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GRASS FED BEEF ?

Interesting that at the fair here, a cattle buyer came through that feeds fat cattle also and he remarked that not one steer was finished. Not one.

BTW, one of the red steers (South Devon) that I had pictured here earlier, won Reserve Grand Champion. I'll try to get a picture of him at the fair.
 
Oldtimer said:
TSR said:
Jinglebob said:
Different grasses can make different tastes. It might have a different taste than Rye fed or Corn fed or Wheat fed or Barley fed. But it's all good! :D
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I am seriously considering butchering an open heifer (reg. Angus) that is grass fat on fescue /clover and a lot of other stuff. She is about 2yrs old. I just don't know if I can get the courage to or not after having eaten several corn fed calves that were really good.
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What I like to do is take those open heifers that are grass fat- that everyone thinks are fat enough to butcher and then feed them a couple more months on grain until they are "really really fat"...Couldn't ask for any better eating.....
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That was my second option-graining her for a couple of months. I am probably wrong but I would think that how good a grass fed animal tastes would largely depend on the grass. I would think an animal finished on clover /rye would be a lot better than one finished on fescue.
 
You're getting warmer. Go one step further. Better beef only comes from better grass, which only comes from better soil. "Better" isn't exactly the right word to be using, but if the right combination of trace minerals and things are present, they'll be passed onto the grass, then onto the bovine, and onto the beef.
 
Most people who don't like grass fat ones because they've never really eaten a grass fattened one. It's pretty hard to get these modern cattle fat on just grass. Also, if they are younger than 2 years old, they don't have as much flavor. IMHO
 
'You are what you eat' certainly applies to finishing stock.
My market in Africa, was for 'veld reared'beef which is reared on the range including a wide variety of native grasses, herbs and browse from the various Acacia trees. Most of this was exported to Europe under the "Rhodesian Beef' trademark and considered highly by the resteraunt trade for its unique flavour.
The flexability afforded by being able to sell steers quickly when drought struck was an integral part of our management statergy.
 
As a consumer, I much prefer grass fed beef to that fed Gluten, Distillants, Ground remains from packing plants, and whatever else some fool comes up with that is just a few cents cheaper. However, less face that fact that grass is a quickly disappearing resource here in the drought stricken areas, and houseing developements are quickly replacing cows on the horizon. Like all topics, I can see both sides have their merits.
However, I'd surely pay more cash for grass fed beef. Thank God, they still let us shoot a truckload of White Tails here in Texas!
 
Jinglebob said:
Most people who don't like grass fat ones because they've never really eaten a grass fattened one. It's pretty hard to get these modern cattle fat on just grass. Also, if they are younger than 2 years old, they don't have as much flavor. IMHO
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I think you're bang on there JB. Grass fattening takes longer than most folks have patience for, me included. It's been painful watching our yearlings grow and grow and stay so green, knowing that it'll be next year before they're really fat enough. But, we also know it's the best way to raise the most nutritious beef possible, with the widest profit margin.
 
With todays lack of or high price ground I don't think you can really justify grass-fed. I'm not saying one is better than the other itjust seems that the return on investment is along ways down the road. If you don't have really deep pockets or a banker who has alot of guts it is going to pretty tough.
 
Badlands said:
I'm still trying to figure out how to get grassfed burger, roasts and stew meat, and grain fed steaks from the same critter.

Anybody have that one figured out? :D

Badlands
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Easy corn is a grass.
 
Okay, I'll take the bait and defend our corn-fed beef industry. :shock: Barley and distillers grains included.

Before doing so, I'll say that I have sure had some excellent grass-fed beef and also believe that we should pretty much always find a way to give the consumer the product that they desire. Grass-fed, natural, purple, green, whatever.

However, the last time I checked the USDA Prime price over Choice was $14. Also, the Choice price over Select has spent much of the summer above $20. So the consumer dollar has been voting for higher quality grade. (Just to jog the memory, quality grade is a measure of intramuscular fat, a.k.a. marbling. Marbling is greatly achieved through a high-energy diet typically 100 plus days prior to harvest) Our current feeding industry can only produce roughly 55% USDA Choice and higher carcasses year-round. The rest are Select and down. This is achieved in a high-energy feedlot setting. So where will we be if we move to grass-fed beef? Our cattle population will not achieve any substantial marbling level on grass. It's just not possible across the board. Not to say that some cattle can't get it done.

So, if we go to a grass-fed production system we then place ourselves on the same level of the playing field as countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Australia, etc. The kicker is that grass is juuuuust a little cheaper in Argentina. Can we compete with them on grass alone? Not at all. Our Canadian friends on this board are in very much the same boat as the U.S. I don't care if you feed corn or barley, it's the same concept and quality grade of beef that I'm pointing out.

Our production systems create the highest quality of beef (in any volume) in the entire world. I won't even address the food safety issue. I don't want to start some kind of R-Calf debate here. I'd eat a U.S. steer today and a Canadian heifer tomorrow. I've got a better chance of getting elected President than I do of contracting BSE. :wink:

With the price of pasture in the U.S. being what it is today, I can't imagine how costly a 3-year-old steer would be to fatten. He's going to hit the wall and quit gaining weight efficiently long before he's finished. Plus the time value of money that is wrapped up in that critter.

Now, is there a place for grass-fed beef? You bet. If someone wants to buy it at a price higher than it costs to produce, the signal is pretty clear. It's a wonderful niche.

I mean no disrespect nor disagreement to all of you good folks here that think grass-fed beef is great. I'm with you. I just don't think that we're going to convert our industry to that system on a scale that will impact those 600,000 head of cattle harvested each week in this country. IMHO :wink:

HP
 
High Plains said:
Okay, I'll take the bait and defend our corn-fed beef industry. :shock: Barley and distillers grains included.

Before doing so, I'll say that I have sure had some excellent grass-fed beef and also believe that we should pretty much always find a way to give the consumer the product that they desire. Grass-fed, natural, purple, green, whatever.

However, the last time I checked the USDA Prime price over Choice was $14. Also, the Choice price over Select has spent much of the summer above $20. So the consumer dollar has been voting for higher quality grade. (Just to jog the memory, quality grade is a measure of intramuscular fat, a.k.a. marbling. Marbling is greatly achieved through a high-energy diet typically 100 plus days prior to harvest) Our current feeding industry can only produce roughly 55% USDA Choice and higher carcasses year-round. The rest are Select and down. This is achieved in a high-energy feedlot setting. So where will we be if we move to grass-fed beef? Our cattle population will not achieve any substantial marbling level on grass. It's just not possible across the board. Not to say that some cattle can't get it done.

So, if we go to a grass-fed production system we then place ourselves on the same level of the playing field as countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Australia, etc. The kicker is that grass is juuuuust a little cheaper in Argentina. Can we compete with them on grass alone? Not at all. Our Canadian friends on this board are in very much the same boat as the U.S. I don't care if you feed corn or barley, it's the same concept and quality grade of beef that I'm pointing out.

Our production systems create the highest quality of beef (in any volume) in the entire world. I won't even address the food safety issue. I don't want to start some kind of R-Calf debate here. I'd eat a U.S. steer today and a Canadian heifer tomorrow. I've got a better chance of getting elected President than I do of contracting BSE. :wink:

With the price of pasture in the U.S. being what it is today, I can't imagine how costly a 3-year-old steer would be to fatten. He's going to hit the wall and quit gaining weight efficiently long before he's finished. Plus the time value of money that is wrapped up in that critter.

Now, is there a place for grass-fed beef? You bet. If someone wants to buy it at a price higher than it costs to produce, the signal is pretty clear. It's a wonderful niche.

I mean no disrespect nor disagreement to all of you good folks here that think grass-fed beef is great. I'm with you. I just don't think that we're going to convert our industry to that system on a scale that will impact those 600,000 head of cattle harvested each week in this country. IMHO :wink:

HP
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High Plains, that was a very good post, pertinent and to the point. Thank you for writing it. I concur completely.
 
Soapweed said:
High Plains said:
Okay, I'll take the bait and defend our corn-fed beef industry. :shock: Barley and distillers grains included.

Before doing so, I'll say that I have sure had some excellent grass-fed beef and also believe that we should pretty much always find a way to give the consumer the product that they desire. Grass-fed, natural, purple, green, whatever.

However, the last time I checked the USDA Prime price over Choice was $14. Also, the Choice price over Select has spent much of the summer above $20. So the consumer dollar has been voting for higher quality grade. (Just to jog the memory, quality grade is a measure of intramuscular fat, a.k.a. marbling. Marbling is greatly achieved through a high-energy diet typically 100 plus days prior to harvest) Our current feeding industry can only produce roughly 55% USDA Choice and higher carcasses year-round. The rest are Select and down. This is achieved in a high-energy feedlot setting. So where will we be if we move to grass-fed beef? Our cattle population will not achieve any substantial marbling level on grass. It's just not possible across the board. Not to say that some cattle can't get it done.

So, if we go to a grass-fed production system we then place ourselves on the same level of the playing field as countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Australia, etc. The kicker is that grass is juuuuust a little cheaper in Argentina. Can we compete with them on grass alone? Not at all. Our Canadian friends on this board are in very much the same boat as the U.S. I don't care if you feed corn or barley, it's the same concept and quality grade of beef that I'm pointing out.

Our production systems create the highest quality of beef (in any volume) in the entire world. I won't even address the food safety issue. I don't want to start some kind of R-Calf debate here. I'd eat a U.S. steer today and a Canadian heifer tomorrow. I've got a better chance of getting elected President than I do of contracting BSE. :wink:

With the price of pasture in the U.S. being what it is today, I can't imagine how costly a 3-year-old steer would be to fatten. He's going to hit the wall and quit gaining weight efficiently long before he's finished. Plus the time value of money that is wrapped up in that critter.

Now, is there a place for grass-fed beef? You bet. If someone wants to buy it at a price higher than it costs to produce, the signal is pretty clear. It's a wonderful niche.

I mean no disrespect nor disagreement to all of you good folks here that think grass-fed beef is great. I'm with you. I just don't think that we're going to convert our industry to that system on a scale that will impact those 600,000 head of cattle harvested each week in this country. IMHO :wink:

HP
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High Plains, that was a very good post, pertinent and to the point. Thank you for writing it. I concur completely.
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Great post.

Only part I would disagree with, is that we have so much trouble getting cattle to grade choice now. I don't really disagree, I just thinkthat if you use the right genetics, it wouldn't be a problem.

I'm sure there are cattle genetics out there tyhat would ley 95% grade choice, it's just that it ain't going to happen by the time they are 24 months old, very often.

As with so many things in life, if it ain't fast enough, it ain't good. I think we could have lots more choice, but we choose not too, for various reasons.

And your very correct, sell them what they want, red , green or purple. But who knows what they want?

:wink:
 
We found our best crosses for grading well on grazing and browsing, were medium framed british breeds such as Sussex, hereford and red Angus crossed with our local Sanga derived breeds; Africana, Tuli, Nkoni and Mashona. Hardy calves with good feed conversion, and the affects of heterosis reulted in good weights and grading for our export market well below (-6 mth) the traditional 3 year finishing period.
The right genotypes are available, they just need to be identified.
 
Boy I went by an irrigated pasture wreck on the way to a rodeo-I don't know how many hundred yearlings were on that pivot but there wasn't a blade of grass in sight and the cattle were GREEN. I think some up and coming grazier might of just got hooked into storing some cattle for one of the big guns. As for land being to high to grow grass on I bet when you take all the capial costs involved in building a feedlot your cost of production per pound of product would be pretty close to what grass gains cost. I don't think there is too much danger that the entire North American beef industry would switch anyways too many guys hooked on calving barns,diesel fuel and big cows. They can just leave that whole grass finishing deal to us poor backwards canuckleheads if they like-we sure don't mind at all.
 

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