Organic Grass Fed, Grass Finished Beef

“All cows eat grass” - Greg

Have you ever walked into a grocery store looking to buy some beef and wondered to yourself,  “What do all these different labels mean?”

Grass fed, grass finished isn't it the same thing? Well, not exactly. 

It is true that all cows eat grass, however labeling for grass fed beef can be very confusing, especially when trying to seek healthier and more sustainable options.

Grass Fed

Grass fed means that the animals were fed a diet of 100% grass and forage, in comparison to supplemented by grain feeds. However, not all grassfed labels strictly follow this definition, so it is good to talk to local producers, find out their methods for grass fed beef, and what that means to them.

Grass Finished

While there is no legal definition for grass finished beef, there are still ways that this labeling can seem misleading. The term “grass-finished” can still be seen labeled on animals that were grain supplemented, then had that removed during the last few weeks of their lives. Our cows on the ranch do not have any grain supplemented in their diet during their lifetime - from birth to harvest.

Organic

Another assumption that all grass-fed beef is organic. Organic certification by the USDA enforces regulations about organic feedstuffs, along with pesticide and fertilizer use which are not covered by grass fed and finished labels. While Ishawooa Mesa does not have organic certification, we meet the standard to be certified by using only organic grain for our lamb and hogs and we do not use pesticides or fertilizer on the ranch where the cows graze.

Not all Beef is Created Equally

Even for ranchers producing meat under these conditions, there are other outstanding factors such as pasture quality, overall herd health and management practices that can make a world of a difference when it comes to beef quality. Talk to us about grasses, forbs and legumes, rotational grazing, irrigation and grazing alongside wildlife, and you may learn about of our cows interesting grazing cycles!