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Grass-Fed Beef

Grass-fed beef refers to meat derived from cattle that have been raised primarily on a diet of grass or forage throughout their lives. The term "grass-fed" typically implies that the cattle have been allowed to graze on pasture for most of their lives, as opposed to being fed a diet primarily composed of grains or other supplements.

Grass-Fed Beef

Recent History

December 10, 2024

From Pasture to Plate: Striking an Omega Balance Between Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef Ribeyes - Fatty Acid Composition, Minerals, Soil, And Forage Analysis

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My masters thesis 'From Pasture to Plate' has been published, comparing 300 ribeye steaks across grass-fed and grain-fed beef. 10 tables, 30 figures, 150 pages.

My thesis has been published!


Most beef cattle in the US are feedlot-finished where intensive feeding of grains is used to increase weight and yield; however, a minority are raised in grass-fed operations that use exclusive pasture, rangeland, and hay for feeding, possibly leading to benefits for the land, soil, ecosystems, forages, and the meat itself. These operations use a variety of methods, and the goal of this was to recognize differences in the soil and forage metrics to help understand the resulting meat fatty acid composition and mineral content. We collected these samples from 78 sets of farmers while testing 25 sets of grain-fed controls, usually purchased from a store. We found major differences in organic matter between beef pasture soil and corn field soil and in the fatty acid content of forage and grains. These differences were highlighted with better fatty acid composition and mineral content in grass-fed meat. These results show the variability in beef operations across a range of variables, providing valuable insights into how different feeding practices impact the quality of beef and the environment.

Ancient History

Books

Meat Three Times a Day

Published:

January 2, 1946

Meat Three Times a Day

Grass-Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef

Published:

July 1, 2006

Grass-Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef

Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth

Published:

April 1, 2013

Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth

Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production

Published:

November 24, 2014

Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production

Letter To A Vegetarian Nation: We Need Livestock For Sustainable Food Production And Environmental Restoration

Published:

February 7, 2016

Letter To A Vegetarian Nation: We Need Livestock For Sustainable Food Production And Environmental Restoration

Holistic Management, Third Edition: A Commonsense Revolution to Restore Our Environment

Published:

November 10, 2016

Holistic Management, Third Edition: A Commonsense Revolution to Restore Our Environment
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