Finishing cattle on grass is nothing new. Rotational or management intensive grazing has been around for at least 200 years. As recently as the 90s in the Ozarks, many dairies were still pasture based. But in efforts to increase production, operations began to “move the feed to the cow.”
Grazing has been on the rise but more as an attempt to get the most out of pasture; not for the sake of better beef production.
Dr. Fred Martz, with the Animal Science Department at the University of Missouri, advised, “You must use high quality pasture when finishing cattle.” His definition of high quality included, “Vegetative, what (author) Joel Salatin calls; ‘salad bar’. The kind of pasture they’ll gorge themselves on and have a high intake.” His test cattle were going back to a fresh pasture every 2-3 days. “It is possible to produce very acceptable beef from pasture.”
His co-presenter, Dr. Carol Lorenzen, also with MU’s Animal Science Dept., shared her thoughts on the consumer beef market and some caveats for those who would try to raise their cattle only on grass.
Her first caution was “to have a market for your beef before you even consider PFB” (pasture finished beef). The effort and time it takes will not bring more at the sale barn. She recommended Farmer’s Markets, Coops and selling to neighbors.
PFB is no get rich quick scheme. It takes longer to finish a cow on grass. Some of the negatives are occasional toughness or a tendency to be a dark cutter. Lorenzen recommended that cows raised on grass be harvested by 30 months of age. She referenced several tests that show the age of the beef affects the color of the fat and the tenderness of the meat. She also advised using supplements for the last 90 days as another way to avoid some of the negative traits associated with PFB.
Martz added that stress could cause dark cutters so producers finishing on grass should plan their handling to reduce stress on the animal. He suggested, “cattle should not be in the holding pen for more than 2-3 hours.” Aging the beef for 2-3 weeks can also produce tenderness comparable to feedlot finished beef.
Producers need to focus on areas that allow PFB to command a premium to offset potentially smaller yields. Pasture fed cattle aren’t getting high energy level feed and their Average Weight Gain may be lower than their feedlot counterparts.
One area gaining ground with consumers is CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid. Food products from grass-fed ruminants are good sources of CLA, and contain more than those from grain-fed animals. High levels of CLA are thought to help prevent cancer, reduce the incidence of diabetes and provide other health benefits. This won’t improve sale barn results but both Drs. agreed it would make a difference on the supermarket shelves. More shoppers think about and look for health benefits associated with the food they purchase. Martz noted that a program is underway to begin labeling pasture-finished beef.
“We are working on coming out with our own label for grass fed. It would allow — supplementation. Some people don’t want any. They think it will ruin CLA levels. But that’s not true.”
The upsides to PFB? Lower input costs and leaner healthier beef. Some downsides? Longer carrying times, some risk of toughness and dark cutting.
But Martz thinks grass fed beef can bring a premium necessary for producers of PFB to be profitable. “We need to get about $1.75-$2/lb. hanging weight which is higher than commercial commodity cattle.”
