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What's the difference between grass- and corn-fed beef?
Author: USFRA
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Topic: Animal Care
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7
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What's the difference between grass- and corn-fed beef? Author: USFRA:Topic: Animal Care: |
7Vote |
The grass fed cows are less likely to pass on the E. coli virus that sickens thousands of people annually versus the grain and corn fed cows. And if you think about it, corn ferments, and cows pass food through several stomaches before digestion. Not that I'm the expert, but its better to let cows roam a hill side and allow them to eat what comes natural, don't you think?
I discuss some of the differences in a blog post with links to additional information here: http://commonsenseagriculture.com/2011/01/24/force-feeding-cattle-grass-fed-vs-grain-fed/
In regards to the previous comment, recent studies at Kansas State actually indicate a slightly lower ecoli count in grain fed cattle.
No you are not an expert. The grass is fermented also. Rumenants (cattle, goats ,sheep, etc.) have four compartments in their upper digestive system. The first three or fore-tomachs are all part of a fermentation process where micro organisms digest and ferment the food the animal takes in be it forage or grain. Cattle can be fattened on grass but it takes a longer period of time to do so than on grain (about one more year).They don't marble as well on grass and marbleing (intermuscular fat) gives beef it's unique flavor.
Yes, corn increases marbling, which equals higher fat and higher saturated fat content. Corn is the center of US agriculture. The corn that feeds those well-marbled cows must be irrigated prodigiously. That corn requires quite a bit of ammonium nitrate fertilizer plus chemical pesticides/herbicides. The machinery to plant, spray and harvest that corn runs on oil from terrorist countries. Then the corn is trucked from around the country to feedlots, using more oil. The concentrated feedlots create their own environmental hazards with so many animals in such a small area. Waste pollutes the surrounding land and surface water. Then the beef gets trucked around the country using more foreign oil.
But I am willing to pay more for local grass-fed beef, pork, poultry and eggs. Less saturated fat, less total fat, less oil and water used. More omegas, more good cholesterol, more money staying home in my own community supporting farmers in my area.
Go to www.eatwild.com to get the real answer.
Cattle don't head to the bathroom when they eliminate; they let loose where they happen to be. While they try to eat clean grass, the rain washes the manure into the ground, where viruses can survive. Grain-fed beef eat a cleaner food.
The fat in grass-fed beef and pork contains higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid, a nutrient which appears to fight sugar diabetes. Grass-fed beef takes much longer to cook to be tender, but the result is more flavorful and has better texture. If you prefer your meat rare, though, you'll want grain-fed beef.
It's not like one is good, one is bad. The law of supply and demand means when you buy the kind of meat YOU prefer, farmers tend to produce more of it.
Grass fed beef has gamey taste and grain fed beef doesn't. Here in Florida, grass fed cows are corn fed before they are butchered to "wash" away that wild gamey taste. The process can take several weeks.