mike richardson wrote:
> This is the problem though. Have you ever eaten grass
> fed beef, compared to grain fed (finished) beef? I have. As long as
> American consumers eat beef, and there is no shortage, they will demand
> grain fed. Through personal experience I know that it usually takes a
> minimum of 60 days on grain (90 is better) for steers to develop the
> necessary marbling for a good tasting, easy cutting steak.
The flavor of meat is strongly affected by numerous variables, as noted by
another respondant. What has historically been called "grass-fed" was
actually much older, and grazed on much tougher "grass" than what is common in
todays MiG operations. This has been discussed at length on another
listserver, GRAZE-L, which is archived and accessible even if you are not on
the list. I don't think that concerns about off-flavors in meat need to
distract the discussion from the central point - namely, that grain-fed is
only one way to produce a highly desireable product.
Might add that rations heavy in grain are actually harmful to livestock, as I
learned to my peril last year when I bought a load of Holstein bull calves for
grazing. The calves had been on a "tenderlean" program (Ontario), which means
largely grain. According to the vet, who treated them for me, this does
damage to the liver, which manifests itself in various ways. In one calf, it
was photosensitization. Not a pleasant sight. Grain-finishing of ruminant
animals has a lot of implications, not all of which may be obvious to
consumers - yet. Ann
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