"What the hell is finishing?"
- Say our most observant customers at every farmer’s market.
Our claim is that our beef is “Grass Fed & Finished,” but I have found that most don’t know what that term means. Which is fair, it’s industry speak.
The finishing is what creates the fat on the cows. The finishing process determines not only how much fat is on your beef, but also what kind of nutrients are in the beef.
Our finishing process is what separates our beef from any competition you can find at a grocery store…ever.
Why? I’ll get into that in a minute.
Fat is the defining feature for beef. Our entire grading system of “Prime” “Choice” and “Select” is solely based on how much fat an animal can produce.
Which is convenient because that means the more grain you can feed them the more fat you can pump into an animal. Of course no one ever asks questions like:
- What kind of fat is all that GMO grain producing?
- Does the health of the animal even matter when I throw my brisket on the pit?
Let’s compare the 3 different approaches to finishing along with their pros and cons.
Approach #1: Feedlot Beef- The Normal Grocery Store Meat
This is the VAST majority of beef available to us. Much isn’t even coming from the US! It is being shipped in from other countries. Then they put the cattle in feedlots to finish out the next 4 to 8 weeks.
Those next four to eight weeks are critical as the animal will almost double in size. A heifer can easily go from 700 to 1300 lbs in just six weeks! Of course, one has to wonder how they do that right?
The cattle are given huge amounts of hormones and antibiotics just to keep them alive in unsanitary conditions. There will be thousands of cows for a 10 acre lot! GMO Corn and beef by-products (like blood and processed biowaste from other cows slaughtered there.) are mixed together and given to the cows.
Gross, I know! But it does make sure you can buy Briskets for $2.87 a pound! Really, it’s a great deal for the pockets of the processor…and really no one else.
Many people don’t know it, but these processors are the ones who make most of the money from the beef industry and meat industry as a whole. They were indicted back in 2020 for rigging prices, got off the hook, and made record breaking profits in 2021! Check out this article to see some for yourself.
You and me have been struggling to keep up with prices, but big ag has made sure to scoop every cent they can while giving us the bare minimum beef!
Approach #2: Grass Fed Beef: What You See Labeled Grass Fed in Grocery Stores
I hear this all the time: “I buy my grass beef at [enter fancy grocery store here] How is your’s any different?”
I deeply believe businesses are created to serve needs and solve problems. My thought: if the beef problem has already been solved, then move onto something else right?
Well, I realized “Grass Fed” isn’t a legal term, it's a marketing term. It’s so easy to say “technically all beef eats grass at some point!” a.k.a = I can put whatever I want on there and charge a little more for it.
When you look behind the curtain, many of these cows just have a slightly longer time on grass or they get moved from place to place their whole lives. They aren’t being raised and cared for on a farm.
This isn’t a PETA rant!
All the moving and lack of clarity in the finishing directly affects your family’s meals!
These cows can even legally be finished out on corn and grains and still carry the label. This takes away any benefit to you and me. Don’t fall for the marketing scam!
**Stepping off my soapbox now**
This is why finishing that is so important. That’s why I could not find “grass fed & finished” on ANY meat from ANY grocery store, and believe me, I looked!
At best, you are buying beef that is tough because the cow spent it’s life stressed. Worst: You are paying more for a small tweak in the feedlot process.
Approach #3 Our Beef: Grass Fed & Finished
Is all Grass Fed & Finished! They are raised on their farm and then taken to the butcher. It’s a really simple process when you get down to it..
They get premium nutrition the way nature intended. We stay away from grains and all supplemental feed is highly scrutinized to make sure it meets our standards.
This means your beef has all sorts of extra benefits:
- Fewer Calories
- CLA which is a fatty acid that supports healthy blood sugar levels.
- CLA is also known to fight cancer!
- The risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria & food poisoning is decreased.
- Healthier fats that actively lowers the risk of heart disease.
- Contains all 3 essential electrolytes.
If you are curious about that you can read this article about how grass fed beef nutrition fits into diets like keto.
Our cattle do receive normal dosage of vaccines and even some basic medical attention if needed, but this is VASTLY different from the feedlot. Our treatment is minimal and we use only what will protect our animals from sickness.
Why does this matter?
You will tell right away how much better the taste is. That juicy steak is so much easier to come by.
There is no fiddling with fancy seasonings and sauces unless you really want to. Our beef stands on it’s own with a simple dash of salt and pepper!
It is hard to overstate how important Finishing is to your beef. Even this blog post just scratches the surface.