interesting video, aging, grass fed, grain fed

[Humptulips]

[300rum]

I watched that the other day too.  I raise grass only cattle, here are a couple of things I thought when I watched it....

It would be nice to know the age difference on the two carcasses.  You will not get a beef to finish on grass on 18 months, you just aren't going to do it.  Give them 24-28 months, (28 being better) and you will have as much intermuscular fat as a grain animal.  You also are not going to get the same results with a common angus bred animal.  You need a smaller animal, around a 1,000lb at full grown in order to get them to finish on grass.  You can't take a 1,400 long legged behemoth, give them grass only and expect to have tender ribeyes with intermuscular fat, not going to happen.  On the rail, my 28 month animal will have the same fat cover as an 18 month grain animal and I will have intermuscular fat in the rib eyes.  My guess, not explained well in the video, is that the breed of animal between the two carcasses was different which is likely the reason between much of the size difference.  The grass animal in the video looked like it needed another few months. 

If you buy a grass animal, just be careful, guys don't want to keep them for a second winter but you have to in order to get a good product, don't buy an 18 month animal.  You will have to pay more but the product is going to be much better.       

[Boss .300 winmag]

I watched that the other day too.  I raise grass only cattle, here are a couple of things I thought when I watched it....

It would be nice to know the age difference on the two carcasses.  You will not get a beef to finish on grass on 18 months, you just aren't going to do it.  Give them 24-28 months, (28 being better) and you will have as much intermuscular fat as a grain animal.  You also are not going to get the same results with a common angus bred animal.  You need a smaller animal, around a 1,000lb at full grown in order to get them to finish on grass.  You can't take a 1,400 long legged behemoth, give them grass only and expect to have tender ribeyes with intermuscular fat, not going to happen.  On the rail, my 28 month animal will have the same fat cover as an 18 month grain animal and I will have intermuscular fat in the rib eyes.  My guess, not explained well in the video, is that the breed of animal between the two carcasses was different which is likely the reason between much of the size difference.  The grass animal in the video looked like it needed another few months. 

If you buy a grass animal, just be careful, guys don't want to keep them for a second winter but you have to in order to get a good product, don't buy an 18 month animal.  You will have to pay more but the product is going to be much better.     

Your last paragraph confusing.

Are you trying to say buy an older grass fed animal to feed yourself, or younger one to fed yourself?

[300rum]

I'm confused too! 

By "feed yourself" do you mean buy one and bring it home and feed it out to finish at your place?

What I am saying is that if you buy a "grass finished animal", one that has only been fed grass, it needs more time, at least two winters to get a good product.   

Your last paragraph confusing.

Are you trying to say buy an older grass fed animal to feed yourself, or younger one to fed yourself?

[Boss .300 winmag]

I'm confused too! 

By "feed yourself" do you mean buy one and bring it home and feed it out to finish at your place?

What I am saying is that if you buy a "grass finished animal", one that has only been fed grass, it needs more time, at least two winters to get a good product.   

Your last paragraph confusing.

Are you trying to say buy an older grass fed animal to feed yourself, or younger one to fed yourself?

I get what you’re saying now. 😉

[Stein]

I've bought several grass fed & finished cows from local ranchers, probably for about 10 years now or a little more.  Some have been organic, most just raised on a pasture with no grain and all killed and butchered by local shops.

I don't think I have had any over 2 years old, once you understand what you are buying it's no big deal.  They will be leaner, smaller and the fat will be more yellow than white.  The meat will be a darker color and taste different and will smell different out of the package and while cooking.  Basically, it is a cow on a natural diet.

I prefer grass fed & finished, to me it's a better flavor and smell for sure.  There is a clear difference and I think they did a decent job showing it from a butcher's perspective.  You won't have a prime marbled cow on grain, no doubt about that.  They are also a small shop, so even the grain finished animals are much different than the big cafo beef operations in Texas.

It's the same thing your grandparents ate when there was only one kind of beef on the market.

[Axle]

Good video. Good info.
I am aware of this stuff.
I love the grass-fed beef.
That's why I hunt for deer and elk. That's why I raise sheep.
I have an agreement with them.
They eat the grass. I eat them after they eat the grass.
It's just that simple.
It saves me from having to eat salads.
Call it a short cut if you want to, but - it is what it is.

[KFhunter]

I watched that the other day too.  I raise grass only cattle, here are a couple of things I thought when I watched it....

It would be nice to know the age difference on the two carcasses.  You will not get a beef to finish on grass on 18 months, you just aren't going to do it.  Give them 24-28 months, (28 being better) and you will have as much intermuscular fat as a grain animal.  You also are not going to get the same results with a common angus bred animal.  You need a smaller animal, around a 1,000lb at full grown in order to get them to finish on grass.  You can't take a 1,400 long legged behemoth, give them grass only and expect to have tender ribeyes with intermuscular fat, not going to happen.  On the rail, my 28 month animal will have the same fat cover as an 18 month grain animal and I will have intermuscular fat in the rib eyes.  My guess, not explained well in the video, is that the breed of animal between the two carcasses was different which is likely the reason between much of the size difference.  The grass animal in the video looked like it needed another few months. 

If you buy a grass animal, just be careful, guys don't want to keep them for a second winter but you have to in order to get a good product, don't buy an 18 month animal.  You will have to pay more but the product is going to be much better.     

I agree, the vid made the point that all things being equal - the grass fed would be smaller, which is true.  You can finish a big animal on grass, but it won't be as nice as a dexter or highlander or galloway even w/o grain.

W grain they're a great carcass too, but the profit margins grow with bigger animals on grain.

The grass fed would need much more time to finish, which is true, and it'll taste different.

We've got to the point we don't even want to finish on grass, customer thinks they want grass due to the hype - then upset its not like a grain fed animal and their wives won't eat it cause its not like safeway beef.

 We'd ask:
"Have you ever had a true grass fed steer?"

If not, then we suggest you do a shorter finish on grain and work into it.  We never did grain to prime carcass either.

That was back then though.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[KFhunter]

Due to price I'm moving to just having a few small animals and butcher at home.

1300lb carcass is hard for me to deal with.


Going with Dexters most likely.  I want docile pets I can scratch, put a halter on, and lead to the kill area. No more half wild range animals that'd soon stomp you as run

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[300rum]

I run Lowline/Aberdeen Angus, I don't know anything about Dexters but I won't ever switch.  They get/stay fat on grass and, If I want to, I can get pregnant cows with calves through winter with Blue Grass Straw while keeping their condition.  Mine are calm, I hold them back with one wire, but I can only pet one of them.  They have enough spunk where they will protect their calves yet safe for the family.

Mainly I sell calves in the spring as it just doesn't cost much to hold them over the winter and I get more for them.  I also get "hobby farmers" who are looking for a smaller breed.  I wean late too, about January and calve in April.  I don't sell finished beef, that's just for my family. 

A lot of people would be surprised if they knew their "grass fed beef" is actually finished on grain.  "Grass Finished" can be a little bit "gamier" but the Aberdeen Angus is so tender, never had a tough one.  This years Heifer I butchered hung at 634 and is very mild tasting. Once you get used to what real beef taste's like, a grain finished steak will taste flavorless.
 

[Axle]

I'm sure everyone noticed how sharp those guys' knives were.
A butcher has the sharpest knives around.
I'm sure they buy the best blades and they know how to sharpen them 
I worked in a slaughterhouse for a bit and I was always impressed with the sharpness they kept on the blades.

[OutHouse]

I used to go to a butcher/shop called Eggers up in Spokane. I recall the guys saying the cuts I bought were only grass fed. They were outstanding. There "cullote" cut (think its just a tri-tip) was so tender not a bit of it cut away or wasted. If it was really was only grass fed beef, it was some of the best I've ever had in my life.

[Geoduck Duck Goose]

I used to go to a butcher/shop called Eggers up in Spokane. I recall the guys saying the cuts I bought were only grass fed. They were outstanding. There "cullote" cut (think its just a tri-tip) was so tender not a bit of it cut away or wasted. If it was really was only grass fed beef, it was some of the best I've ever had in my life.

When done correctly, there's nothing better than a tri-tip in my opinion. Just bursting with that beefy flavor

[Bigshooter]

Something that people need to be reminded of is that fat is flavor.  Intermuscular fat is tenderness and flavor.  If it doesn't have fat I don't want to eat it.

[WSU]

Those were some small beef!  I wonder what breed they were?

I've only raised a handful myself, but I definitely prefer both older and grain fed.  My last one hung just over 900 lbs and was nice and fat.  I much prefer that to the younger, leaner steers I've grown.