Grain Fed vs. Grass Fed
- Mickayla Yard
- Dec 1, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 9, 2021
An analysis on the differences between two different feeding systems and how they affect consumers
Longhorn heifer in a dry lot - Schuyler, NE - ©Mickayla Yard
When it comes to grass-fed beef vs. grain fed beef, is there a difference in taste? The simple answer is yes.
Stores and supermarkets across the nation are labelling products with new certification stickers and sustainability tags. When it comes to beef, the labelling of Grass-fed and Grain-fed (standard) beef has sky-rocketed.
Many consumers find themselves asking: “What's the difference?” and “Is grass-fed or grain-fed better?”, but there’s a lot to consider when looking at the two systems comparatively. Animal welfare, sustainability, cost and taste all play a big role.
Animal Welfare
Everyone likes to picture the happy cows grazing in the pasture when they purchase beef and dairy products, but just because the cows in the pasture look happy, it doesn’t necessarily mean they have perfect welfare conditions.
Animal welfare is based on the needs of the animal and with grass-fed vs. grain fed, there are undoubtedly trade-offs. Animals in wide-open pastures may lack sufficient cover for weather conditions with high temperatures and strong winds, but they do have plenty of space. Animals in a feed-lot typically have areas for shade/shelter, but they could suffer from crowded conditions.
Before a decision is made about which feeding system is better for the animal, it is important to consider the fact that not all pasture systems and not all feedlot systems fit into the same categories. According to the Washington Post Article “Is grass-fed beef really better than grain-fed beef”; Temple Grandin, a leading animal welfare expert, explained that the key to each of these feeding systems is proper management. In both systems you can provide the shelter, cleanliness, and space each animal needs by following proper management techniques.
Sustainability
So, if animal welfare issues with each feeding system can be solved with proper management, what about Sustainability?
It all comes down to a similar solution. While cattle finished on grain emit less methane overall, those that are finished on grass are raised in areas where plant systems can help lower methane emissions by keeping it in the soil. Both of these systems can be adjusted to reduce emissions and poor management will cause those emissions to rise.
What this comes down to, once again, is proper management.
Cost
Another big factor for consumers is the cost of the product. In the NPR article titled “The Truth About Grass-fed Beef”, the price difference between grass-fed beef and grain-fed beef wasn’t found to be very substantial.
At the time the NPR article was written, the grass-fed beef was found to cost about $9.99/lb at Whole Foods while the grain-fed beef cost about $7.99/lb at Safeway. Currently, onWalmart.com, a pound of grass-fed ground beef costs $5.78-$6.49 and a pound of grain-fed ground beef costs $4.63-$5.86 depending on leanness of the meat (80% lean or 93%lean).
From this, one can assume that grass-fed beef typically costs more, but the price difference is minimal. Because of this consumers can base their purchasing off of factors such as taste.
Taste and Nutrition
“Taste is king!”, as my meat science professor would say. The United States currently sits in a time of food excess and endless choices which allows consumers to base their purchases, not only off of price, but off of the way the food tastes.
When it comes to grass-fed beef vs. grain fed beef, is there a difference in taste? The simple answer is yes.
Starting with the basics, nutritionally, grass-fed beef has twice the Omega-3’s, with 0.005 grams, than grain-fed beef, with around 0.020 grams according to Texas A&M University Research studies as published in article for Beef Magazine. Grain-fed beef has been found to have 1.8 grams less saturated and unsaturated fat than grass-fed beef according to the same study.
As for flavor, because grass-fed beef is leaner it has been reported to be slightly chewier than the alternative. Grain-fed beef typically has more marbling, which adds flavor.
Comments