In order to achieve maximum weight gain in the shortest time possible with minimal cost, most factories resolve to an intensive cattle production method where thousands of cattle are confined in dirt feedlots and the main feeding diet is grain-based with hormones to contribute to faster growth rate. This method however raises a number of concerns including increased greenhouse gas emissions and unhealthy meat products. This has largely contributed to increased demand of products from grass-fed beef farms.
The farms raising cattle on grass or pasture normally allow animals to forage over a vast land area. Through this method, cattle feed on their natural diet of grass and legumes making it the most humane way of raising animals. Through this method however, it is not easy for animals to quickly gain weight and farmers usually resort to art and science of raising pasture for animals. This requires very fertile soils and pasture maintenance skills.
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 feedlots, the secret behind very fast weight gain lies in hormones and other growth supplements that these animals are fed on. These are obviously not good for your health, no one want foreign substances in their system particularly if such substances can influence your own growth pattern.
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.
The statistics on the other hands tends to support farms feeding cattle on grass. The studies put the highest percentages of discovered cases of E. Coli and Listeria bacteria at about 58% in feedlots meat products with only 2% found on meat from cattle raised in open pasture. Other common bacterial diseases that is likely to be found in feedlot cattle products is campylobacter. These are serious infections that have led to recalls making headlines on newspapers.
The other issue is environmental degradation that is common with factory way of fattening cattle. Other than increased greenhouse gas emission, this method is responsible to high level of manure concentration over a very small portion of land. This has effect of increasing nutrients to the extent that the surrounding land and water is polluted.
The standards of Animal Welfare Approved practices of husbandry, the cattle should be raised in very humane manner in conditions that are as natural as possible. This is hardly observed in feedlots.
The farms raising cattle on grass or pasture normally allow animals to forage over a vast land area. Through this method, cattle feed on their natural diet of grass and legumes making it the most humane way of raising animals. Through this method however, it is not easy for animals to quickly gain weight and farmers usually resort to art and science of raising pasture for animals. This requires very fertile soils and pasture maintenance skills.
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 feedlots, the secret behind very fast weight gain lies in hormones and other growth supplements that these animals are fed on. These are obviously not good for your health, no one want foreign substances in their system particularly if such substances can influence your own growth pattern.
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.
The statistics on the other hands tends to support farms feeding cattle on grass. The studies put the highest percentages of discovered cases of E. Coli and Listeria bacteria at about 58% in feedlots meat products with only 2% found on meat from cattle raised in open pasture. Other common bacterial diseases that is likely to be found in feedlot cattle products is campylobacter. These are serious infections that have led to recalls making headlines on newspapers.
The other issue is environmental degradation that is common with factory way of fattening cattle. Other than increased greenhouse gas emission, this method is responsible to high level of manure concentration over a very small portion of land. This has effect of increasing nutrients to the extent that the surrounding land and water is polluted.
The standards of Animal Welfare Approved practices of husbandry, the cattle should be raised in very humane manner in conditions that are as natural as possible. This is hardly observed in feedlots.
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