Kelsey Burkett
Biology period 7.
As a farm girl, we raise various types of animals. We have pigs, horses, cows, and even elk. From time to time, we change our feeding routines for each animals. The pigs we usually show at the county fair, however the horses, cows, and especially elk are only for fun. When we first started raising pigs, we used chop. Chop is a ground up version of corn. We then switched to pellets, these were tiny pretzels like nutrition we feed our pigs. The pellets were similar to grains. We also feed the elk on pellets, but they still had access to grass if they wanted it. I wondered if this only affected pigs and elk, or if it was common in another animals, perhaps beef? I had been requested to do a research project in biology class. I always thought that grass-fed beef and grain/corn fed beef were very similar. I took this opportunity to discover what i wondered. I have researched this topic, and i truely believe that grass-fed beef is much healthier for not only the animal, but the consumers, when being compared to grain/corn fed beef.
In the following article http://www.luciesfarm.com/artman/publish/article_85.php, the author, Craig W. Walsh states the obvious. The food markets are at a high demand for meats. This is to please the consumer or customer, you. In the article it states specifically that corn fed beef are useful because they can gain weight quicker. Now the key to making a profit of course, is to be quick and make more money than you purchased the sold item for. If the beef producer can grow an adult cow quicker, they will. It will increase their profits and be able to make the next sale even closer. Grain has the same affects too. The reason many producers of cattle rely on grains and corn to feed their animals, is that it is a feed that will make the cattle grow faster. It means less to care for and more money in the bank. However, what they fail to realize the differences. Grass-fed cattle have about 1/2 to 1/3 the amount of fat a grain/corn fed cattle does. Although the growth rate is slower, it isn’t by much. Even if the grass-fed cattle have a slower rate of growth, the quaulity of meat is at a much higher status than that of the grain/corn fed cattle.
Although Craig W. Walsh is not the only person to be aware of these concerns. In the article “Why you should care what cows eat.” (http://www.askahealer.com/grain-fed-beef.htm), the author gives some very good points on the food issues provided. Not only does this diet affect the cattle, but also the consumer. In the article it states the fact that, perhaps that it is not healthy for cattle to eat corn because it causes issues such as gas and bloating. This is due to the fact that the balance between the fatty acids has been changed. Grain feed beef has more saturated fats than grass-fed beef too. This is not a good thing, because saturated fat has been linked to heart disease development. Conjugated Lionleic acid is also a factor to be aware of. CLA reduces body fat, and has a high amount of vitamin A and E. The following link, http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/grass-fed-beef-vs-organic-beef.asp, a chart has been provided so you can see more comparisons between the two types of feed. This should cause a spark of interest in the consumer, you.
Another cattle producer and researcher Paul McCaughey, has mentioned in the following article http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/beef/index2.html, that grass is also easier for a cow to “stomach”. By this, we mean that grass is easier for the cow to digest. Grain has been know to increase stomach acids in the cows too. Stomach acid increasing in a cows stomach can lead to E-coile, not a good thing. Paul also clearly states my first theory of why grain is even being feed. He states, “Grass may be better for beef, but barley and corn get them to market sooner and cheaper.” Proveing that grain is only a safe way to quickly fill the markets food demands. He also says, “We have cheap grain in this country. And as long as we have cheap grain, that’s how cattle are going to be fed.”
There are many more facts I could present to you on this topic however I am convinced that grass-fed cattle are the way to go. Not only for the cattle themselves, but you the consumer. Grass-fed cattle are healthier all around from lower heart disease to low body fats. Grass is easier on the cows stomach and I am sure God put it there for a reason. Grain-fed cattle are only trying to quickly fill the food market with the given timeline. Grass-fed cattle are better for both worlds.
