3 tips for improving pastureland
Grain-fed vs grass-fed beef
Grass-fed and grain-fed are terms used to describe the feeding program for grazing animals like cattle. Here’s an overview of what these terms mean for the beef you’re eating. GRAIN-FED While most cattle are raised eating grass, many farmers “finish” their cows on feed mixtures made from grains and corn. This process fattens the cattle up faster and gets them to market sooner.
While there’s nothing harmful about grain finishing, it does change the composition and flavour of the meat. For example, grain fed beef is heavily marbled and has a buttery, slightly sweet taste. Most people describe it as melt-in-your-mouth tender. GRASS-FED Grass-fed beef comes fromcattle that spend their entire lives eating grass. Typically, they graze on pastureland in the spring and summer, then eat hay in the fall and winter Raising beef this way takes a lot of time, as grass-fed animals take six to 12 months longer to reach market weight than grain fed animals. This extra time makes it more expensive for the rancher and the consumer
Properly managed pastureland produces high-quality forage and lengthens the gra- zing season, ultimately reducing feed costs. Here are three tips for improving the quality of your pastureland. 1. ROTATE To prevent overgrazing, create a rotational grazing scheme. For example, subdivide large pastures into smaller ones and rotate your animals through these fields. Ideally, you should let the grass reach 15 to 20 cen- timetres high before putting your animals out to graze. Remove them from the field when the grass gets down to eight or 10 cen- timetres. 2. MOW AND HARROW It’s a good idea to mow your pasture after your animals have grazed. Mowing helps even out the grass height and encourages the plants to produce more leaves and fe-
wer stems, resulting in a more palatable and hardy grass. It also helps control ag- gressive weeds like thistle. You may want to consider harrowing your pasture after your animals have finished grazing. This helps break up manure piles and evenly distribute nutrients throughout the soil. Dispersing manure piles also helps control parasites and insects. 3. FERTILIZE Like all plants, grass requires nutrients to grow. Therefore, it’s essential to take regu- lar soil samples and follow fertilizer recom- mendations. Think of pasture management as grass far- ming: the grass is the crop, and the animals harvest it.
Grass-fed beef is leaner and darker in colou than grain-fed beef and has a slightly gamey taste. It is somewhat higher in nutrients like beta carotene and vitamin E. It also has more omega-3 fatty acids. Despite variations in cost and taste, both grain- and grass-fed beef are excellent sour ces of protein, B vitamins, iron and zin c.
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