Pasture-Finished Beef

1. Pasture-Finished Beef By Matt Tiefenbrun

2. What is Pasture-Finished Beef? • Raising Beef Cattle strictly on forages • Generally Naturally Raised or Organic • Generally Management-Intensive Grazing

3. History of Pasture-Finished Beef (PFB) - Beef cattle were originally raised and finished on forages • As early as the 1950s, beef cattle started to be finished on a high energy high grain diet. • The popularity of PFB is growing again

4. Strategies for Raising PFB • Watering Systems • Tire tanks • Gravity feed systems • Grazing Strategies • Management intensive • Continuous grazing • Stockpiling • Health • Parasite Control • Disease Control • Breed

5. Benefits of PFB for Farmer • Conservation • Profit • Pride in Product • Symbiosis • Ethical Treatment of Animals

6. Conservation • Keeping forages much healthier • Bring back native species of grasses

7. Profit • Higher profits if managed correctly -Hay costs -Higher price for meat -Usually directly marketed

8. Pride in Product • If you have pride in product its easier to market and sell • Feel good about selling quality healthy meat

9. Symbiosis • Raising different species to benefit each other

10. Ethical Treatment of Animals • A happy cow is the best kind of cow

11. Benefits of PFB for Consumers • Health • Community • Ethical Treatment of Animals

12. Benefits to your Health • PFB has 3 to 6 times more CLA(conjugated linoleic acid) than conventional feedlot cattle • PFB is also higher in Omega-3 fatty acids compared to omega-6 fatty acids • Lower in fat • Usually there are no antibiotics or growth hormones • Cows lead much healthier lives

13. Benefits to the Community • The community can get quality fresh product • Gives people jobs • Keeps small farms around • Connects consumers with the source of their food

14. Benefits for Animals • Cows live natural lives

15. Environmental benefits • Can bring back native grass species • Evenly distributes manure and urine over field

16. PFB Challenges • For Farmer • Marketing • Can be hard to find reliable buyer • Land • Expensive • Need high quality pasture

17. Challenges for Consumers • Palatability • Tenderness • Stronger flavor • Price • More expensive • Availability • Can be hard to find

18. Different techniques based on PFB • Grain supplementation • Giving grain supplements while still on pasture • Feeding whole corn plants • Put cheap gains on cattle but still keep a healthy cow

19. Conclusion • Healthy alternative to conventional feedlot beef • Brings communities together • Gives back to the environment instead of taking away from it

20. Questions?