Not all grass-fed cows are allowed to graze outdoors. But generally speaking, grass-fed cows eat mostly grass, while grain-fed cows eat mostly an unnatural diet based on corn and soy during the latter part of their lives. However, conventionally raised cows are later moved to feedlots and fed mainly grain-based feeds.
What a cow eats can have a major effect on the nutrient composition of the beef. This is particularly evident when it comes to the fatty acid composition. Grass-fed beef usually contains less total fat than grain-fed beef, which means that gram for gram, grass-fed beef contains fewer calories 1.
Monounsaturated fat: Grass-fed beef contains much less monounsaturated fat than grain-fed beef 1. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats: Grass-fed and grain-fed beef contain very similar amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s: This is where grass-fed really makes a major difference, containing up to five times as much omega-3 2.
This fatty acid is associated with a few health benefits 3 , 4. In short, there are some significant differences in the fat amount and composition of grass-fed beef, compared to grain-fed. The cow breed and type of meat cut also have a considerable effect on the fat composition of beef 1. Beef is loaded with vitamin B12, B3 and B6. In fact, meat contains almost every nutrient that people need to survive 5.
It also contains high-quality protein and various lesser known nutrients, such as creatine and carnosine, which are very important for your muscles and brain. As such, and to ensure the consistent supply of beef there are two main farming methods in Australia — grass fed and grain fed.
The breed type, as well as changes in seasons and nutritional value of the pasture, can influence the style and quality of beef produced on grass. All Australian cattle spend the majority of their lives in a pasture fed environment. For an animal to be classified as grass fed it means that they have spent their entire life grazing pastures. Grass fed beef is often said to have a complex, robust flavour and yellowish fat colour. Grain fed beef comes from cattle that have spent part of their lives being fed a ration of grain in order to achieve a more consistent product.
A cattle feedlot is a managed facility where grain fed livestock are provided a balanced and nutritious diet for the purpose of producing beef of a consistent quality. This is in part because grain-finished beef is not necessarily feedlot beef; many small-scale producers focused on artisanal methods of husbandry grain-finish their beef to produce high quality, deliciously marbled steaks, and it is definitely possible to buy grain-finished beef that is locally and sustainably sourced.
Buying grain-finished beef does not necessarily mean purchasing a less ethically produced product. Those who love the earthier, more distinctive flavour of grass-fed beef will likely gravitate toward it, while those who prefer a more traditional beef flavour will probably find that it takes some getting used to. What ultimately matters much more are the overall conditions in which the cow was raised.
All of the evidence points to the fact that these massive operations will need to be discontinued if the world is to move toward a more sustainable model of food production. So what does this mean for the consumer? It means that the first question you should ask about your beef is not whether it is grass-fed or not unless, of course, you absolutely love the flavour of grass-fed , but whether it has been raised locally and in sustainable ways. At truLOCAL, we are proud to source both grass-fed and grain-finished beef from providers who are passionate about sustainable food systems.
One of the many things that set us apart from other meat delivery services is the fact that we are passionate about only sourcing the best. To this end, we have cultivated relationships with dozens of local farming operations in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.
All of the producers we work with share our commitment to ethical production and environmental stewardship, and we provide full transparency via our website about where every product in our meat deliver boxes is coming from.
Whether you are looking for the very best grass-fed beef from in-province farms that go the extra mile to ensure that their animals are raised solely on pasturage, or you want to eat your fill of classic, well-marbled grain-finished cuts of filet mignon , striploin , and ribeye , with truLOCAL , you know you are getting a sustainable, humane, and ethically produced meal.
We launched truLOCAL because we believed that it should be possible for any person in Canada to purchase sustainable local meat and have it delivered straight to their door, no matter where they live. At truLOCAL, we understand that the thing most shoppers want most out of a delivery service, after high-quality product, is flexibility, so even if you do opt for a repeating order, should you ever want to pause it or skip an instalment, we make it easy to do so.
Order your first meal box today, and find out for yourself why so many Canadians are turning to meat delivery services to get the food they want in the most convenient way possible. What's the Beef?
0コメント