Grass Feed Beff fattened with Alfalfa and Potatoes page

[g2baker]

I was at Whole Foods the other day and picked up some grass feed beef. They have "natural" and "organic".


Their natural beef is grass fed but the last 30-90 days they are fattened with alfalfa and potatoes. (Potatoes? Would cows eat potatoes on their own if not fed to them?) Anyway, do you think there is too much drop in the beef's omega 3 fatty acid on this kind of diet? I know there is pretty significant drop if the cow if fattened by eating corn in the last 30-90 days. I'm just curious if there is much of a drop of O3's with alfalfa fed cows. Is Organic beef better than Natural beef? Preferably I would purchase a cow through cowpooling, but I don't have the freezer space right now. So I know that's the "best" option for me eventially, but for now I'm trying to decide if going Organic or Natural until I get a freezer. Any of your thoughts would be interesting to hear.

[FairyRae2]

If I had the $, I'd do the organic--NOT grain finished. I've read grass *finishing* does make a big difference in quality...


Check this: http://www.ozarknaturalfoods.com/common/news/store_news.asp?task=store_news&sid_store_news=12&s toreID=4352A164B6274DFC8F4930A85CEF1307
[quote]

Levels of Omega-3, a fatty acid which is essential to for human growth and development, have been shown to be much higher in grass-finished meat than in grain-finished meat. One 3.5-ounce serving of grass-finished beef offers 15 milligrams more of Omega-3s than other kinds of beef. Omega-3 originates in the green leaves of growing plants, so it makes sense that grass-finished beef would be higher in this fatty acid. As with CLA, the Omega-3 levels drop dramatically when animals are conventionally grain-finished. Grass-finished dairy products are also much higher in Omega-3s.</blockquote>

[g2baker]

Here shows my stupidity, now that I think about it, alfalfa is a grain. Thanks FairyRae

[hannahc]

"Organic" feed for animals usually means organic corn. Heck, it could mean organic corn flakes for all I know, but it does not mean anything having to do with being grass-finished.


If you don&#39;t have a choice of truly grass-FINISHED beef, then I&#39;d go for whatever you can find that&#39;s hormone free. If either of your choices, natural or organic, also specify hormone free then that&#39;s what I&#39;d recommend.


On a side note, it seems that a lot of brands are trying to confuse people by saying their product is grass-fed, explaining that the animals were indeed grass fed until the last few months of their lives. They fail to mention, however, that their product is not grass-FINISHED, which is what we&#39;re all talking about wanting in the first place! It&#39;s disappointing to me that we have to be so vigilant, and can&#39;t even trust the label "grass-fed" anymore because of the linguistic nuance...just be careful that you don&#39;t pay too much for labels that don&#39;t mean what you think they do!

[chima_p]

Alfalfa is a legume not a grain.


It is most likely what "grass fed" pastured cattle are grazing on.


Wether or not dried alfalfa (hay,silage) is the same in respects to omega 3 as live grazed alfalfa I have no idea.

[OnTheBayou]

Alfalfa is grown for it&#39;s leaves and stems, very nutritious if you are a cow. They don&#39;t graze on it, such an activity would destroy the plants. they aren&#39;t as rugged as grasses.


I don&#39;t think it&#39;s ever made into silage, although I could be wrong. But as for hay, it&#39;s the best. And I would think of it as a grass for this purpose.

[g2baker]

OTB, that&#39;s what I was thinking. Why would they give cows potatoes? That sounds about as funny as corn! Ha Ha

[lesliek]

Do you have any coop/local grocery stores in your area? In my experience the national chain grocery stores (even the "premium" ones) sell lesser quality organic/natural meats at a higher price than coops.

[g2baker]

Yes, Whole Foods. I&#39;m just getting confused. So just ask them for grass fed and grass finished. Thx Hannahc. But when I ask them for what that they have, they just say the have organic, no hormones and fed organic feed. I don&#39;t think the really know what the have like alfalfa and potatoes (just makes me laugh - Potatoes - when would a cow eat potatoes naturally in nature?) Just the other day I was at WF and they were selling farm raised Steelhead, commenting on how their raised in a "lake" in "Canada" forgetting to mention what they are being fed on. CORN - oh the horror!

[lesliek]

I consider Whole Foods a national chain. They usually don&#39;t have the pastured meats grown by local producers that coops have.