Frequently Asked Questions
Isn't All Beef Grassfed?
The term grassfed
beef can be confusing to some, after all most cattle enjoy
grass as part of their diet during their lifespan. However,
this does not make them grassfed. Conventional cattle start
receiving grain just a few months after birth and spend the
last 90 to 120 days at a feedlot where they have no access
to grass at all. Although cattle from "natural' or organic
beef producers may stay on pasture their entire lives, most
are still supplemented with grain. True grassfed beef
consume no grain at all. Why is this distinction so
important? Because all of the wonderful health benefits of
a grass diet diminish as soon as grain is added, even just a
little grain. If the "natural" or organic beef you are
buying isn't 100% grassfed, then you are missing out on
more than just antibiotics and growth hormones.
What does Grassfed Beef taste like?
Grassfed beef tastes like beef - rich flavorful beef.
Thanks to industrial agriculture, most of our meat products
are becoming generic in taste. And why shouldn't they be,
the cows eat the same thing as the chickens and the chickens
eat the same thing as the pigs, you get the idea. In
contrast, grassfed beef production has been compared to the
wine industry. Just as the wine from each vineyard has
subtle and unique characteristics, so should the beef from
different grassfarms.
Where is the beef I purchase coming
from and who produced it?
What was the cattle fed and how was it treated? If you
have bought your beef from anywhere other than a local
farmer, than you will really never know the answers to
either of these questions. Traditional super markets
haven't a clue as to the origin of the meat they sell and
even natural food stores will tell you their grass fed beef
comes from South America. Other "natural or organic beef"
companies may sell their beef under their own label, but
many outsource the production to other ranchers.
Future
regulations requiring cattle IDs will help with tracking the
source of food contamination, but little else. When you get
right down to it, labels, certifications and animal IDs may
help. But if you want to really know about the beef your
buying, you need to know the farmer. Baucom's Best 100%
Grassfed Beef is raised exclusively on our farm. We are
responsible for the care of our cattle their entire lives.
We invite you to come visit our farm. Just call and let us
know when you are coming or sign up to attend one of our
Farm Tour Days.
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