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Jogeephus

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In your area, how long does it normally take for a calf that's been feeding at the bunk to be removed and considered grass-fed?
 
There's no guidelines on that kind of stuff. Grassfed to me and remember I sell boxed beef means it was FINISHED on grass.

If you have a 9 or 10 month old calf that you want to sell as grass finished take him off the grain and stick him in the pasture till he's actually finished. Which should still be several months on grass.
 
well to me it is like all other aspects of life.....

figures don't lie but liars figure....

to me....and I tend to be a purist.....if you are going to market as grass fed then grass needs to be what is on the menu....

personally I prefer grain fed but that is what I was raised on and I think it is more flavorful...
 
I guess I'm a purist too which is why I pose the question. I think 3-Way nails the industry's standards but I think "FINISHED" is open for interpretation. I mean, I could sit down and eat a salad, steak and baked potato then finish with a tiny crème brulee and I'm finished eating. There is getting to be a nice premium for grass-fed so it really tempting to go this route but for some reason I am reluctant.
 
According the USDA :

Grass Fed Marketing Claim Standards

Claim and Standard:

Grass (Forage) Fed – Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal's well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.

http://tinyurl.com/USDA-marketing-GrassFed

and another document from the Beef Board

http://www.beefboard.org/news/files/factsheets/grass-finished-beef.pdf
 
chippie":2lrhw2gw said:
According the USDA :

Grass Fed Marketing Claim Standards

Claim and Standard:

Grass (Forage) Fed – Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal's well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.

http://tinyurl.com/USDA-marketing-GrassFed

and another document from the Beef Board

http://www.beefboard.org/news/files/factsheets/grass-finished-beef.pdf

According to this I was wrong. Apparently if they ever look at a box of corn pops cereal they flunk out of the program. However there appears to be an out if you claim it was an emergency that caused you to feed him some grain and you document it and of course disclose it.

I have to wonder at what point does standing corn with well filled out ears become pre or post vegetative. The last time I looked we chopped silage after the ears had filled but before it turned.. I suppose it would have to be measured by the moisture level in the corn itself.
 
3waycross":26hufdld said:
I have to wonder at what point does standing corn with well filled out ears become pre or post vegetative. The last time I looked we chopped silage after the ears had filled but before it turned.. I suppose it would have to be measured by the moisture level in the corn itself.

chippie":26hufdld said:
or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state.

According to this it would not qualify.

Thanks Chippie. That's how I looked at it too and why I have reservations. I'll admit I can be bought but always conceded it would be a minimum of $5 million in cash. I am afraid one day some sharp investigative reporter will look past the smoke and mirrors and give the cattle industry another black eye.
 
chippie":3mnllofx said:
According the USDA :

Grass Fed Marketing Claim Standards

Claim and Standard:

Grass (Forage) Fed – Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal's well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.

http://tinyurl.com/USDA-marketing-GrassFed

and another document from the Beef Board

http://www.beefboard.org/news/files/factsheets/grass-finished-beef.pdf

Wonder where wet brewers grain would fit into this. Technically it begins as grains, however, as spent brewers grain it is considered roughage from a nutritional stand point.
 
TexasBred":v9kq52pe said:
chippie":v9kq52pe said:
According the USDA :

Grass Fed Marketing Claim Standards

Claim and Standard:

Grass (Forage) Fed – Grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage consisting of grass (annual and perennial), forbs (e.g., legumes, Brassica), browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state. Animals cannot be fed grain or grain byproducts and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources. Routine mineral and vitamin supplementation may also be included in the feeding regimen. If incidental supplementation occurs due to inadvertent exposure to non-forage feedstuffs or to ensure the animal's well being at all times during adverse environmental or physical conditions, the producer must fully document (e.g., receipts, ingredients, and tear tags) the supplementation that occurs including the amount, the frequency, and the supplements provided.

http://tinyurl.com/USDA-marketing-GrassFed

and another document from the Beef Board

http://www.beefboard.org/news/files/factsheets/grass-finished-beef.pdf

Wonder where wet brewers grain would fit into this. Technically it begins as grains, however, as spent brewers grain it is considered roughage from a nutritional stand point.
 
Well, FWIW, when folks ask me about the beef I sell, I tell them it is grass raised and grass & grain finished. They are welcome to come and see for themselves.

Most people I sell to are happy with the product, they must be, they seem to come back for more.
 
I saw an ad here on Craigslist that was titled "Grass Fed Beef". The ad told their story of what a great job they do of raising these steers. It included a description of the benefits of grass fed beef. It then went on to say the steers are raised on a diet of grass, alfalfa, barley, and corn. Some how I think they missed the grass fed part.
 
Grass fed or grass finished. If he has grass to eat then I reckon it grass fed. At least partly. Only lied if they ask about the grain Jo. If they don't ask don't tell.
 
Jogeephus":17edawye said:
3waycross":17edawye said:
I have to wonder at what point does standing corn with well filled out ears become pre or post vegetative. The last time I looked we chopped silage after the ears had filled but before it turned.. I suppose it would have to be measured by the moisture level in the corn itself.

chippie":17edawye said:
or cereal grain crops in the vegetative (pre-grain) state.

According to this it would not qualify.

Thanks Chippie. That's how I looked at it too and why I have reservations. I'll admit I can be bought but always conceded it would be a minimum of $5 million in cash. I am afraid one day some sharp investigative reporter will look past the smoke and mirrors and give the cattle industry another black eye.

$5 mil? Well, your never going to get there with these silly ethical reservations. Grass fed is whatever people think it is. The folks in Atlanta and San Francisco are dying to spend real money on something labeled grass-fed.
As your advisor, (I'll send a bill, just pm your mailing address. It will be less than $5 mil), you need to add organic. Also natural and local. Anti-biotic free. And the trump--sustainable. You'll sure be a lot more sustainable when you are reaping the $ from all those claims. All that will make an imbalancer a prince. And the genius of this, is that the tougher and less palatable your beef is, the less people will seriously investigate your claims.
 
John, you definitely have a firm grip on reality and have a good understanding of this industry. I predict its going to backfire in the future and we all are going to look bad.

But then again, just look at the them lining up at the polling booth.

 
Jogeephus":3qg84o29 said:
John, you definitely have a firm grip on reality and have a good understanding of this industry. I predict its going to backfire in the future and we all are going to look bad.

But then again, just look at the them lining up at the polling booth.


Funny you would post that picture in this thread. The American market can barely gag down a piece of strictly grassfed lamb. My customers want American and they want it because the grainfed product has a milder taste.
 
I slaughtered some spanish lambs last fall. These were a strain brought over by DeSoto and were adapted for this hot humid climate. I think they were called haired sheep and not wool sheep. These tasted nothing like the lamb I'd bought in the store and were completely grass fed. The other stuff I've gotten in the store I can't stomach.
 

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