corn feed vrs grass fed

[pike]

beef, there is a difference in corn fed cattle to grass fed, but how could it be decribed as?

 

[waysideranch]

Grass fed have less fat. Good for the heart. Corn fed has fat. Corn fed rules. Plain and simple.

 

[waysideranch]

Isn't somebody gonna back me up here. Mulepackin, where u at? I'm sure someone else here has some cattle??

 

[rbranstner]

I like it all!

 

[cowgirl]

I'll back you up. I prefer a bit of marbling in my beef.

 

[cowgirl]

I agree Scott... I raise them on grass but grain them out at the end...

 

[hog warden]

Cowgirl? They named her right.

Corn fed, especially if they are dry lotted about 30 days before "the knife" will result in more inter and intra muscular marbling.....aka, fat. White fat. That means a tender, juicy, flavorful piece of meat. The difference between good, choice and prime is tied to the degree of marbling. That comes from how its fed, but also the age and genetics of the animal eating it. Certain beef breeds do better than others. Dairy breeds don't put on much fat.

Grass fed is portrayed as being more healthy, as the fat content is lower. So take out the tender, juicy and flavorful and it's basically the same. It's also cheaper to produce, as they are eating grass vs. grain, which right now is sky high expensive relative to where its been for the last 100 years.

 

[cowgirl]

Hog Warden you'll never guess what I had the other day...

A friend butchered one of his corriente roping steers. It needs added moisture for cooking but it was danged tasty. lol

The corriente jerky was wonderful!

 

[pike]

corn fed beef is very good but what breed of cattle do you consider as the best tho?

 

[cowgirl]

I like piedmontese... I raise black angus because it brings in the money right now... red angus is good too (according to my neighbor)
Good old hereford is tasty too.
In my opinion it's how it was raised that counts, there are a lot of good meat breeds.

 

[mballi3011]

Igat alot of my meat from sams and restuarant depot and I like it. It taste really good to me. I have know idea what it raised on and I guess I should be more dilagrent about the things I put into my mouth but I'm not.

 

[pike]

hello Cowgirl, sent you a pm

i put black angus (TX longhorn) on that list and there grass fed but that brings into play that there different from cattle say here in IOWA. wonder what a corn fed black angus would be like.

 

[waysideranch]

Agreed. I prefer a Hereford Ribeye if i have a choice. I was slow in school too.

 

[hog warden]

Maybe the ropes and throwing them down tenderized him like a meat mallet?

Pike: Unless you are shopping on the hoof, most beef is going to be generic. Choice or Prime are the key buzz words. The Angus folks have done a good job of marketing their breed, and that's a good place to start, but that means less to me than the actual piece of meat.

Beyond breed, how it's handled after the kill matters a lot. You could split a steer in half and hang one side up and age it and cut the other up the same day and you would certainly notice the difference. Most commercial beef has not been aged enough.

 

[lu1847]

Corn fed Jersey steer mmm mmm!

 

[waysideranch]

Thats the way to do it. I encourage you all to go the your local fair and buy an animal. These things are grain-fed and live the "Life of Riley". You won't be disappointed. It is unreal beef. We purchase a steer from a local exhibitor every year. The best beef you can find and you know it came from a local farm. Its worth it. And hell you get a ribbon to hang stating you were a "Buyer".

 

[pike]

LOL i was just thinking the same thing with the tenderizing

I'm talking about taste vrs the cattle's feed, i get alot of my meat from the local meat locker and it is corn fed.

 

[cowgirl]

Hereford is danged tasty in my book too. :)

I completely agree... the black angus breeders have done well at getting a demand for their beef. To me Black Angus is like the "flavor of the month" ... it's what sells and brings me the most money right now. It IS tasty but so are other breeds.
In a year it could be Red Angus or something else.



I bet that was tasty too!

I know longhorns and longhorn crosses sound exotic..... but give me a beef breed to eat. The beef breeds replaced longhorns for a reason. (my opinion)

 

[cowgirl]

Scott... great suggestion!! You get the best tasting beef and help the kids out at the same time.

 

[hog warden]

Outstanding idea! If you have ever been to one of these Fair sales and see the deep pocket buyers go after the Grand Champion....and see the big prices paid.......then stick around for the steers that just as good, but raised by some kid from the sticks that nobody knows...and see that go for less than market price......let alone any premium, you will do yourself and that kid a huge favor. You might just change a worthy boy or girl's day from tears to grins.

A side is about enough for a family of four, so use that as a guide and if need be, split the cost with another family. Most fairs have already made arrangements with a meat processor, so you know it will be taken care of right. You get to pick how the meat is cut and packaged.

As for timing, most Fair sales will be in late June, early July, before the State Fairs in late July and early August.