The Reasons Why Grass-Fed Beef Farms Are The Better Alternatives
by Jaclyn Hurley
In order to achieve maximum weight gain in the shortest time possible with minimal cost, most factories resolve to an intensive cattle production method where thousands of cattle are confined in dirt feedlots and the main feeding diet is grain-based with hormones to contribute to faster growth rate. This method however raises a number of concerns including increased greenhouse gas emissions and unhealthy meat products. This has largely contributed to increased demand of products from <A href="http://www.boeckmannfamilyfarmllc.com">grass-fed beef farms</A>.
In farms where cattle are raised on grass, the animals are allowed to forage over a large land mass with well-maintained pasture. The effect is that animals are able to leave their life in the most natural manner. Eating grains as the main diet as opposed to grass completely alters the natural behavior of these animals. The process of gaining weight with grass as the main food is a challenge.
The major attribute that attracts most consumers to beef products from cattle that are raised in grass farms is their nutritional value. The meat has lower levels of saturated fats and total fats in general. The cholesterol level and calories are also lower in quantities. Of major importance however are higher quantities of vitamin C and vitamin E that are recorded in meat products. Other beneficial attributes include higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene among several other nutrients.
It cannot escape the eye of consumers that in feedlots, the animals are fed with supplements and hormones to promote faster growth. These are substances that are not completely safe for the consumer as they can have similar effects when they get into the body when still active.
Normally, raising thousands of cattle in feedlots where they are confined in concentrations and are shifted from natural grass diet to grains can results to stress. This stress can be the cause of a number of disorders including subacute acidosis that is very common and painful. In order to manage these conditions, cattle are given antibiotics and other chemical additives some of which are used by humans as medicines. When overused in feedlots, bacteria develop resistance and when these new strains of resistant bacteria infect humans, the medical options are few.
The statistics on the other hands tends to support farms feeding cattle on grass. The studies put the highest percentages of discovered cases of E. Coli and Listeria bacteria at about 58% in feedlots meat products with only 2% found on meat from cattle raised in open pasture. Other common bacterial diseases that is likely to be found in feedlot cattle products is campylobacter. These are serious infections that have led to recalls making headlines on newspapers.
The other issue is environmental degradation that is common with factory way of fattening cattle. Other than increased greenhouse gas emission, this method is responsible to high level of manure concentration over a very small portion of land. This has effect of increasing nutrients to the extent that the surrounding land and water is polluted.
The scientific research also concludes that allowing animals to forage over a vast piece of land is an environmentally friendly way of keeping cattle. It preserves soils and results to lower greenhouse gas emissions. It is also humane to animals and is recommended by the Animal Welfare Approved standards of animal husbandry practices.
To be able to obtain more information about <a href="http://www.boeckmannfamilyfarmllc.com">grass-fed beef farms</a> you must go directly to our main website . Find here the link to click on http://www.boeckmannfamilyfarmllc.com today.
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