With rising consumer safety concerns particularly in regards to meat consumed, several studies have been done with the aim of establishing the best approach in raising beef cattle. These studies try to compare meat quality for grass-fed beef farms and those from mass production units. The latter option is known to be responsible for dangerous bacteria such as Listeria and E. Coli that have led to recalls some making headlines.
There are several disorders that can be associated to animal stress with the common one being subacute acidosis. The normal diet for cattle is pasture but in feedlots they are fed on grains. Animal stress is particularly caused by the change of diet from pasture to grain. In order to deal with these disorders, animals are normally given antibiotics and chemical additives resulting to meat full of chemicals. Overuse of medication is likely to result to new strains of bacteria. When these new strains of bacteria affect human, the medicine for treatment can be difficult to find.
There are many reasoned why consumers today prefer beef from cattle raised on pasture as opposed to those raised in dirty feedlots where the main diet is grains. The major benefit of this kind of farming is the nutritional value associated with the resulting meat products. For instance, the meat is tenderer and has smaller proportion of total fats and saturated fats in particular. The level of calories and cholesterol is also lower making it a healthier alternative. The quantity of vitamin C and E is higher with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene among several other important nutrients that are necessary for proper body functioning.
In order to achieve maximum weight with grass, the farmers need skills that cut across scientific knowledge and acquired art. The target is to raise healthy grass for animal to graze on particularly in months preceding slaughtering time. In order to grow such high quality grass and legumes, there must be proper land management practices and healthy soils. This is in addition to skillful pasture management that targets to utilize pasture when at the optimal growth stage.
Most feed used for faster fattening in factory farms are unnatural and the major ingredients are genetically modified grains. In some cases, by products may also be used as feed all contribution to unhealthy beef full of hormones blamed for uncontrolled growth.
Raring of animals in restricted and confined factory farms is also considered to be environmentally insensitive. In majority of cases, manure dumping is not done properly leading to very high concentration of nutrients in nearby soils. This can be the cause of soil and water pollution. This is not a concern when cattle are raised on pasture as the manure is evenly spread all over wide land as is able to work as organic fertilizer.
As already said, feedlots cattle are responsible for the highest percentages of E. Coli and Listeria, both which are bacterial diseases that are less noticed in grass fed beef cattle. Campylobacter bacterial is also most likely to be present in feedlot (58%) than pasture fed cattle with only 2%. This bacterial is known symptoms such as muscle pain, upset stomach, fever and headache.
According to the standards of Animal Welfare Approved husbandry practices, cattle must be raised as humanely as possible with natural living habitat so as to obtain safer meat for the consumers. This is well observed in grass farms for cattle feeding.
There are several disorders that can be associated to animal stress with the common one being subacute acidosis. The normal diet for cattle is pasture but in feedlots they are fed on grains. Animal stress is particularly caused by the change of diet from pasture to grain. In order to deal with these disorders, animals are normally given antibiotics and chemical additives resulting to meat full of chemicals. Overuse of medication is likely to result to new strains of bacteria. When these new strains of bacteria affect human, the medicine for treatment can be difficult to find.
There are many reasoned why consumers today prefer beef from cattle raised on pasture as opposed to those raised in dirty feedlots where the main diet is grains. The major benefit of this kind of farming is the nutritional value associated with the resulting meat products. For instance, the meat is tenderer and has smaller proportion of total fats and saturated fats in particular. The level of calories and cholesterol is also lower making it a healthier alternative. The quantity of vitamin C and E is higher with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene among several other important nutrients that are necessary for proper body functioning.
In order to achieve maximum weight with grass, the farmers need skills that cut across scientific knowledge and acquired art. The target is to raise healthy grass for animal to graze on particularly in months preceding slaughtering time. In order to grow such high quality grass and legumes, there must be proper land management practices and healthy soils. This is in addition to skillful pasture management that targets to utilize pasture when at the optimal growth stage.
Most feed used for faster fattening in factory farms are unnatural and the major ingredients are genetically modified grains. In some cases, by products may also be used as feed all contribution to unhealthy beef full of hormones blamed for uncontrolled growth.
Raring of animals in restricted and confined factory farms is also considered to be environmentally insensitive. In majority of cases, manure dumping is not done properly leading to very high concentration of nutrients in nearby soils. This can be the cause of soil and water pollution. This is not a concern when cattle are raised on pasture as the manure is evenly spread all over wide land as is able to work as organic fertilizer.
As already said, feedlots cattle are responsible for the highest percentages of E. Coli and Listeria, both which are bacterial diseases that are less noticed in grass fed beef cattle. Campylobacter bacterial is also most likely to be present in feedlot (58%) than pasture fed cattle with only 2%. This bacterial is known symptoms such as muscle pain, upset stomach, fever and headache.
According to the standards of Animal Welfare Approved husbandry practices, cattle must be raised as humanely as possible with natural living habitat so as to obtain safer meat for the consumers. This is well observed in grass farms for cattle feeding.
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