fed animals. Depending on how you manipulate the verbage, perhaps this might be true. These ranchers are buying their animals out of state from 4H auctions and other means. These animals are all raised and fed not the old fashioned way but the traditional way. That is, the animals are raised on corn grains hormones steroids antibiotics.
The rancher then brings the animals to their ranch feeding them field grass. Ok suppose by doing this the animal is grass fed by the time they are brought to processing. However there is still the residual of the corn grains hormones steroids antibiotics in the animals. Trace amounts enough to affect the consumer.
Our animals are never fed corn because this acidifies the body destroying all the nutritional value of the fat and meat. Our animals are never fed soy or other grains, simply the gourmet meals of our specially selected grass that now re-seeds every year throughout the ranch. Our animals are never shot with a needle for any reason. There simply isn’t a reason for this. The animals’ immune system is strong enough, and supported by its diet.
We not only care about our animals… We care about our customers.
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