Industry News...

Grass-fed Beef The vast majority of U.S. beef cattle eat grain or other high-calorie feed for several months at a feedlot before being processed. Eating such concentrated feed fattens the animals quickly and produces fat-marbled meat. Grass-fed cattle live out their lives on the range or pasture eating grass or hay. Their meat is leaner and contains the higher nutrient levels.

Health Benifits Grass-fed beef, or beef produced from cattle fattened on forage only diets (little or no grain), has been reported to contain elevated concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin E, increased levels of omega-3, a more desirable omega-3:omega-6 ratio, and increased levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), all substances with favorable biological effects on human health.

Pastured cattle are cleaner, giving us safer meat. E. coli contamination takes place in the slaughterhouse when manure from an animal comes in contact with meat. The less manure on an animal when it enters the slaughter house, the less likely the meat will become contaminated. Even the meat-packing industry acknowledges how difficult it is to remove fecal contamination from feedlot cattle when they stand all day long in dirt and manure. In a recent article in the magazine Meat Marketing and Technology, the associate editor stated that pasture-raised animals were much easier to clean "because they come from small herds raised in relatively clean pastures." Most US cattle, he said, "are raised in far larger numbers in congested and typically less sanitary feed lots." (From an article titled, "The Future of Food Safety," by Joshua Lipsky. Meat Marketing and Technology, April 2001)

Grass-fed Beef Is Better Low in fat . . . similar to fish and chicken High in Omega Fatty Acids High in cancer fighting Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA's) High in Vitamin E High in Beta Carotene due to grass finishing Low risk of E Coli since each animal is processed individually Pesticide-free farming practices Free of synthetic hormones Free of antibiotics in the feed Free of steroids Free of preservatives and additives No genetically modified organisms (GMOs) No irradiation Raised by organic farming methods No feeds containing animal by products thus no chance of BSE (Mad Cow Disease)