Why Grassfed is Better
Cattle raised on a forage-only diet is cattle the way nature intended. Corn and other commercial feeds used to fatten cattle are not the natural diet of herbivores. Cattle that are fed anything other than grass or hay are not getting the proper nutrition needed for their optimum health. Corn and other feeds are a faster, cheaper way of adding weight with the end result of better profits. Beef cattle are sold by the pound, so the heavier thay are, the bigger the profit. It's also common for beef cattle to have hormones implanted to speed growth; these practices result in increased used of antibiotics to avoid illness resulting from these conditions.
Health benefits of grass fed beef go beyond avoiding hormones and antibiotics. Grass fed beef has high amounts of Omega 3 fats. We need Omega 3s for brain health and many other vital functions. Humans cannot produce Omega 3s (as can animals) and must obtain them from food; the typical American diet is dangerously low in Omega 3. A lack of these good fats is attributed to many of the health problems plaguing Americans, including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cancer and heart disease. The level of Omega 3s drops dramatically in cattle that are not fed forage-only diets, and the level of Omega 6s rise to levels that are considered unhealthy. Grass fed beef is also a source of CLAs, which is linked to reducing the risk of diabetes, obesity and immune disorders. Cattle fed grains or other diets do not have the proper, healthy digestive functions, and this is where ecoli and mad cow disease start. A study done at Cornell University showed the ration of ecoli in grain fed cattle to grass fed cattle to be 315 to 1. For more information on the safety of your food, visit www.eatwild.com/foodsafety.html. Chart below credited to J Anim Sci 71(8): 2079-88.
Although grassfed beef is high in Omega 3s, it is overall very low in fat. This graph illustrates the fat content of grassfed beef compared to grain-fed beef and skinless chicken. Taken from Fukumoto, G. K., Y.S. Kim, D. Oduda, H. Ako (1995). "Chemical composition and shear force requirement of loin eye muscle of young, forage-fed steers." Research Extension Series 161: 1-5. Koizumi, I., Y. Suzuki, et al. (1991). "Studies on the fatty acid composition of intramuscular lipids of cattle, pigs and birds." J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 37(6): 545-54.
Grassfed meats benefit your health, the animals, & the environment. For a great place to look for more info, check out: www.eatwild.com/basics.html
Poplin Farms All Natural Grassfed Beef
What makes our beef different?
No Grain
No Antibiotics
No Added Hormones
Labels are vague, and there's little regulation. It's up to you to find out where your food comes from.
What does grassfed mean?
What is grass finished?
What does organic mean?
Ask questions.
Where do the animals live? Is the meat you eat from livestock that are confined to sheds or corrals with occasional access to pasture?
What are they fed? Are the animals fed grain, by-products or other weight gain supplements in addition to forage, or is their diet forage only?
Are the animals treated with care?
Nature intended cows to consume forage (grasses and other natural vegetation) as the mainstay of their diet. Common sense aside, studies have actually been done to prove this is the healthiest diet for them, resulting in overall health and disease prevention. This in turn produces the healthiest and most nutritious beef. We raise our beef on 100% grass pasture, hay and grass or alfalfa silage, and use rotational grazing and seasonal forages. We don't feed ANY grain or use hormone implants to increase weight gain. They have free choice access to fresh water, minerals and salt. They are rotationally grazed for the best quality forage.
Steers raised for our grass fed program are born and bred on our farm, so you know their history. They're humanely treated and never confined to a feedlot. We don't use hormones or antibiotics.
Our beef is processed at a USDA certified plant and dry aged for tenderness and flavor. It's then packaged and flash frozen, which protects freshness.
Poplin Farms is a member of the American Grass Fed Association and we are Animal Welfare Approved.
We sell beef by the cut, half side, whole side, or as a weekly subscription. Click here for prices.
Bruiser, one of our 2 registered Angus bulls.
He carries traits for calving ease.
