Transitioning to grass-fed

[puzzled in oregon]

Thank you for the responses. We want grass-fed for the health benefits, and to eat the beef as God created it. We currently eat and enjoy grass-fed beef, just have never raised our own. To each his own but we're at least going to give the grass-fed route a try.

We're not trying to create a business model or generate any type of profit so much as we're trying to establish something small-scale and sustainable that ourselves and a few other families can invest in and reap the benefits. We chose Dexter because our kids are 6 and 8 and we want them around the cows with as little worry as possible. We've visited a few Dexter farms and found the animals to be docile and manageable. Their smaller size is a benefit since we're only on a few acres, plus they'll be easier on the infrastructure (since pasture boards are $17 each locally now!).

And BC, appreciate the planting advice. I am hoping to seed this fall with winter rye and whatever else our local ag extension suggests for our region. That was the idea though transitioning our steer from grain to alfalfa, in the hopes that the alfalfa pellets would be a good supplement to the bahia pasture their on now.

Thanks again!!

Get polled Dexter if possible. They come in all sorts of temperaments. I can't imagine trying to keep some I have seen in a backyard, I have seen the little buggers make a little jump and literally run up and over a 6' chain link fence. And get the ones with horns in a corral, and some would lay open a 6"-8" sliced area on another cow with there horns. At that point I clearly understood why the owner dreaded bringing them
in to the corral.

 

[JeffL916]

Get polled Dexter if possible. They come in all sorts of temperaments. I can't imagine trying to keep some I have seen in a backyard, I have seen the little buggers make a little jump and literally run up and over a 6' chain link fence. And get the ones with horns in a corral, and some would lay open a 6"-8" sliced area on another cow with there horns. At that point I clearly understood why the owner dreaded bringing them
in to the corral.

Puzzled, we got the same advice when we were looking and ended up going that route. Purchased a homo polled cow with a 3mo bull calf that we'll trade for a finished steer once he's weaned. Hoping to add another homo polled cow to the mix soon and try to get into a breeding cycle. In a perfect world we'd have a steer to process every year, but we don't have the space for more than just a few cows.

We wanted polled mostly because we want our kids to be around the cows with as little worry as possible. Seeing how they fling their heads all around with the flies, I can imagine how devastating a horn could be at head-level with our 8yo!!

They're pretty docile so far. The cow is more stand off-ish with her calf, but the steer is easy-going. Sits there and lets the kids pet him while he eats his pellets. Just need to keep reminding them we have dogs to love on, and the steer is destined for the Weber : )

 

[andybob]

Because I was raised in an community which only veld raised cattle, the first step is to source, or select within your herd, the right phenotype for grass adaptation, this is more to do with "type" than breed. Knowing the nutrient value of your pasture throughout the year is also essential for timing your finishing to when the available forage is at the best nutritional value, there are many variables between properties and management practices within a county for example, with a wide variation between planted pasture and native forage. Read Johann Zietsman's book "Man Cattle and Veld" for good advice on grass based selection. Just for clarification, after having to leave my home country, I have applied the same selection principles for grass based production in North Carolina USA, and three different regions in England with equal success, though the rotations in the temperate climate needed some adjustment for worm control-added sheep to the rotation.

 

[J+ Cattle]

So what about when the grass goes to seed, is that considered grain? If you have a mixed grass pasture the grass will be in all different stages of the life cycle. Winter grasses will be maturing as the summer grass is getting started. A monoculture field could be managed by rotating the cattle off of the field as it begins going to seed. But, If it's okay for them to eat the seeds then I don't understand why other seeds like barley and corn are not acceptable.

 

[callmefence]

The grass talk is wandering off into the weeds...

 

[JeffL916]

So what about when the grass goes to seed, is that considered grain? If you have a mixed grass pasture the grass will be in all different stages of the life cycle. Winter grasses will be maturing as the summer grass is getting started. A monoculture field could be managed by rotating the cattle off of the field as it begins going to seed. But, If it's okay for them to eat the seeds then I don't understand why other seeds like barley and corn are not acceptable.

J+ that's a good question, I really do not know. I suppose it's the difference between the cattle grazing freely and ingesting a smaller ratio of grass vs seed when they're on pasture, as opposed to being supplemented with 10-15lbs of pure grain? I imagine if they eat pasture grass that's gone to seed, they'll still be eating a substantially lower amount of seed compared to being supplemented entirely on grain.

 

[Peace]

Here is the thing I really don't understand. If you give cattle a choice, they'll eat the grain before hay/grass just about every time. I do understand that they're ruminants and hay/grass is very good for their diets and a good balance between both is probably best for them and their health. What is bad for them is a pure grain diet that some of the CAFOs feed, that's why they medicate, but not giving them any grain doesn't make too much sense to me when it's shown they grow better with both and produce a better, more marbled carcass when they get both.

Sometimes those studies and books people do and write really disappoint me. They must go in trying to prove their idea and then go ahead and state their case to prove it instead of making and actual unbiased study.

 

[Rancher]

Gotta add me 2 cents here. We have gotten so used to our grass fed/fat, yes fat, beef it's hard to enjoy a tasteless store bought beef even when it is Angus and sold as "choice". My cattle are on blue grass first week of May for two weeks then on Brome/Timothy mix for 3 weeks then back onto blue grass etc, etc. Yes I fert. too

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks for posting that Michigan study. The only RESEARCH I have seen comparing the two was from Texas A&M.

Ground beef from grass-fed and grain-fed cattle: Does it matter? - Department of Animal Science

Posted on December 7, 2013 by maggielberger By Stephen B. Smith, Ph.D.Regents Professor, Department of Animal Science The internet is awash in websites proclaiming the nutritional benefits of ground beef from grass-fed cattle. However, researchers in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M...

animalscience.tamu.edu

 

[Rmc]

Here is the thing I really don't understand. If you give cattle a choice, they'll eat the grain before hay/grass just about every time.

Give them a choice of grass field or alfalfa field and they will pick alfalfa every time
They will end up dead from bloat but it is what they will choose. So that doesnt mean it is best for them because that is what they choose.

 

[wbvs58]

My neighbour gets an occaisional one killed by the mobile butcher and they are just on grass. He is none too particular on how well they are finished, in fact some are very ordinary in condition as he wants to cut the numbers due to lack of feed. He usually brings me around an esky full of beef as I lend him one of my bulls each year, plus a few bottles of wine. I have enjoyed all the meat he has given me so far, none was wasted. Maybe it is the good genetics he uses, maybe it is the wine I consume with the meat.
He likes to eat his own meat being grass fed and no chemical input as well. Maybe I can eat it because I like my meat cooked rare, just seared on each side. I think the more you like your meat well done then the need for better quality increases, you need the fat to keep the moisture and tenderness.

Ken

 

[tex452]

So what about when the grass goes to seed, is that considered grain? If you have a mixed grass pasture the grass will be in all different stages of the life cycle. Winter grasses will be maturing as the summer grass is getting started. A monoculture field could be managed by rotating the cattle off of the field as it begins going to seed. But, If it's okay for them to eat the seeds then I don't understand why other seeds like barley and corn are not acceptable.

We have wild rye grass and it is heading out, I was thinking this very thing.

 

[Lucky]

 

[Lucky]

Above video is long but good watchin

 

[chaded]

Are those the guys that said aliens are mutilating cattle?

 

[Banjo]

I am going to plant some pearl millet and crabgrass and possibly a couple other species here in a few weeks to finish a steer on this summer. i think the problem with most grass finished beef is its processed to soon...it has to get mature before it can put on much fat. i processed a bull last year that was about 800 lbs. or less.....there was almost no fat on him.

 

[Travlr]

Grass-fed, grass-finished is what I should've typed. That is the plan. The idea seems to be pretty off-putting to some people, not sure why? The argument can go both ways. Corn IS a grass, but what part is fed to cattle? Are kernels considered grass? Same with wheat, barley, etc..? Once it goes to seed and the seed/grain is fed to cattle, is that still considered a "grass" since it's in the grass family?

I am truly asking, not being argumentative.

Nonetheless, there's been some good suggestions and resources on here. Just what I was hoping for, and much appreciated!

Not to be argumentative but by weight and volume there is more corn stalk fed to cattle than grain. Stalks are grazed in the field and fermented as silage to be fed to livestock. Just as practically 100% of soy is processed for oil to be used for human uses... but vegans say that soy is grown for cattle feed because the meal byproduct of processing is fed to livestock.

 

[Lucky]

I would think the health benefits of grassfed to grain fed beef would be very small if any. Home raised chickens or fish would be a different story.

 

[shaz]

We're going primarily grass finished this year. Next one to slaughter is an unproductive heifer and she won't get 5 days of grain. Just enough to get her to the slaughter house.

 

[Brute 23]

Thinking grass fed cattle are better for you falls in the same category as thinking you dont need to worry about your kids around cattle because they dont have horns.

I was raised in grass fed, grass finished, nuts in tact, not injected or poured on anything ground beef most my life. Not for health reasons but because the cattle didnt get touched unless they alwere being sold or butchered. They were dang near as natural as you could get with out being feral. As long as you mix the ground meat with hamburger helper or some thing else its tolerable, but not preferred.

It makes sense to me some people dont want their animals injected with hormones or antibiotics or any thing like that. Just feeding that animal some corn makes no sense at all.