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Gourmet Grassfed Beef Production School-Who's going?

B

Ben H

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who's going to the SGF Gourmet Grassfed Beef Production School in Dallas later this month?

http://www.stockmangrassfarmer.net/cgi-bin/page.cgi?id=587.html
 
I heard Anibal's presentation before the 2005 Grazefest.
Gourmet grassfed is just like gourmet grainfed...feed the animal all it wants to eat from birth to slaughter WITH NO STRESS(that includes bad disposition). Easier to fill a feed trough than to grow year-round quality pastures. :shock: :o :wink:
 
I've been reading Allan Nation's book on the subject with refrences to Anibal, it's certainly a lot more complicated then I thought. One thing to keep in mind, you are eliminating the harvesting cost of the forages and depositing a lot of nutrients on the spot. Although...the recomendations I'm seeing is high quality alfalfa hay available at all times. Another point to keep in mind is that some people in Aregentina are making a larger marginal profit then us...on a lower beef price.
 
ever eat grass finished beef??? stringy and chewy.... I was not at all impressed with it, the folks we were eating with were not big beef eaters, and I spent my evening explaining the benefits to corn fed beef.

of course, I also suggested that it MUST be some of that Certified Angus Beef we were eating!
 
I raised a few animals on grass this summer and a few on grain. The Verdict... I'll never go back to feeding grain.
 
RobertMac said:
jigs said:
ever eat grass finished beef??? quote]

I eat only grassfed beef, but it's like all beef...you gotta know how to cook it. I have a waiting list of customers willing to pay a premium...nuff said!
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Our cattle are only grass fed and we eat our own...I guess I never really noticed it had to be cooked a certain way,but when we have company we always hear how tasty our meat is.
 

Argentine beef is fantastic. There is no debate among those in the know about that... [/quote]

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

To determine consumer sensory acceptance and value of branded, Argentine (grass-finished, aged 30+ d) and domestic (U.S. grain-finished beef, aged 9 d) strip loins were paired based on similar Warner-Bratzler shear force values (P = 0.34) and similar marbling levels (P = 0.82). Consumers in Chicago, IL, and San Francisco, CA (n = 124 per city), evaluated one pair of Argentine and domestic steaks, and had the opportunity to participate in a silent, sealed-bid auction to purchase steaks matching the taste panel samples. Consumers were categorized into three groups based on overall acceptability ratings: 1) those who found Argentine steaks more acceptable, 2) those who found domestic steaks more acceptable, and 3) those who were indifferent. Consumers rated domestic steaks higher (P < 0.05) in juiciness, tenderness, flavor, and overall acceptability. Consumers in both Chicago and San Francisco were willing to pay more (P < 0.05) for domestic steaks ($0.86 and $0.52 per 0.45 kg, respectively). In both cities, consumers who found Argentine samples more acceptable were willing to pay more (P < 0.05) for Argentine steaks ($0.74 per 0.45 kg in Chicago and $1.82 per 0.45 kg in San Francisco), and consumers who found domestic samples more acceptable were willing to pay more (P < 0.05) for domestic steaks ($1.66 per 0.45 kg in Chicago and $1.34 per 0.45 kg in San Francisco). Consumers who were indifferent were willing to pay similar (P = 0.99) amounts for Argentine and domestic steaks. Although some consumers found Argentine beef more acceptable than domestic beef (19.7 and 16.5% in Chicago and San Francisco, respectively) and were willing to pay more for it, most consumers found domestic beef to be more acceptable (59.0% in Chicago and 61.5% in San Francisco) and were willing to pay more to obtain a more acceptable product.
 
reader (the Second) said:
Mike -

My questions are --

How was the meat cooked?
How were the tasters chosen?

I noticed from being tutored in Argentinian beef and beef preparation by my husband, that one has to first accept that tenderness is NOT the most desirable characteristic in a steak. Ask anyone who has visited Argentina about their opinion about Argentinian beef and particularly steak but also BBQ (asado - grilled) ribs.

I'm saying that Argentine beef is world renown for being tasty, not that it's necessarily better than US beef or that we should replace US beef with Argentine beef. Have you traveled to Argentina and eaten in a good asado place??
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Answers:
On a grill :lol:
Randomly :lol:

Facts: Meat Science

Aging of Beef

By F.C.Parrish, Jr., Ph.D.

Department of Animal Science

Iowa State University

Ames, Iowa

Introduction

Postmortem aging, sometimes called "conditioning" or "ripening," is a natural process which improves the palatability attributes of meat, especially cuts from the rib and loin. Commercially, postmortem aging is accomplished by subjecting carcasses, primal or subprimal cuts to controlled, refrigerated (above freezing) storage conditions. Of the palatability attributes of beef steaks, tenderness is the attribute most demanded by consumers, and the improvement in tenderness is the primary reason for postmortem aging. Postmortem aging, however, also improves the palatability attribute of favor.


No.
 
Irrelevant study...all it proves is people generally like what they are accustom...you would get exactly the opposite results in Argentina, all other factors being equal. Here's why...
When you first go into a house being painted with oil based paints, there is a strong odor. If you work in the house for several hours, you hardly notice the odor. Your senses adjust.
Now back to meat taste...if you have eaten grainfed beef all your life and are given grassfed beef to eat, it will taste different(as in, not tasting like the beef that you are accustom). Most people will favor what they are accustom. Grassfed beef is a choice...if people eat grassfed beef that wouldn't eat grainfed beef, isn't that expanding our market. And that is the real problem the beef industry has...LOST MARKET SHARE!!!!!!!!
 
people aren't buying grassfed because it tastes so much better or that it's far more tender. They are buying because it is better for you. The balance of the Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids, CLA's, Beta Carotene and more can't be ignored. Some consumers don't care if it's tougher and leaner if it's healthier for them.
The point of this conference is to produce grassfed beef that is equal to or better then grain finished beef.
One thing I question is that Argentina says they can get better rates of gain in the winter on annual small grain forage chains. What I question is if the CLA and Omega-3 levels in the meat is anywhere near the levels of an animal finished on green grass.
 
I am not going to knock grass fed beef. But, what I am finding is that the jury is still out on whether it is healthier or not. All sites that claim grass fed beef is better, are grass fed or organic sites. All impartial sites that I find draw no conclusions at this time. (by impartial I am referring to beef studies or universities.)

["Unofficial preliminary results indicate "that on average, the grass-fed cattle do appear to have higher levels of Omega 3 and CLA's. However, the grass-fed samples actually had higher levels of saturated fatty acids and lower levels of monounsaturated fatty acids," Leheska said.
Research has shown that Omega 3, CLAs and monounsaturated fat can have positive health effects, she stated. But, she stressed that since the grass-fed beef exhibited higher saturated fatty acid levels and lower monounsaturated fatty acid levels, conclusions can't be reached that grass-fed beef is healthier than grain-fed beef.
"Saturated fats have been shown to increase cholesterol levels in humans," she added]"

http://www.landandlivestockpost.com/stories/060606/livestock_20060606004.php
 
why are Doctors and other non producers promoting it if they aren't selling it?

Preliminary research data also indicated that differences in farm management practices such as forage type, quality and quantity, genetics, days on forage and age at harvest have an effect on the nutrient composition of meat, she said.
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This is the problem, grass finished producers aren't consistant at this time. There is a lot to learn.

Dale Bauman at Cornell University has been researching CLA in meat and milk fat since I was in school there. http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/bauman/index.htm

Check the Weston Price Foundation, they have tons of information on the advantages of Grass Fed.

Jo Robinson has multiple books on the subject.

You will always hear that seafood has more Omega-3, who eats more seafood then meat? Even if I wanted to I couldn't afford it and the supply is diminishing. Farm-raised seafood does not have the omega-3 levels of natural.

I will give credit that more research needs to be done and farms need to be more consistant with the way they grass finish. An animal finished on grass hay will not have the sufficient levels.

Here is a response from Dr. Bauman

Hi Ben,

CLA can indeed be increased in fat (milk or body fat) by pasture, specifically lush pasture. Mature pasture has little effect. Levels of CLA will typically be 4-5 units with a corn based diet or preserved forage and lush pasture will increase to 10-15 units. One can also increase CLA in TMR fed animals by several means, especially including a source of linoleic acid (eg Soy oil, ,etc). These type of diets are a bit more tricky to not have problems with adversely affecting rumen fiber digestion, but it can be done and CLA increases can be even greater than with pasture. Thus, CLA can be increased even with animals in confinement. I have enclosed two articles. One is a recent review for scientists but it has a section on effects of diet and other physiological factors on CLA. The other is an article on the state of CLA health effects. Focus is on dairy fat but same applies to meat fat from ruminants.

Let me know if you have other questions
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Fedup2, I know you're a researching machine...contact this researcher, he is one of the top researcher dealing with actual field/lab studies dealing with grassfed beef fatty acid profiles (as an indication of what he's found,he feeds his family 100% forage raise meat and dairy products).

Dr. Tilak Dhiman (Nutritional)
Utah State University
4815 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322
435-797-2155
http://www.usu.edu

This is an interesting article on several levels...

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/oiling.html

See if you can find health research that segregates animal fats and vegetable oils. In the early 1900s hydrogenated vegetable oils(margarine and Crisco) were promoted as healthier than animal fats(butter, lard, beef tallow)...these are the same trans-fats that are being banned today!!!!! :shock: :o "Sound science" isn't always so "sound" when big money is involved.

"Saturated fats have been shown to increase cholesterol levels in humans," she added]"
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My point here is that I don't agree that animal fats are the problem. Our genes developed on a diet high in animal fats over thousands of years...why have animal fats become poison to our bodies in the last 100 years?????????????????????? Could it be MONEY??????????????????

Here is what sells me on grassfed...I started in 1998 by stopping deworming and using any pesticides; next eliminated any grain supplement for molasses supplements...then stopped them; cut back on minerals and now have stopped them; haven't vaccinated anything in three years now: feed is only forage in the pasture, hay and alfalfa pellets(mainly to put the herd in the catch pen to sort). My vet cost last year was for one semen test that was 95% live(actually close to 100%, but I believe my vet was afraid to put that). My herd is healthier than it has ever been...I simply don't have health problems.

Now, I have to conclude that eating the types of food that Nature intended for animals to consume(that match their genetic makeup) WOULD KEEP THEM HEALTHY????????????????????????? Wouldn't it work for humans too?????????????????
 
RobertMac writes: ["See if you can find health research that segregates animal fats and vegetable oils. In the early 1900s hydrogenated vegetable oils(margarine and Crisco) were promoted as healthier than animal fats(butter, lard, beef tallow)...these are the same trans-fats that are being banned today!!!!! "Sound science" isn't always so "sound" when big money is involved."]

First of all RM, I don't consider myself a researching machine. But, like Paul Harvey, I want to hear the rest of the story! That means 'both' sides.
As far as animal fats, you are preaching to the choir here. My wife knows better than to put margarine on anything I eat. I put butter on everything. The rest of the story? I am on cholesterol pills & have had a stint (sp)(stent?) put in a partially blocked artery.

So what is the answer? For me it was learning to use things in moderation. I found that I don't need a whole stick of butter on my popcorn! :shock: I eat what I always ate before, but less of the things my doctor is complaining about. The result, my bad numbers are dropping. I still believe that some of the substitutes are worse then the offending blockers, but I believe to much animal fats are bad for you also. All things in moderation.
 

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