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The Advantages of Grain-Fed Cattle

Grain-fed beef offers a variety of benefits from taste to health to more efficient cattle management. A study in 2010 conducted by Stephen Smith Ph.D., a Texas AgriLife Research meat scientist, states grain-fed beef is a healthier choice of meat. Grain-fed beef allows farmers to provide consistent amounts of feed versus grass-fed beef, which depends on mother nature to produce consistent amounts of forage. The ability to maintain healthy diets increases the growth rate for beef cattle, resulting in a faster turnaround. The fast turnaround helps maintain a large supply of meat, lowering the cost.

  1. Health

    • Grain-fed beef has been proven to produce higher amounts of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle diameters and lower amounts of insulin, according to the study by Texas AgriLife Research. The research shows grain-fed beef is an equally healthy source of protein compared to grass-fed. Results from the study show the large amount of fat marbling present in grain-fed beef to be low in unhealthy saturated and trans-fats and high in monounsaturated fats.

    Flavor

    • Grain-fed beef produces a more palatable meat that is both tender and flavorful. Cattle fed grain consume higher amounts of starch, which affects the percentage of fat opposite the rib eye as well as marbling. Marbling is the finely dispersed fat particles that melts into the meat during cooking, giving more flavor to the cut. Marbling also keeps the meat moist during cooking, resulting in a more tender textured cut.

    Cattle Nutrition

    • Cattle are ruminant animals that digest their food through four stomach compartments. One of the four stomach compartments---rumen---contains microorganisms that utilize energy and protein from feed. Microorganisms specialize in breaking down cellulose found in forages and starches found in grain. Proper digestion depends on high amounts of microbial activity in the rumen. The microbial activity can be maintained by feeding a properly balanced amount of grass and grain.

    Economics

    • Feeding grain allows cattle to consume a consistent diet.

      Feeding grain allows you to maintain a consistent diet for your cattle. After the corn is harvested, it can be stored and fed in moderation throughout the year. Managing the amount of feed fed to cattle lowers health risks and aids in proper growth. Grain is high in energy, which helps cattle to fatten at a faster rate than grass-fed beef. The fast turnaround rate lowers costs and aids in economic flow.

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