|
Industry Information
Conventional Beef
What It Is
It’s the beef most of us are
familiar with – the classic,
fresh, USDA-graded beef in the
supermarket meat case. The
majority of Conventional Beef is
Grain-Finished. Grain-Finished
Beef cattle spend most of their
lives in range or pasture
conditions feeding on forage
(grass). At 12 to 18 months of
age, Grain-Finished cattle are
moved to feed yards where they
receive a carefully balanced
diet. This feeding period
typically lasts between 120 and
200 days.
Corn is the chief ingredient in
cattle feed for Grain-Finished
Beef cattle. Feed corn (not
suitable for human consumption)
is grown in abundance in the
U.S. and provides a feed source
for cattle year-round.
Grain-finishing beef assures a
year-round supply of high
quality beef and helps keep
consumer prices down. In
addition, corn feeding creates
tender beef with the rich flavor
most consumers prefer.
Conventional Beef also is
Natural Beef. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
defines Natural Beef as
“minimally processed containing
no additives.” All fresh beef
found in the meat case that does
not have an ingredient label (a
label is added if the product
includes a marinade or solution)
is Natural Beef.
Some manufacturers use the term
“natural” for marketing
purposes. To determine exactly
what a manufacturer means by the
use of the term natural in these
situations, consumers should
read the product label or
contact the manufacturer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much beef is sold as
Conventional Beef?
According to Cattle-FAX, a
cattle marketing information
service, about 85 percent of all
U.S. beef is Grain-Finished.
Does grain create
digestive or health challenges
for cattle?
All ranchers care about the
health of their cattle and
provide the animals with the
nutrients they need to grow and
be healthy. Cattle feed is
specially designed to meet the
nutrition needs of cattle.
There are at least 17 minerals
that beef cattle need in their
diet, most of which can be found
in forage. Vitamin and mineral
supplements are used for
Grain-Finished Beef as well as
Grass-Finished Beef cattle to
ensure that nutritional needs
are met.
Are antibiotics
and hormones used in
Conventional Beef?
Yes, they are judiciously used.
Antibiotics are primarily used
to treat, control and prevent
disease. Growth promoting
products are approved by the
Food and Drug Administration
based upon rigorous testing
procedures similar to those used
for human drugs.
Is there a
difference in taste between
Conventional Beef and other
types of beef?
The analysis of existing flavor
panel studies show consumers
prefer the overall flavor of
Conventional (or Grain-Finished)
Beef when compared to
Grass-Finished Beef. This
study analysis can be found at:
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/beef/mp80.pdf,
on page 74.
Is Conventional
Beef more likely to be safe?
There is no safety difference in
beef due to different production
methods. No matter the type of
production, U.S. beef is among
the safest beef in the world
thanks to adherence to sound
science, strong government
regulations and enforcement, and
diligence on the part of beef
producers. America’s beef
producers have been leaders in
developing and validating a
majority of the safety
interventions currently in place
throughout the
beef chain.
Sources for Purchasing
Conventional Beef*
The fresh beef in the meat case
of most supermarkets is
Conventional Beef. However,
Grain-Finished Beef is not
specified on the meat label. if
you are specifically looking for
Grain-Finished Beef, ask the
store meat manager for
clarification.
*Sources provided
do not, in any way, reflect an
endorsement by the Cattlemen’s
Beef Board, National Cattlemen’s
Beef Association or the
Washington State Beef
Commission. They are provided
to you as a resource for
additional information and in no
way imply that they are all
encompassing.
|