Grass fed and grain fed beef are terms that can be used to describe the beef you can buy. What do these terms mean and how do these feeding practices impact the nutritional quality of the beef you eat?

What Cattle Eat

All cattle eat forage for most of their lives by grazing out in pasture for summer months, or as feed when pasture is under snow in the winter. Forage includes grasses as well as legume plants such as clover and alfalfa. As feed, forage will be fed to cattle dried as hay or as silage, a naturally fermented feed. Some grain may also be provided during winter to ensure the cattle have sufficient energy for growth. At about 3 to 4 months before cattle go to market, cattle feed may be gradually adjusted to a diet that consists mainly of grains like corn or barley. The grain helps to produce a more marbled higher quality grade of beef. At this time, cattle are housed in barns or fenced in areas for easier feeding. Beef from cattle finished on a grain based diet may be referred to as ‘grain fed’. Beef from cattle that are not grain finished may be called ’grass fed’.

Benefits of Grass Fed Meat

In addition to being packed with B vitamins, grass fed beef has been found to be higher in vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants compared to grain fed beef. Grass-fed beef has significantly lower levels of saturated fat compared to grain-fed beef.

Analyses have also revealed that, compared to grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef has a higher concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid thought to have anti-cancer properties. Grass-fed beef is also higher in antioxidants such as beta carotene and vitamin E than conventional beef.

Sources: canadabeef.ca (https://canadabeef.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/3208_CANBEEF_factsheet_NUTRITION-2016.pdf), webmd.com (https://www.webmd.com/diet/grass-fed-beef-good-for-you), theglobeandmail.com (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/is-grass-fed-beef-more-nutritious-than-regular-beef/article28948990/)