What to Ask a Rancher About Grass Fed Beef

I was talking with a local rancher one weekend at a farmer's market. I asked him a couple of questions. The more questions I asked the tall cowboy with the big belt buckle, the more he stammered. 

"Are your cows grass finished?" I queried.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah. They're grass fed." He assured me.

"Okay," I replied, but a small doubt came bubbling up, so I clarified, "but their also finished on grass? No grain?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, you bet," he replied, hooking his thumbs into his jean pockets.  

My wariness rose. I thought, "Well, maybe he's new to this industry..." and I asked, "Could I come see your operation?"

His cowboy hat moved left and right quickly, swiveling as he said, "Oh no. We're not set up for that. If you buy from us, we'll bring the meat to you or to one of our drop off locations here in town."

I nodded my head and said, "Okay, well, thanks." And my husband, daughter and I walked away.

"That's not good," commented my nine year old. "He should have us out. We need to find a rancher who wants us to come visit him."  

I had to smile. My kid gets what this rancher, who may be new to grass-fed consumers, does not. We are the consumers who want to have a personal relationship with our beef supplier. In the local and the farm-to-table markets, we want to know our farmers. We want to visit them. And then we want to support them.  

Having recently moved to my new home in Northern Colorado, I need a new local source of grass-fed beef. In my previous job, I marketed grass-fed and finished beef for two years in Oregon. So, I know what should not go on behind barn doors.

When you are shopping for grass-fed and finished beef, there are some questions you should ask and some things you should know.

So here are the questions you want to ask your beef rancher. 

1. Is your cattle ever fed grain? Some folks prefer grain-fed cattle, but if you're looking for grass-finished, you need to make sure they aren't finishing them on grain. Strictly speaking, you can sell grass-fed beef that's grain-finished. Be sure to ask, “Is your cattle grass fed and finished?” One rancher heard my question and clarified right off that he did finish his with some grain.
2. What do you feed the cattle in winter?  From December through March or so, it’s harder for ranchers to feed the cattle off the land. So you need to know the practices of your area because they vary throughout the country.  In Missouri, for example, the winters are mild and ranchers plant winter grass to feed their cattle.  In Oregon, my friend Farmer Mike plants enough grass in summer to harvest and feed as hay throughout the winter. Here in Colorado, one of the ranchers I met moves her cattle throughout the year from pasture to pasture.  She has land in the high country and on the prairie.
3. What treatment do you give a sick cow?  Ranchers deal with infectious conditions throughout the year such as respiratory disease, scours, foot rot and pinkeye. Most ranchers in the grass-fed/finished business who have to treat a cow with antibiotics pull it from the program and sell it at auction.
4. Do you use any herbicides on your crops (if you have any) or grass pastures? You are what you eat. If your rancher is spraying his pastures or crops, the cows will consume the pesticides and it will end up in the meat you purchase.  Grass fed and finished beef is a whole way of life that includes how the rancher manages the ranch itself, how s/he pastures the cattle, manages water use, etc.
5. Are hormones or steroids ever given to your cows? Very similar to how a sick cow is treated, a cow given steroids or hormones should be pulled from a grass-fed/finished beef program and sold at auction or in a traditional beef market.
6. How old and how heavy are the cattle when you take them to harvest?  Generally, the best tasting beef is from an 18 - 24 month old cow who has been pastured all summer and is ready for harvest in the fall.  The meat has a bit more fat because the cow has enjoyed the best grass, the warm sunshine, lazy days and has had lots of time to relax.  So the meat is perfect!  These cows are usually about 1,000 pounds. Incidentally, you can harvest in the winter; the cow will be smaller and the meat tougher. The reason it’s tougher is because the cow expends a lot of energy keeping himself warm.
7. What is your procedure when you take them to harvest and where do you take them? You want cattle that is taken the morning of “harvest” (or butchering); not the night before. You want your rancher and the butcher to keep the animals relaxed so that fear and anxiety don’t affect the taste of the beef.  That may seem far fetched, but ranchers dedicated to providing a good life for their cattle and raising delicious, healthy beef are committed to a quality end of life for their cattle. Also, the butcher should be local.
8. Can I visit you on your ranch to see your operation first hand? Of all the requirements that I am looking for in my beef supplier, this is high on my list. I want my rancher to be transparent, honest and committed to grass-fed and finished cattle and the way of life that it promotes. Grass-fed ranchers, as a rule, want you to see what they do first hand. They know it helps you appreciate where you meat comes from!
   
   

   A Rewarding Relationship

   Working for the DD Ranch in Oregon gave me so much joy and I used my marketing skills for something I believe in.  I met ranchers and farmers who are committed to caring for their animals, land and for the people they feed. Get to know your farmer and rancher. Ask them questions (and then hang on because they love to talk about their work!))  Give them your business. It's a win/win!
   
   For Further Reading:

• http://www.gracelinks.org/media/pdf/questions_to_ask_beef_ho_20100107.pdf
• http://sheboygan.uwex.edu/files/2010/08/Consumerguide-to-grass.pdf
• http://www.americangrassfed.org/research/