The first thing people notice about grass-fed beef is usually the price and the fact that it is significantly more expensive than grain-fed beef. But most people do not understand the reasons for this higher price and subsequently don’t understand why it is worth the extra dollars- So let us explain!
The main reason for the increased price is the producer’s profit margin. It takes farmers a lot longer to get a grass-fed animal to reach slaughter weight than it would a conventionally-fed one. Here at TX-Bar we do not use antibiotics, hormones on our cattle, which enables us to produce higher quality beef. We also don’t use feedlots to fatten up our cattle, so it takes our herds longer to reach slaughter weight, resulting in a slightly higher price, which is justified through the quality of our beef!
There are many health and environmental benefits to grass-fed beef that many people don’t know about- keep reading to find out more!
Health
In a nutshell, grass-fed beef has less fat and more vitamins per cut of meat. There is also less disease as the cattle are not treated with antibiotics or hormones. There are significantly less calories in a piece of grass-fed beef in comparison to conventionally raised animals (who are fed corn and grain, which makes them gain more weight, resulting in a fattier piece of beef). Grass-fed beef also contains more Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)- a healthy fat that encourages the body to burn fat for fuel instead of instead of storing it as muscle. If you would like more information about the health benefits of grass-fed beef check out our blog about the nutrients in grass-fed beef, which has plenty of information about why grass-fed beef is worth it!
More humane & Environmentally friendly
Some people think that cows are a large contributing factor to climate change due to the methane gas they produce- which is true to an extent, however, studies have shown that well managed grazing systems have a positive impact on the environment, through the reduction of soil carbon levels. Our animals have room to graze freely on our land, which helps to improve our overall land-use and soil health. This not only helps us to reduce our carbon footprint, but it is more humane for our cattle. It is more natural for a cow to graze freely, compared to being locked into an enclosed pen with limited space. This means our cows are happier and not under stress- which benefits you, the consumer, as the meat produced is of a higher quality!
If you still aren’t convinced or have any questions, you can contact us on (530) 949-4241 or send us an email at txbargrassfed@gmail.com.
