Grass fed vs. commercially raised

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Replies

  • Wheelhouse15
    Wheelhouse15 Posts: 5,575 Member
    edited January 2016
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    angerelle wrote: »
    So do all your cows live indoors? Cows over here in the UK are outdoors most of the year eating grass and supplementary feeds, then come indoors in the winter and are fed on silage instead of grass.

    As stated above, feedlots are outdoors. More information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feedlot

    I once worked on a case involving alleged market manipulation in the feeder cattle market (you can buy feeder cattle futures).

    Commodity futures are something I don't deal with much anymore in my portfolio due to the high leverage and market manipulation as you mentioned but they give farmers certainty for price, at least.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    I've been seeing Spring Crossing grass fed beef pop up in stores. It tends to be cheaper than other brands, but not as good. And certainly no where nearly as good as that from a local farmer I had last year.
  • hopeandtheabsurd
    hopeandtheabsurd Posts: 265 Member
    I'm convinced that the "grain fed tastes better" is just a clever marketing strategy by the corn industry. I prefer the flavor of grassfed, if it is sourced and cooked properly.
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    Just watched cowspiracy on netflix. It may taste different but, you should really see how much land would be needed for the entire world to eat grass fed beef. In fact its' kinda scary about meat and feeding the entire population in general.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I'm convinced that the "grain fed tastes better" is just a clever marketing strategy by the corn industry. I prefer the flavor of grassfed, if it is sourced and cooked properly.

    You think people like it better because they've been told to like it better? I've never even heard or seen an ad saying it tastes better. Where is the need when grain finished is so much cheaper? You don't think it's more likely that it tastes better because it's more familiar?

    Honestly I always think people who say grass fed tastes better are just buying into marketing or the idea that it's better for me so I should like it better.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    srecupid wrote: »
    Just watched cowspiracy on netflix. It may taste different but, you should really see how much land would be needed for the entire world to eat grass fed beef. In fact its' kinda scary about meat and feeding the entire population in general.

    Chickens take far less space!
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    srecupid wrote: »
    Just watched cowspiracy on netflix. It may taste different but, you should really see how much land would be needed for the entire world to eat grass fed beef. In fact its' kinda scary about meat and feeding the entire population in general.

    Chickens take far less space!

    chickens eat grass?
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    srecupid wrote: »
    Just watched cowspiracy on netflix. It may taste different but, you should really see how much land would be needed for the entire world to eat grass fed beef. In fact its' kinda scary about meat and feeding the entire population in general.

    Chickens take far less space!

    chickens eat grass?

    Absolutely they do. Not only, but yes.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    edited January 2016
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    You need more land per cow for grass fed and the cows need to live about 9 months longer. I'm sure they can charge some premium for it but, I don't know the margins
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.

    i was almost gonna stop and buy one on my way home tonight. *sigh*
  • frantzcr
    frantzcr Posts: 129 Member
    I like grass fed to avoid GMOs(but that is another topic thread somewhere in the forum I'm sure and will leave my beliefs on that separate)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.

    i was almost gonna stop and buy one on my way home tonight. *sigh*

    Pick up chickens instead.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    frantzcr wrote: »
    I like grass fed to avoid GMOs(but that is another topic thread somewhere in the forum I'm sure and will leave my beliefs on that separate)

    Organic would do that and it's usually cheaper.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.

    i was almost gonna stop and buy one on my way home tonight. *sigh*

    Pick up chickens instead.

    I do eat cage free eggs...."ponders"...."googles for chicken farmers close by"
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.

    i was almost gonna stop and buy one on my way home tonight. *sigh*

    Pick up chickens instead.

    I do eat cage free eggs...."ponders"...."googles for chicken farmers close by"

    well...i eat eggs from cage free chickens to be more precise.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Tomk652015 wrote: »
    Grass fed i would think has to be cheaper for the farmer and what...costs more in the store? win win not that i'd begrudge income to the farmers of the world.

    I doubt many farmers make more money from grass fed. The grain feed usually comes after the cattle are sold. It would limit what the farmer can feed the cattle though. Not sure if increases cost for them or not.

    There is a lot of labor and equipment to raise adequate grain to feed a herd of cattle. throwing one in the front lawn next to the chickens seems cheaper :)

    If only that was how it worked. Many cattle ranchers have to grow or buy something like hay to supplement grass. Cows need a lot of room to graze.

    i was almost gonna stop and buy one on my way home tonight. *sigh*

    Pick up chickens instead.

    I do eat cage free eggs...."ponders"...."googles for chicken farmers close by"

    well...i eat eggs from cage free chickens to be more precise.

    I hate to see poor eggs caged up. :cry: