Grass-Fed Beef vs. Grass-Finished Beef
How a cow is fed can affect the nutrient composition of its beef.
In the case of grass-fed cows, when a calf is born, it feeds on milk until weaned. Then, the calf is set free to roam and enjoy a grass forage diet for about seven to nine months. The calf then moves to a feedlot, where it’s fed with a grain diet consisting of a mixture of soy, corn, and sometimes dried grass.
Along the way, it may be injected with antibiotics and other hormonal drugs to maximize its growth. These calves are grass-fed but not grass-finished.
On the other hand, the grass-finished cow is left to roam and feed on grass from the moment it is old enough, and it continues like this for the duration of its life.
We’re proud to partner with Grass Run Farms®, a practitioner of this process and a US-based supplier who promises to give all their animals…
- Grazing and pasture access whenever possible
- Humane treatment at harvest
- No antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products, ever
- A diet that’s 100% Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished
What Is USDA Choice Beef?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades beef in the US based on two main criteria: The degree of marbling and the animal's maturity. There are three primary grades of beef in the United States: Choice, Prime, and Select. You can’t go wrong with any of the three, as the act of grading itself is an indication of quality.
A Choice grade is given to high-quality beef. It’s tender, juicy, and flavor-packed, boasting an excellent combination of marbling (fats within the lean meat) and maturity.
Higher marbling means high levels of juice and flavor. Not to mention… all the more beautiful when you take a before-and-after shot of your prize cut.
What Does It Mean to be Both Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, and USDA Choice?
To be both Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished, and USDA choice means you’re not just getting the aforementioned benefits of grass-fed and grass-finished beef—but you’re also getting a cut of meat that’s worthy of restaurants and celebratory cookouts alike.
Behind each cut, there is extensive research, work, transparency, accountability, and quality control, which means you can trust that you’re ordering something truly special.
There are few places where you can get grass-finished USDA Choice beef, and Market House is happy to be one of them. Need to try it for yourself? Look no further than right here.
