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Industry Information
Grass-Finished Beef
What It Is
Grass-Finished Beef comes from
animals that have been
pasture-fed throughout their
lives. By far, the majority of
Grass-Finished Beef marketed in
the
U.S. is imported from Australia
and New Zealand where grass is
in greater abundance than feed
corn and can be grown
year-round. The beef industries
in these two countries are
considerably smaller than the
U.S. beef industry. A small
number of producers in
North America finish cattle
on grass in areas of the country
where the growing season makes
this possible.
Grass-Finished Beef is not
necessarily Certified Organic
Beef. (See Certified Organic
Beef fact sheet for definition
of organic beef.)
Grass-Finished cattle may be
given FDA-approved antibiotics
and/or hormones. The
Grass-Finished Beef market aims
to satisfy consumers who prefer
the concept of cattle grazing
through the final stage of
production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Grass-Finished Beef leaner
than Grain-Finished?
The question of Grass-Finished
versus Grain-Finished Beef
usually centers around flavor
and not how lean the beef is.
There are 19 cuts of beef that
meet the government labeling
guidelines for lean, including
Top Sirloin Steak, Top Loin
(Strip) Steak, Flank Steak,
Ribeye Steak, Tenderloin Steak
and T-Bone Steak.
Grass-Finished Beef tends to
grade “Select” (slight
intramuscular fat marbling),
giving it the same lean profile
as Conventional Beef graded
“Select.”
Is Grass-Finished Beef more
nutritious than Conventional
Beef?
All beef is a good source of
essential nutrients. There is
some discussion over Conjugated
Linoleic Acid (CLA) and omega-3
polyunsaturated fatty acids in
Grass-Finished Beef. All types
of beef contain CLA which,
research indicates, has
cancer-fighting properties.
Grass-Finished Beef, on average,
can contain as much as double
the amount of CLA that is found
in other types of beef.
However, research has not yet
shown how much CLA in the diet
is optimal to achieve health
benefits. In addition, a 3.5
ounce serving of Grass-Finished
Beef offers 15 milligrams (less
than one tenth of a gram) more
omega-3 than the same serving of
Grain-Finished or Conventional
Beef. Beef, however, is not a
primary source of omega-3 fatty
acids.
Is grass finishing more
environmentally friendly?
Raising cattle for any type of
beef product presents
environmental benefits and
challenges. It is often
incorrectly stated that
Grass-Finished Beef is more
beneficial to the environment.
While properly managed grazing
can produce healthy grasslands,
forage-consuming steers produce
more waste than Grain-Finished
steers. Waste from all cattle
can be beneficial when
appropriately managed and
applied to the land
as fertilizer.
Does Grass-Finished Beef taste
different?
Many people may not be familiar
with the taste of Grass-Finished
Beef since it is only a small
percentage of beef production.
Grass-Finished Beef has a
distinctively different taste,
sometimes described as a taste
like game meat. Research
conducted at the University of
Nebraska, Lincoln in 2003 concluded
that Grass-Finished cattle
produce beef that is less tender
than beef from Grain-Finished
cattle. In addition, the
analysis of existing flavor
panel studies also show the
overall flavor of Grain-Finished
Beef as more desirable to
consumers than Grass-Finished.
(http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/beef/mp80.pdf,
on page 74)
Is Grass-Finished Beef safer
than Grain-Finished Beef?
There is no safety difference in
beef due to different production
methods. No matter the type of
production, U.S. beef remains
the safest in the world thanks
to adherence to sound science,
strong government regulations
and enforcement, and diligence
on the part of beef producers.
A United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) study of
range beef calves showed that
exposure to E.coli
0157:H7 is prevalent in range
cattle and is not a function of
the feed yard environments.
Sources for Purchasing
Grass-Fed Beef*
Grass-Finished Beef is not
required to be labeled. For
specific information, ask your
local supermarket's meat
manager.
*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.
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