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Old 11-26-2014, 01:15 PM   #17
Tron_fdc
In Your MCP
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Watching Hot Dog Hans
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My old man has been running organic/grass fed/grass finished beef for the last 20 years. He recently sold out to the Hutterites so we don't get into it anymore, but here's my info on it.

What exactly are you looking for? Grass fed and "organic" can mean 2 totally different things. Same with "grass finished" or "grass fed/grain finished".

It will be tough to get organic grass fed and finished beef. Reason being is most operations send their cattle to a feedlot before they are slaughtered to "fatten" them and increase yield (more weight=more money). They do this with grain, which is tough for a ruminant to digest, which also in turn marbles the beef and creates a better grade. However, the longer your cattle are in a feedlot eating grain, the lower the omega-3 content is in the meat, which is what people are after with "grass fed".

"Organic" is a term owned by the Canadian government that allows for a set amount of pesticides/hormones/steroids/antibiotics in the feed. Yes, it is better than generic beef, but IMO not much better (for the cost) compared to a AAA grade you can find at Costco. Being certified organic DOES NOT mean no additives to the beef.

Grass fed/Grass finished will have the highest amount of Omega 3's and will be the most nutritious you can find, but the problem with it is it does not have the fat content (no grain) and therefore is hard to grade to AAA. If you do grade that high be prepared to pay a lot of money for a side, as the yield is lower (meaning it costs more money to produce). It will also taste different (more gamey) so if you haven't had it I suggest you try it before you commit to a freezer full of meat you don't like.

There is a lot of info on the net and a few places that still offer it, but it isn't cheap. Just know what you are after before you buy it.
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