WHAT IS NATURAL BEEF?
What is Natural Beef and Why Should You Choose Natural Beef For Your Family
Vermont Natural Beef is exactly what the name implies, NATURAL! Our animals are not raised in confinement, fed antibiotics and hormones, or force fed scientifically formulated rations for the singular goal of profit. Our animals graze on lush green pastures in the lower Champlain Valley of Vermont. We are able to achieve amazing rates of gain by rotating the stock from one pasture paddock to the next providing them with fresh new growth grass, alfalfa and clover at regular intervals. With many paddocks in the rotation each paddock is able to “rest” for up to 21 days allowing fresh new growth for the next rotation. Large ruminants have the ability to harvest and digest all the energy and protein they need in a setting that has the least possible stress on their bodies and their temperament. There is simply no better feed or any better atmosphere possible for these cattle to grow. That is why we don’t need antibiotics or hormones to control disease or stimulate rates of gain. Our cattle have no disease issues because they are not stressed and yet they will average about 2 pounds per day natural weight gain. They are provided with free choice salt and minerals that are not in sufficient concentrations in green grass to meet their needs.
Animals raised in commercial feedlots are confined in large lots and fed formulated rations comprised of mostly bi-product feeds left over from the human food industry. Bi-products like potato chip meal, cookie meal, pizza crust, pig blood meal just to name a few. Exercise is very limited and the feedlot environment creates social stress on the animals for a survival of the fittest atmosphere. Totally driven by profit, these operations, by design, keep the cattle on the edge of acidosis (sickness) and gaining as much weight as possible on the cheapest ration available.
Organic beef must be raised with feeds that are certified organic which does exclude antibiotics and hormones but are often raised in confinement with no guarantee of a stress free environment. Organic certification refers only to what the animal was fed and does not make any claim about how the animal was raised. The animal’s welfare does not need to be a top priority and they are often fed rations high in grain potentially creating acidosis and what I consider to be an unnatural life for cattle.
Benefits to You:
- Beef raised primarily on pasture will have four to five times more CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) than beef raised primarily on grain. CLA is proving to be one of the best natural defenses in preventing cancer. Research is showing that CLA is effective as an anti-carcinogen at much higher rates than originally proposed.
- Pasture raised beef has two to four times more Omega-3 fatty acid than feedlot raised beef. Omega-3 is one of the good fatty acids and plays a role in the prevention of heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 fats must come from your diet, as your body cannot make them. Green grass is naturally high in Omega-3 and when cattle are put on a ration high in grain concentrates they lose their source of Omega-3 fatty acid.
- Natural beef has up to 50% less total fat than feedlot beef. Switching from grocery store beef to natural beef could save the average consumer as much as 17,000 calories a year.
- The meat from grass fed beef is up to four times higher in vitamin E than meat from feedlot raised cattle. Again, coming from the green grass to your table.
- Natural beef dramatically reduces your risk of E. coli contamination. E. coli bacteria thrive in the rumens of animals that are acidodic from high grain diets and confinement feeding inherently has poor animal hygene creating the potential for the spread of this nasty germ.
- Our naturally raised beef processed in small local butcher shops that are U.S.D.A. inspected. You can visit these shops on line or in person and I am sure you will be impressed.
- The cost of our natural beef for all cuts including steaks, roasts and burger is less than what you will pay for an average grade of hamburger in the local supermarket. Your freezer will be filled with vacuum packed delight to last you the whole year with no worry about what to pick up for tonight’s meal.