In order to achieve maximum weight gain in the shortest time possible with minimal cost, most factories resolve to an intensive cattle production method where thousands of cattle are confined in dirt feedlots and the main feeding diet is grain-based with hormones to contribute to faster growth rate. This method however raises a number of concerns including increased greenhouse gas emissions and unhealthy meat products. This has largely contributed to increased demand of products from grass-fed beef farms.
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.
There are many reasoned why consumers today prefer beef from cattle raised on pasture as opposed to those raised in dirty feedlots where the main diet is grains. The major benefit of this kind of farming is the nutritional value associated with the resulting meat products. For instance, the meat is tenderer and has smaller proportion of total fats and saturated fats in particular. The level of calories and cholesterol is also lower making it a healthier alternative. The quantity of vitamin C and E is higher with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene among several other important nutrients that are necessary for proper body functioning.
In order to achieve maximum weight with grass, the farmers need skills that cut across scientific knowledge and acquired art. The target is to raise healthy grass for animal to graze on particularly in months preceding slaughtering time. In order to grow such high quality grass and legumes, there must be proper land management practices and healthy soils. This is in addition to skillful pasture management that targets to utilize pasture when at the optimal growth stage.
The issue of stress is also a major concern as it affects the final product that ends up on the table. Stress develops when several animals are confined in dirty feedlots where movement is restricted. The major factor that causes stress is the sudden change from normal diet of pasture to grains and other unnatural diet designed for faster weight gain.
Raring of animals in restricted and confined factory farms is also considered to be environmentally insensitive. In majority of cases, manure dumping is not done properly leading to very high concentration of nutrients in nearby soils. This can be the cause of soil and water pollution. This is not a concern when cattle are raised on pasture as the manure is evenly spread all over wide land as is able to work as organic fertilizer.
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.
According to the standards of Animal Welfare Approved husbandry practices, cattle must be raised as humanely as possible with natural living habitat so as to obtain safer meat for the consumers. This is well observed in grass farms for cattle feeding.
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.
There are many reasoned why consumers today prefer beef from cattle raised on pasture as opposed to those raised in dirty feedlots where the main diet is grains. The major benefit of this kind of farming is the nutritional value associated with the resulting meat products. For instance, the meat is tenderer and has smaller proportion of total fats and saturated fats in particular. The level of calories and cholesterol is also lower making it a healthier alternative. The quantity of vitamin C and E is higher with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene among several other important nutrients that are necessary for proper body functioning.
In order to achieve maximum weight with grass, the farmers need skills that cut across scientific knowledge and acquired art. The target is to raise healthy grass for animal to graze on particularly in months preceding slaughtering time. In order to grow such high quality grass and legumes, there must be proper land management practices and healthy soils. This is in addition to skillful pasture management that targets to utilize pasture when at the optimal growth stage.
The issue of stress is also a major concern as it affects the final product that ends up on the table. Stress develops when several animals are confined in dirty feedlots where movement is restricted. The major factor that causes stress is the sudden change from normal diet of pasture to grains and other unnatural diet designed for faster weight gain.
Raring of animals in restricted and confined factory farms is also considered to be environmentally insensitive. In majority of cases, manure dumping is not done properly leading to very high concentration of nutrients in nearby soils. This can be the cause of soil and water pollution. This is not a concern when cattle are raised on pasture as the manure is evenly spread all over wide land as is able to work as organic fertilizer.
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.
According to the standards of Animal Welfare Approved husbandry practices, cattle must be raised as humanely as possible with natural living habitat so as to obtain safer meat for the consumers. This is well observed in grass farms for cattle feeding.
