Dangers of E coli
E coli, just saying the words makes a person shiver! And well it should. Each year more and more problems arise from this bacteria. Families are devastated by it’s effects. It can be deadly, and even when it isn’t, it feels like it is. All Natural Grass Fed Beef, on the other hand is the safest bet you can make. E coli, lives and woks at levels normal in the Bovine (beef cattle) and are needed for the digestion of forage (grasses and such). The problem of over production all comes about, depending on the feed rations given. You see, when a producer feeds corn and other types of feed to cattle they run into a little problem. These grains are not what a bovine (scientific name of cows) are supposed to eat. Their diet should include grasses and the seeds they produce. Trace minerals and salt are also needed to keep their bodies in top shape. But, for those who have decided to feed their herds any and everything are causing major problems. A Bovine (cow) produces E coli bacteria in it’s own body to be used in breaking down the various feeds it is given. To break down the grains, distiller grains and silage to name a few, the cattle must produce a large amount of E. coli. This extra is passed on through it’s system and finds it’s way into the soil and water. So it truly makes sense, if you don’t want E coli in your pastures then you should feed your cattle what they were meant to eat. On our farm and the farms in our network we don’t use finishing grains for this very reason. Other problems that arise out of feeding cattle grains and other feed stuff is the formation of ulcers in the stomachs on the tongue, and in the lungs of the animals. Now you have a stressed animal that is in need of medical attention. This is one of the reasons so many producers use antibiotics. They add it in as a daily ration to counter the effects of the feed they are giving. We do know many producers who have grain finished cattle. They go about it a much better way, and do turn out beautiful cattle, that provide a great meat source. These farmers don’t leave the animals in feedlots as is the custom, they are fed in large pastures. They are also fed for a shorter period of time, and the difference is remarkable. Many folks are choosing the grass fed option, due to the health benefits, but we also understand when we hear people comment about Corn Fed Beef. What ever your choice, just make sure, of the producer, farmer, and the processor. There is a right and a wrong way, just as there is with everything, it just depends on your own needs to pick the products you will enjoy and are nutritious for you and your family. There are health benefits to all we eat. These are the concepts that must be included when considering the diet of our family.
We want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase and the health your family will receive from it. On the chart below you will see the incredible nutritional benefits of Grass Fed Beef. Then you will taste it and know you have come to the right place.
Check out the links and see the data.
CONTACT: Jeannette Warnert, (559) 241-7514, jewarnert@ucdavis.edu
New Web site outlines health benefits of grass-fed beef
Grass-fed beef has more beta-carotene, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids than beef produced using conventional cattle-feeding strategies, according to a research review conducted by University of California Cooperative Extension and California State University, Chico.
The results of the review are on the Web at http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/ .
The vast majority of U.S. beef cattle eat grain or other high-calorie feed for several months at a feedlot before being processed. Eating such concentrated feed fattens the animals quickly and produces fat-marbled meat that is favored for its flavor and tenderness. Grass-fed cattle live out their lives on the range or pasture eating grass or hay. Their meat is leaner, less tender and contains the higher nutrient levels. It is also a product that can be marketed at a higher price, making grass-feeding a value-added process that can help cattle producers earn more money during difficult economic times.
“Grass-fed hamburger meat sells for about $1 more per pound. Steaks are sold at about double the normal price – about $7 more per pound than ordinary beef,” said Glenn Nader, UC Cooperative Extension livestock and natural resources farm advisor in the Sutter-Yuba County office and the leader of the project.
However, because of the higher cost, the market is limited to a certain type of consumer. Grass-fed beef is preferred by people who have avoided meat because they believe grain could be more efficiently used to feed the world’s poor, and those that feel purchasing grass-fed beef supports the preservation of open rangelands in rapidly urbanizing communities.
“These products sell in natural food stores that attract high-income, health-conscious consumers,” Nader said. “We don’t think grass-fed beef is a wave of the future. It represents a small niche market that we’re trying to make available to ranchers.”
UC Cooperative Extension and CSU, Chico, received a $14,000 grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation California Food and Fiber Future project to study and promote the health benefits of grass-fed beef. Two CSU students, Amber Abbott and Margaret Basurto, conducted a literature review, in which research results that were reported in 55 articles, letters, Web sites and commentaries by scientists representing a wide variety of institutions were studied, collated and aggregated.
Their report concluded that ranchers who produce grass-fed cattle may rightfully claim the product is more healthful than conventionally produced meat.
The report says that three ounces of ground beef from cattle fed conventional diets contain about 41 micrograms of beta-carotene and a typical rib eye steak has 36 micrograms. In contrast, meat from cattle fattened predominately on ryegrass has almost double the beta-carotene, 87 micrograms in 3.5 ounces of ground beef and 64 micrograms in a steak.
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. While excessive amounts of vitamin A in supplement form can be toxic, the body will only convert as much vitamin A as it needs from beta-carotene. Vitamin A is a critical fat-soluble vitamin that is important for normal vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation. A three-ounce serving of grass-fed beef supplies 10 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of beta-carotene for women, compared to 5 percent from conventional beef.
The amount of natural vitamin E found in beef raised on a conventional diet is 3.7 micrograms per gram of meat. The amount of vitamin E per gram in beef raised on the grass-based diet is 9.3 micrograms, a nearly threefold improvement. A 3.5-ounce serving of grass-fed beef would yield 930 micrograms of vitamin E, about 7 percent of the daily dietary requirement.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with powerful antioxidant activity. Antioxidants protect cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging byproducts of the body’s metabolism that may contribute to chronic health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Cattle’s diet also significantly alters the fatty acid composition of their meat. Cattle fed primarily grass have 60 percent more omega-3 fatty acids and a more favorable omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent heart disease and arthritis. Omega-6 promotes inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth. Because the two substances work together to promote good health, it is important to maintain a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The essential fatty acids are also highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive and behavioral function.
Raising cattle on grass boosts the beef’s level of a conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a lesser-known but important group of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in beef, lamb and dairy products. Over the past two decades, numerous health benefits have been attributed to CLA in animals, including a reduction in cancer, heart disease, onset of diabetes and accumulation of body fat. To achieve these benefits, the average person should consume about 5 grams of CLA per day. A 3.5-ounce serving of grass-fed beef provides 1.23 grams of CLA, 25 percent of the daily requirement. The same amount of conventional beef provides less than 10 percent of the daily requirement.
Details about the health benefits of grass-fed beef, citations for all the research used in this study, and additional resources for consumers, grass-fed beef producers and ranchers considering raising grass-fed beef are on the Web site, http://www.csuchico.edu/agr/grassfedbeef/ . The site includes recipes, product labeling information, a cost study and producer contacts
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