Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Grasses, Pastures & Hay
Grass-fed -- a new post
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="edrsimms" data-source="post: 691587" data-attributes="member: 10970"><p>After reading some of the posts on the Grass-fed discussions I thought I would start a new post and try to put the bad information to rest once and for all. A lot of people seem to have a dislike for grass-fed /natural/organic producers and you have to wonder why?</p><p></p><p>Just the mere mention of Grass-fed and someone is immediately posting incorrect jargon like "Gourmet or Specialty Food", as if it was a "NEW IDEA". This assumption cannot be farther from the truth. </p><p>I do look forward to the replies to come, but if you haven't done both grain-fed and grass- fed beef your replies will mean very little to those readers that have. </p><p></p><p>There are so many differences to discuss that it is really difficult to figure out where to begin. After some thought, I think a time line is in order, so that you youngsters (those under 50) will know where it all began. </p><p></p><p>The Grass Fed Era </p><p></p><p>1862-75</p><p>Change from hand power to horses characterizes the first American agricultural revolution</p><p>1868</p><p>Steam tractors are tried out</p><p>1874</p><p>Glidden barbed wire patented; fencing of rangeland ends era of unrestricted, open-range grazing</p><p>1880 </p><p>Western Cattle Boom Begins</p><p>1881</p><p>Hybridized corn produced </p><p>1884-90</p><p>Horse-drawn combine used in Pacific coast wheat areas</p><p>1888</p><p>The first long haul shipment of a refrigerated freight car was made from California to New York</p><p>1890-99</p><p>Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer; 1,845,900 tons</p><p>1890s</p><p>Agriculture becomes increasingly mechanized and commercialized</p><p>1890</p><p>40-50 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat with gang plow, seeder, harrow, binder, thresher, wagons, and horses; 35-40 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 1/2 acres) of corn with 2-bottom gang plow, disk and peg-tooth harrow, and 2-row planter</p><p>1900-09</p><p>Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer 3,738,300 tons</p><p>1900-20</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 6,116,700 tons/year</p><p>Big open-geared gas tractors introduced in areas of extensive farming</p><p>Enclosed gears developed for tractor</p><p>Small prairie-type combine with auxiliary engine introduced</p><p>1920-29</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 6,845,800 tons/year</p><p>1920-40</p><p>Farm production gradually grows from expanded use of mechanized power</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 6,599,913 tons/year</p><p>1930s</p><p>All-purpose, rubber-tired tractor with complementary machinery popularized</p><p>1930</p><p>One farmer supplies, on average, 9.8 in the United States and abroad; 15-20 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 1/2 acres) of corn with 2-bottom gang plow, 7-foot tandem disk, 4-section harrow, 2-row planters, cultivators, and pickers; 15-20 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat with 3-bottom gang plow, tractor, 10-foot tandem disk, harrow, 12-foot combine, and trucks</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 13,590,466 tons/year</p><p>1940</p><p>One farmer supplies 10.7 persons (est.) </p><p>1941-45</p><p>1945-70</p><p>Change from horses to tractors and increasing technological practices characterize the second American agricultural revolution; productivity per acre begins sharp rise</p><p>1945</p><p>10-14 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 acres) of corn with tractor, 3-bottom plow, 10-foot tandem disk, 4-section harrow, 4-row planters and cultivators, and 2-row picker; 42 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (2/5 acre) of lint cotton with 2 mules, 1-row plow, 1-row cultivator, hand hoe, and hand pick</p><p>1950-59</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 22,340,666 tons/year</p><p>1950</p><p>One farmer supplies 15.5 persons (est.) </p><p>1953 </p><p>"Great Cattle Bust" begins, brought on by drought, grasshoppers and fire. Continues until 1957.</p><p>1954</p><p>************Number of tractors on farms exceeds the number horses and mules for the first time</p><p>1955</p><p>6 1/2 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (4 acres) of wheat with tractor, 10- foot plow, 12-foot row weeder, harrow, 14-foot drill, self-propelled combine and trucks.</p><p>Late 1950s</p><p>Anhydrous ammonia increasingly used as cheap source of nitrogen, boosting yields</p><p>1960-69</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 32,373,713 tons/year</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Mass Production of Grain-fed Beef Begins (1967)</p><p></p><p>1960's</p><p></p><p>One farmer supplies 25.8 persons (est.) </p><p>1965</p><p>5 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 2-row stalk cutter, 14-foot disk, 4-row bedder, planter, cultivator, and 2-row harvester</p><p>5 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 12- foot plow, 14-foot drill, 14-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks.</p><p>1967</p><p>Boxed beef is introduced providing more conveniently sized cuts for retailers and butchers</p><p>1960-69</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 32,373,713 tons/year</p><p>1970-79</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 43,643,700 tons/year</p><p>1970s</p><p>No-tillage agriculture popularized</p><p>1970</p><p>One farmer supplies 47.7 persons (est.) </p><p>1970</p><p>Earth Day is celebrated for the first time</p><p>1971</p><p>The Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association is organized</p><p>1973</p><p>Fifty farmers organize California Certified Organic Farmers</p><p>1975</p><p>2-3 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 2-row stalk cutter, 20-foot disk, 4-row bedder and planter, 4-row cultivator with herbicide applicator, and 2-row harvester</p><p>3-3/4 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 30-foot sweep disk, 27-foot drill, 22-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks; 3-1/3 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (1 1/8 acres) of corn with tractor, 5-bottom plow, 20-foot tandem disk, planter, 20-foot herbicide applicator, 12-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks</p><p>1980-89</p><p>Commercial fertilizer use: 47,411,166 tons/year</p><p>1980s</p><p>More farmers use no-till or low-till methods to curb erosion</p><p>1980</p><p>One farmer supplies 75.7 persons (est.) </p><p>1987</p><p>1-1/2 to 2 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 4-row stalk cutter, 20-foot disk, 6-row bedder and planter, 6-row cultivator with herbicide applicator, and 4-row harvester</p><p>3 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 35-foot sweep disk, 30-foot drill, 25-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks; 2-3/4 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (1 1/8 acres) of corn with tractor, 5-bottom plow, 20-foot tandem disk, planter, 20-foot herbicide applicator, 12-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks</p><p>1989</p><p>After several slow years, the sale of farm equipment rebounds; more farmers begin to use low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA) techniques to reduce chemical applications</p><p>1990</p><p>One farmer supplies 100 persons (est.) </p><p>1990s to Present</p><p>Information technology and precision techniques increasingly used in agriculture</p><p>1994</p><p>Farmers begin using satellite technology to track and plan their farming practices. The user of conservation tillage methods, which leave crop residues in the field to combat erosion, continues to rise. FDA grants first approval for a whole food produced through biotechnology, the FLAVRSAVR™ tomato. Farm Bureau celebrates its 75th anniversary. U.S. Congress approves General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), helping liberalize world trade</p><p>1997</p><p>The first weed and insect—resistant biotech crops-soybeans and cotton—are available commercially</p><p>2000</p><p>USDA unveils organic standards and official organic seal</p><p></p><p>Since the term grass-fed seems to get most grain-fed enthusiasts down, I think we can possibly re-name those producers that are grass-fed to "Traditional Ranchers" and Grain-fed producers to Non-traditional Ranchers or Johnny Come-lately, whichever you prefer.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="edrsimms, post: 691587, member: 10970"] After reading some of the posts on the Grass-fed discussions I thought I would start a new post and try to put the bad information to rest once and for all. A lot of people seem to have a dislike for grass-fed /natural/organic producers and you have to wonder why? Just the mere mention of Grass-fed and someone is immediately posting incorrect jargon like “Gourmet or Specialty Food”, as if it was a “NEW IDEA”. This assumption cannot be farther from the truth. I do look forward to the replies to come, but if you haven’t done both grain-fed and grass- fed beef your replies will mean very little to those readers that have. There are so many differences to discuss that it is really difficult to figure out where to begin. After some thought, I think a time line is in order, so that you youngsters (those under 50) will know where it all began. The Grass Fed Era 1862-75 Change from hand power to horses characterizes the first American agricultural revolution 1868 Steam tractors are tried out 1874 Glidden barbed wire patented; fencing of rangeland ends era of unrestricted, open-range grazing 1880 Western Cattle Boom Begins 1881 Hybridized corn produced 1884-90 Horse-drawn combine used in Pacific coast wheat areas 1888 The first long haul shipment of a refrigerated freight car was made from California to New York 1890-99 Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer; 1,845,900 tons 1890s Agriculture becomes increasingly mechanized and commercialized 1890 40-50 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat with gang plow, seeder, harrow, binder, thresher, wagons, and horses; 35-40 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 1/2 acres) of corn with 2-bottom gang plow, disk and peg-tooth harrow, and 2-row planter 1900-09 Average annual consumption of commercial fertilizer 3,738,300 tons 1900-20 Commercial fertilizer use: 6,116,700 tons/year Big open-geared gas tractors introduced in areas of extensive farming Enclosed gears developed for tractor Small prairie-type combine with auxiliary engine introduced 1920-29 Commercial fertilizer use: 6,845,800 tons/year 1920-40 Farm production gradually grows from expanded use of mechanized power Commercial fertilizer use: 6,599,913 tons/year 1930s All-purpose, rubber-tired tractor with complementary machinery popularized 1930 One farmer supplies, on average, 9.8 in the United States and abroad; 15-20 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 1/2 acres) of corn with 2-bottom gang plow, 7-foot tandem disk, 4-section harrow, 2-row planters, cultivators, and pickers; 15-20 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (5 acres) of wheat with 3-bottom gang plow, tractor, 10-foot tandem disk, harrow, 12-foot combine, and trucks Commercial fertilizer use: 13,590,466 tons/year 1940 One farmer supplies 10.7 persons (est.) 1941-45 1945-70 Change from horses to tractors and increasing technological practices characterize the second American agricultural revolution; productivity per acre begins sharp rise 1945 10-14 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (2 acres) of corn with tractor, 3-bottom plow, 10-foot tandem disk, 4-section harrow, 4-row planters and cultivators, and 2-row picker; 42 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (2/5 acre) of lint cotton with 2 mules, 1-row plow, 1-row cultivator, hand hoe, and hand pick 1950-59 Commercial fertilizer use: 22,340,666 tons/year 1950 One farmer supplies 15.5 persons (est.) 1953 “Great Cattle Bust” begins, brought on by drought, grasshoppers and fire. Continues until 1957. 1954 ************Number of tractors on farms exceeds the number horses and mules for the first time 1955 6 1/2 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (4 acres) of wheat with tractor, 10- foot plow, 12-foot row weeder, harrow, 14-foot drill, self-propelled combine and trucks. Late 1950s Anhydrous ammonia increasingly used as cheap source of nitrogen, boosting yields 1960-69 Commercial fertilizer use: 32,373,713 tons/year Mass Production of Grain-fed Beef Begins (1967) 1960’s One farmer supplies 25.8 persons (est.) 1965 5 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 2-row stalk cutter, 14-foot disk, 4-row bedder, planter, cultivator, and 2-row harvester 5 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 12- foot plow, 14-foot drill, 14-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks. 1967 Boxed beef is introduced providing more conveniently sized cuts for retailers and butchers 1960-69 Commercial fertilizer use: 32,373,713 tons/year 1970-79 Commercial fertilizer use: 43,643,700 tons/year 1970s No-tillage agriculture popularized 1970 One farmer supplies 47.7 persons (est.) 1970 Earth Day is celebrated for the first time 1971 The Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association is organized 1973 Fifty farmers organize California Certified Organic Farmers 1975 2-3 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 2-row stalk cutter, 20-foot disk, 4-row bedder and planter, 4-row cultivator with herbicide applicator, and 2-row harvester 3-3/4 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 30-foot sweep disk, 27-foot drill, 22-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks; 3-1/3 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (1 1/8 acres) of corn with tractor, 5-bottom plow, 20-foot tandem disk, planter, 20-foot herbicide applicator, 12-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks 1980-89 Commercial fertilizer use: 47,411,166 tons/year 1980s More farmers use no-till or low-till methods to curb erosion 1980 One farmer supplies 75.7 persons (est.) 1987 1-1/2 to 2 labor-hours required to produce 100 pounds (1/5 acre) of lint cotton with tractor, 4-row stalk cutter, 20-foot disk, 6-row bedder and planter, 6-row cultivator with herbicide applicator, and 4-row harvester 3 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (3 acres) of wheat with tractor, 35-foot sweep disk, 30-foot drill, 25-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks; 2-3/4 labor-hours required to produce 100 bushels (1 1/8 acres) of corn with tractor, 5-bottom plow, 20-foot tandem disk, planter, 20-foot herbicide applicator, 12-foot self-propelled combine, and trucks 1989 After several slow years, the sale of farm equipment rebounds; more farmers begin to use low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA) techniques to reduce chemical applications 1990 One farmer supplies 100 persons (est.) 1990s to Present Information technology and precision techniques increasingly used in agriculture 1994 Farmers begin using satellite technology to track and plan their farming practices. The user of conservation tillage methods, which leave crop residues in the field to combat erosion, continues to rise. FDA grants first approval for a whole food produced through biotechnology, the FLAVRSAVR™ tomato. Farm Bureau celebrates its 75th anniversary. U.S. Congress approves General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), helping liberalize world trade 1997 The first weed and insect—resistant biotech crops-soybeans and cotton—are available commercially 2000 USDA unveils organic standards and official organic seal Since the term grass-fed seems to get most grain-fed enthusiasts down, I think we can possibly re-name those producers that are grass-fed to “Traditional Ranchers” and Grain-fed producers to Non-traditional Ranchers or Johnny Come-lately, whichever you prefer. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Grasses, Pastures & Hay
Grass-fed -- a new post
Top