Grain Fed - All Bad? All the Time?
There are studies of meat chemistry which reliably conclude that conjugated lineolic acid and omega 3 fatty acids are annihilated by the steady and unrelenting corn and grain diet provided to cattle in industrial confinement feed lots. USDA even uses the presence of CLA's in a carcass to examine claims that the animal was "grass fed".
It appears as well that the balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids is also disrupted by confinement feeding of grain. The combination of events stemming from feeding only grain to confined animals leads to a less healthy food for humans.
CLA and omega 3 acids have been found to correlate with better health. The anti-oxidant content and the balance of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids of grass fed beef is much higher than confined, purely grain fed beef.
According to Northwestern University "...meat from animals raised in feedlots often contain more total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. Products from grain-fed animals also contain less vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids." http://www.nwhealth.edu/healthyu/eatWell/grassfed.html
Great grandad Robert Strawn ate beef from the Ranch every night until his death just short of 103 years of age. It was all totally forage fed. Not scientific proof that our beef will give you a long life (he exercised daily, and never smoked, drank coffee, tea or alchohol either - didn't have as much fun as some of the other relatives who only made it to 100 or so) but to be considered.
But questions remain. The studies have so far measured only extremes. Nothing but grass and forage in the months before harvest of the animal, vs. nothing but grains. What about animals supplemented with grain to no more than 20% of their total intake (the balance being grass and forage, and not hay), and animals that had been fed grain free choice -- meaning they could eat what they wanted of it, but had adequate pasture at their disposal as well? And what about cattle fed grain in the growing months (up to about 12 months after weaning) then placed entirely on forage?
And, there is the question of flavor. We believe steaks from forage fed and totally grass fed steers are readily distinguished from grain fed beef.. Many of us (the Ranch's Oldest Person is in this group) like them both. Sometimes there is no substitute for "steakhouse" flavor of the grain fed animal. If you could feed just enough grain to get the flavor, but not so much as to alter the CLA and Omega 3 and 6 balances, well . . .
Medical and Chiropractic professionals have opined to me that a dramatic change in diet will result in dramatic changes in physiology. The change should be evident after sixty to ninety days on the new diet. They think that an animal offered free-choice grain is quite likely to enjoy the health benefits of totally forage-fed animals. They believe that the animal will ingest a diet suitable to its needs, if a variety of consumables is available to them.
Our processor says that any animal that has been off grain, or on free choice for more than sixty days is "grass fed" as far as honesty in labeling is concerned. USDA regulations disagree, and limit a marketing claim that an animal is "grass fed" severely.
We want to conduct a controlled study to determine whether free choice and totally forage fed animals differ in CLA and Omega 3 and 6 dimensions.
If you have some ideas about this research, please contact us at Deep Creek Ranch.
