Resources :: Grassfed Beef Fact Sheet

Food Safety

E-coli: E-coli carried by grass-fed ruminants are not a threat to humans because they are not the dangerous acid-resistant strains carried by grain fed cattle.

Hormones: Hormones are used to increase weight gain in grain fed cattle. Scientists suspect hormones in meat and dairy products may be causing falling sperm counts and early onset of puberty in girls which increases the risk of breast cancer. Hormones are not used in grass-fed cattle.

Irradiation: Irradiation is not necessary with grass-fed because of low E. coli risk. Irradiation reduces the vitamin levels and is believed to increase the carcinogens (free radicals) in meat.

Antibiotics: Grain fed cattle are fed antibiotics to prevent disease associated with feeding them an unnatural grain diet and the risks associated with concentrated feeding in feedlots. Use of antibiotics for animal feed is feared to be contributing to antibiotic resistance in humans. Grass-fed cattle eat grass, not antibiotics.

Nutrition

Calories: Grass-fed beef has 100 fewer calories per 6 oz serving than grain fed due to less fat. Grain fed beef has four to six times more total fat than grass-fed and twice the saturated fat which is associated with heart disease. Grass-fed beef in summary contains approximately 30% fewer calories than conventional beef.

Omega-6: Less omega-6 fatty acids in grass-fed beef means a lower risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer and immune disorders such as arthritis and asthma.

Omega-3: With two to six times more omega-3 fatty acids in grass-fed beef than grain fed it reduces the risk of mental disorders, heart attack, stroke and cancer.

CLA: Grass-fed has three to five times the amount of CLA, "conjugated linoleic acid" of grain fed beef. CLA helps convert fat to lean muscle. Research suggests it may play a potent role in preventing and slowing the growth of cancer.

Beta-Carotene: Grass-fed beef delivers twice the beta-carotene of grain fed beef. Beta-carotene helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Vitamin E: Grain fed beef receiving Vitamin E supplements have only half the Vitamin E of grass-fed. Vitamin E is linked to lower risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's. It is a powerful anti-oxidant.

Organic: Organic meat is typically antibiotic and hormone free. Because organically raised cattle are fed grain their meat does not offer the nutritional benefits of grass-fed.

Environment

Global warming: Grassy pastures are 50% more effective than cultivated soils at removing carbon, one of the greenhouse gases.

Soil, Water: Pastures produce dense root structures that prevent erosion, enable the soil to retain water, refill subterranean aquifers and protect surface waterways.

Animal Waste: Rotational grazing disperses animal waste and provides natural, organic fertilizer. It does not create a water pollution risk as does concentrated feeding operations.

Grassland Ecology: Properly managed grazing increases the number and vigor of native plants, improves vegetative cover of stream banks, extends the growing season of grassland and increases the percentage of perennial grasses while reducing weed species.

Energy Efficient: It is ten to twenty times more energy efficient to raise food animals entirely on grass than to raise row crops for human consumption. Large amounts of fossil fuel are required to cultivate and fertilize corn and other grains.

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