With rising consumer safety concerns particularly in regards to meat consumed, several studies have been done with the aim of establishing the best approach in raising beef cattle. These studies try to compare meat quality for grass-fed beef farms and those from mass production units. The latter option is known to be responsible for dangerous bacteria such as Listeria and E. Coli that have led to recalls some making headlines.
In farms where cattle are raised on grass, the animals are allowed to forage over a large land mass with well-maintained pasture. The effect is that animals are able to leave their life in the most natural manner. Eating grains as the main diet as opposed to grass completely alters the natural behavior of these animals. The process of gaining weight with grass as the main food is a challenge.
The most important benefit of pasture fed cattle is the nutritional value associated with the resulting beef. The commonly sighted nutrition benefits include less saturated fat and total fat in general, less calories and less cholesterol. Vitamin C and vitamin E content is also higher. The same can be said of beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acid and many other health promoting fats.
It cannot escape the eye of consumers that in feedlots, the animals are fed with supplements and hormones to promote faster growth. These are substances that are not completely safe for the consumer as they can have similar effects when they get into the body when still active.
Most feed used for faster fattening in factory farms are unnatural and the major ingredients are genetically modified grains. In some cases, by products may also be used as feed all contribution to unhealthy beef full of hormones blamed for uncontrolled growth.
A common disorder resulting from stress is subacute acidosis that is very painful. Antibiotics and other chemicals are used to manage these conditions. The problem is that antibiotics are most likely to be misused and bacteria develop resistance to the drugs. The new strains of bacteria can be very difficult to deal with when they affect humans.
As already said, feedlots cattle are responsible for the highest percentages of E. Coli and Listeria, both which are bacterial diseases that are less noticed in grass fed beef cattle. Campylobacter bacterial is also most likely to be present in feedlot (58%) than pasture fed cattle with only 2%. This bacterial is known symptoms such as muscle pain, upset stomach, fever and headache.
The scientific research also concludes that allowing animals to forage over a vast piece of land is an environmentally friendly way of keeping cattle. It preserves soils and results to lower greenhouse gas emissions. It is also humane to animals and is recommended by the Animal Welfare Approved standards of animal husbandry practices.
In farms where cattle are raised on grass, the animals are allowed to forage over a large land mass with well-maintained pasture. The effect is that animals are able to leave their life in the most natural manner. Eating grains as the main diet as opposed to grass completely alters the natural behavior of these animals. The process of gaining weight with grass as the main food is a challenge.
The most important benefit of pasture fed cattle is the nutritional value associated with the resulting beef. The commonly sighted nutrition benefits include less saturated fat and total fat in general, less calories and less cholesterol. Vitamin C and vitamin E content is also higher. The same can be said of beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acid and many other health promoting fats.
It cannot escape the eye of consumers that in feedlots, the animals are fed with supplements and hormones to promote faster growth. These are substances that are not completely safe for the consumer as they can have similar effects when they get into the body when still active.
Most feed used for faster fattening in factory farms are unnatural and the major ingredients are genetically modified grains. In some cases, by products may also be used as feed all contribution to unhealthy beef full of hormones blamed for uncontrolled growth.
A common disorder resulting from stress is subacute acidosis that is very painful. Antibiotics and other chemicals are used to manage these conditions. The problem is that antibiotics are most likely to be misused and bacteria develop resistance to the drugs. The new strains of bacteria can be very difficult to deal with when they affect humans.
As already said, feedlots cattle are responsible for the highest percentages of E. Coli and Listeria, both which are bacterial diseases that are less noticed in grass fed beef cattle. Campylobacter bacterial is also most likely to be present in feedlot (58%) than pasture fed cattle with only 2%. This bacterial is known symptoms such as muscle pain, upset stomach, fever and headache.
The scientific research also concludes that allowing animals to forage over a vast piece of land is an environmentally friendly way of keeping cattle. It preserves soils and results to lower greenhouse gas emissions. It is also humane to animals and is recommended by the Animal Welfare Approved standards of animal husbandry practices.
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