More marbeling on grass vs dry hay?

[NonTypicalCPA]

This statement was made by someone on Facebook and I can't find any support for it. So I thought I'd throw it out here. I was asking the question if more age leads to more marbeling and this person agreed that it does, but also mentioned that being on grass adds more marbeling than dry hay. True?

 

[Bright Raven]

Not heard that but marbling or the lack there of is influenced by grain versus grass.

 

[ohiosteve]

Not heard that but marbling or the lack there of is influenced by grain versus grass.

It's quite possible to achieve excellent marbling without feeding grain. It's harder to do then dumping grain in front of them but a T-bone with good marbling from a grass finished animal is hard to beat.

 

[1982vett]

This statement was made by someone on Facebook and I can't find any support for it. So I thought I'd throw it out here. I was asking the question if more age leads to more marbeling and this person agreed that it does, but also mentioned that being on grass adds more marbeling than dry hay. True?

Depends on the hay and depends on the grass and depends on the animal....no blanket statement here.

 

[Ebenezer]

Might want to replace the word "grass" with "forage" to widen the choices and hopefully make it easier.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

This statement was made by someone on Facebook and I can't find any support for it. So I thought I'd throw it out here. I was asking the question if more age leads to more marbeling and this person agreed that it does, but also mentioned that being on grass adds more marbeling than dry hay. True?

Depends on the hay and depends on the grass and depends on the animal....no blanket statement here.

and a whole lot on the animal..

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

I had not heard that before, thanks for the confirmation.

 

[BRYANT]

This statement was made by someone on Facebook and I can't find any support for it. So I thought I'd throw it out here. I was asking the question if more age leads to more marbeling and this person agreed that it does, but also mentioned that being on grass adds more marbeling than dry hay. True?

Depends on the hay and depends on the grass and depends on the animal....no blanket statement here.

and a whole lot on the animal..

The animal has more to do with it than a lot of people realize. I have killed a many pot loads of fats and a load from the same feed lot, fed the same feed will all be different. Not saying feed does not play a part because it does ,mater of fact a big part, but that's not all that is involved to get good beef.
As for grass fed I don't care for it but I know some people do, just not my thing

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Some breeds just don't marble well ,like the British breeds do.no matter what, or how much you feed em...but then like gets said multiple times, a lot of difference within breeds too..got to select for it

 

[TexasBred]

Not heard that but marbling or the lack there of is influenced by grain versus grass.

It's quite possible to achieve excellent marbling without feeding grain. It's harder to do then dumping grain in front of them but a T-bone with good marbling from a grass finished animal is hard to beat.

Even harder to find. ;-)

 

[farmerjan]

For grassfed animals, the breed is more important than for animals fed grain. I honestly cannot give a comparison as to grass vs hay. But with grass fed, the concentration of CLA's is greater and definitely a boost to the body. I eat 99% jersey beef. Most of it is grass fed and finished but I will do about 2-5 lbs grain a couple times a week in the process of making the animal easier to catch up in a catch pen. That can hardly be considered "feeding" an animal as grain fed. Age definitely does make a difference in the grass fed ones; an animal must put on a certain amount of growth before putting on weight "meat" , so age is a part of it. I like mine to be in the 26 +/- month range. You cannot get back things like backbones if the animal is over 30 months. National restrictions, due to the BSE situation with the 'prions' that are found in the mad cow disease. I find that the jerseys do marble good after about 20 months if they are gaining weight well. In fact jerseys are considered the 2nd best marbling breed after the Wagyu. So breed is a consideration, then feed. Some people don't like the more "earthy" taste of grassfed. I prefer it. One of the biggest things is the animal must be "gaining" weight on a consistent basis to get the best marbling and the best weight gain which will transfer into tenderness.

 

[texan@heart]

Marbling is determined by energy. If the hay is higher in caloric density then it will make the calf fatter. If it's high quality grass then it will provide more TDN (total digestible nutrients)

Age contributes as a mature animal doesn't use energy for skeletal growth.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

As mentioned, a specific feed does not determine marbling. Marbling is a bodily process involving growth, aging/maturity. When more nutrients are going into the body than what the body needs for growth, it will first start putting on a layer of OUTSIDE fat, then it will put fat around the organs, THEN it finally puts fat (marbling) within the meat. Specific breeds puts on fat deposit in different ways.
There is NO research that proves grass fed is better health wise than grain fed. Actually, all the research has proven grain fed is healthier. No one hears about that because it is not the BUZZ in the media.
Texas A&M has done the only research I am aware of comparing grass vs grain.