grass fed meat

[razmatazz]

What do you guys think of organic beef/lamb that is fed *some* grain in the winter (eg oats, beans) as well as hay/silage, and grass fed and finished in the spring/summer? My meat and fat sources some from animals like this...which are mostly grass fed.
Is it worth seeking 100% grass fed meat that are fed no grain whatsoever, or is the difference not that small, if the animals are at least finished on grass?

[TylerDurden]

Judging from reports, there is a huge difference re nutrient-levels between 100% grassfed and partially grainfed meats. You could compromise a bit by buying raw fermented cod liver oil from green pastures or mercola's krill-oil so as to offset the omega-3-deficiency of partially grainfed meats.

[razmatazz]

really?
i thought the huge nutrient difference was only when grassfed cows were finished on grain... wouldnt the difference be less if they were finished on grass?

[razmatazz]

also, ive been reading up a bit on AGE content in grain fed beef, how would this compare to the beef im talking about which is mostly ( probably 90% grass fed). still an issue? And would the AGEs be present in the muscle meat or the fat?

[TylerDurden]

really?
i thought the huge nutrient difference was only when grassfed cows were finished on grain... wouldnt the difference be less if they were finished on grass?

Well, when the cows are finished on grains, it involves a 3-month period of grain-feeding, last I checked which is easily enough to ruin the nutrient-levels. When I talked to 1 farmer who partially feeds his animals grains(the cattle are fed some grains during the winter, not the lambs/adult sheep which have grass/stubble-turnips all year round), he viewed the cattle as becoming 100% genuinely grassfed in terms of nutrient-levels/taste/quality again between September and October/November depending on when they started feeding them grains in winter again.While this is anecdotal, he may well be right in which case that's c.6 months or so  required(feb to 1st  September) for the nutrient-levels etc. to improve.