jeudi 23 janvier 2014

Why Choose Grass-Fed Beef Farms

By Marissa Velazquez


Grass-fed beef farms are not a new concept. They may be better described as a returning concept. In the 1950s feed lots where cattle were exclusively fed grain became popular with ranchers and meat producers. Within thirty years nearly one hundred percent of the beef in this country came from large feed lots.

Changing to large feed lots and feeding the cattle grain rather than grass helped to control the production and supply of meat in America. It helped neutralize some of the things that can change without notice in the cattle industry. The weather, grazing conditions and market pricing became stabilized within a very short period of time. Since that time, however, nutritional experts have determined that the switch from pasture to feed lots was not in the best interests of the health of consumers.

The human body needs ample omega 3 fatty acids to function at maximum force. When the feeding lots became a major producer of meat from cattle the omega 3 acids dropped considerably. The cattle that are grazed in pastures show three to four times as much omega 3 as the ones found in the lots. It has been noted that the incidence of obesity and heart disease in people has risen significantly over the period of time that this change in feeding and processing has been prevalent.

Meat products taken from cattle that are pasture grazed contain three to four times higher omega 3 acids as meat from feed lot cows. The omega 3 acids serve to keep blood pressure down and control heart disease. They also may help stop or delay many mental health issues such as Alzheimer's or dementia.

When calves are left with their mothers for a minimum of eight months after birth they stand a better chance of acquiring the proper body frame. They can then be finished correctly and put on the proper marbling of fat. Finishing is the process of putting weight on the animal prior to processing. When the animals are finished in the feed lots they layer on fat rather than marbling their meat.

Pasture grazing is not the most cost efficient method of raising cattle. Fortunately, for approximately two thousand ranchers in America and Canada it is the only method they will use and there is a market for their products. They consider the additives, that the grains used in feeding lots contain, to be seriously dangerous to people.

Animals kept in the feeding lots are under constant stress. The overcrowding and unsanitary conditions are just the beginning of the problems. Many cattle become ill from eating the grains and the additives that are put in them. Anti-biotic are added to counter the problems inherent to the lots and the amounts must increase as the tolerance rises in the animals. These medications are passed to people who also get a raised tolerance to the medications through consumption of the meat.

Grass-fed beef farms are not the most cost effective way to raise cattle. The ranchers must rotate the cattle from one pasture to another on a regular basis so there is no over grazing damage done to the land. They must focus on making sure the cattle remain in a calm serene atmosphere while they are maturing. The farmer's main goal was being able to deliver the very best beef to the customer every time.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire