Grain Fed vs Grass Fed - Is there really that much difference?

Hey there, hope you’re great!


This past spring/summer was quite the whirlwind for me and the business, as I’m sure it was for most of you. I decided to take a run at some farmers markets to see if I could get traction with the business and move a decent amount of cuts. I started out close to home in hopes that familiarity with the farm and community would help drive sales. Sadly it didn’t go as well as I’d hoped and honestly I handed out more brochures and business cards than I made sales. But hey, I was new to the market scene with a new business, how could I expect to sell the whole lot. I was disappointed nonetheless but not broken. I signed up for the next two weeks at the same market and kept my thoughts positive and faith in community support. In the meantime I found another market just under 20 miles away and got myself on the vendor list. 

Up until this point, my business relied on my social media presence and word of mouth but I was missing that personal interaction with people. Selling a product that consumers can’t sample ahead of time or see on display is actually a much harder sell than I anticipated. So getting myself out into the public was something I really wanted to do to try and propel this endeavor forward. 


My reasoning for starting the blog with all of this is because of what has come from attending these markets. Lots and lots of questions. Which I absolutely love. People are engaging with me and curious. But the question I get most often, regardless of how many signs I have posted, is “Is your beef grass-fed or grain-fed”. I don’t mind answering this question at all, what I despise about it is the rude responses I get when I respond that they are grain-fed. There has been such a negative connotation attached to this due to the spread of misinformation. 

Aside from flavor and fat content, there is essentially almost no difference in nutritional value between grass or grain fed. Both contain zinc, iron and B12. Research shows that grass-fed beef does contain more omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from the grass diet (since beef does not naturally produce these), but in comparison to fish that does naturally produce them, it’s a small value. There are also studies that show grass-fed has a lower monounsaturated fat content (good fat like in avocados) and actually has a higher content of saturated and trans fat (which is the bad fat). There’s actually an article below that provides this information and more. 


So what I’m trying to say is, both are safe and healthy options and I will do my best to educate on the facts of it all. I will also continue to advocate for the way we choose to feed and raise our cattle. Especially when we are feeding them corn and hay that are grown right on our farm. I mean, that’s definitely something to be proud of, isn’t it? 

We will keep doing our best to provide a quality product for you all! 


Hope to see you soon ♡



https://fitnessreloaded.com/grass-fed-beef-benefits/

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