I raise about twenty beef cattle at my family’s farm. We feed them mainly grain with hay whenever they want it. I feed my show cattle mainly grain and our mama cows and calves mostly hay, and they go on pasture in the summer. In the winter we feed our cows a corn mixture and round bales of hay in their feeder. Grains like corn, wheat, and oats are easier for cattle to digest. Since grain is easier to digest, cattle can put on weight more quickly on a grain diet. Even if the cows are always out on pasture, farmers should still be feeding them a little bit of grain to make sure they are staying healthy. There are many advantages to finishing beef cattle with different types of feed. According to Dan Brennan from Nourish written on September 30th, 2020, he states that grain-fed beef is considered to be a healthier option than grass-fed beef. Dan Brennan states that grain-fed beef is better for our health and along with most people I prefer grain-fed beef. Grain-fed beef is found to be the better option because it is better for our hearts and is full of vitamins. This essay will cover the advantages and disadvantages of Grain-Fed vs. Grass-Fed Beef.

The first good thing about Grass-fed beef is heart health. Katherine Zeratsky from Mayo Clinic wrote an article called “Grass-fed beef: What are the heart-health benefits?” on February 3rd, 2022. She wrote about why grass-fed beef helps hearts and how there is long-term research to prove that grass-fed beef is better for people. What the cattle eat affects the nutrients and fats in different types of beef. Grass-fed beef normally comes from cattle that only eat grass and foraged foods throughout their lives. Grain-fed beef or conventional beef cattle typically eat a balance of grains, such as corn, alfalfa, or soybeans. When people compare different types of beef, grass-fed beef can have many heart-health benefits. They have a lot of fat content. More healthy omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E. It has a lower level of saturated fat compared to grain-fed beef and replacing saturated fat in grain-fed beef has been proven to reduce the risk of any possible heart disease. Lean meat, such as grass-fed beef, has a good impact on cholesterol levels. Second, grass-fed beef is more nutritious. It is full of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Grass-fed beef is a source of several vitamins and nutrients that help build muscles and cartilage tissue stronger. It is packed with vitamins including vitamins B12, B3, B6, A, and E, and antioxidants. These vitamins are really important because they help enzymes in our bodies break down carbohydrates, and help transport nutrients throughout the body. They play a role to help keep our brain running properly. Another key role in Grass-fed beef is that it has a lower calorie content and lower energy levels. According to “The Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef: The Nutritional Powerhouse” written by Dr. Anthony Gustin on February 22nd, 2021 grass-fed beef has a lower count of fat content because its diet is more natural and clean. Although it costs more, the amount of calories we save is surprising. Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to prevent and treat diseases including strokes, heart diseases, autoimmune responses including eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and a lot of other conditions. Grass-fed beef also contains more antioxidants than conventional beef. Antioxidants help prevent cells from free radicals which can affect heart disease and cancer. When the beef has lower calories they are higher in protein. Beef contains amino acids that help complete protein building blocks. Protein can help prevent conditions such as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a loss of skeletal muscle that develops from a shortage of protein over time. Although grass-fed beef has many advantages there are also a lot of disadvantages. 

A few disadvantages of grass-fed beef are that it has yellow-colored fat, it is more expensive, and it has negative effects on cholesterol levels. When people see that the fat in meat is yellow it means that the cow was healthy and that it grazed on a green pasture. According to The Regen Ranch written on March 19, 2021 “the yellow fat results from the ingestion and absorption of yellow pigments that are present in plants.” These pigments come mainly from beta-carotene which is a naturally-occurring plant pigment. My second point on the disadvantages of grass-fed beef is that it is more expensive. Grass-fed beef costs an average of four dollars per pound. That’s because it takes about twenty-four to thirty months for a cow to be ready to butcher. Raising grass-fed beef is more sustainable but so much more expensive for the farmer. Another reason why it is more expensive is that the meat is dry-aged. Only dry-aging can achieve a delicious flavor. During the dry-aging process, the meat juices get absorbed with fibers in the meat. Third, grass-fed beef can have negative effects on cholesterol levels. Dr. Stephen B. Smith, a professor of Animal Science at Texas Tech University wrote on December 7th, 2013 that there is no difference in cholesterol levels in ground beef from grass-fed beef and conventionally raised beef as long as the fat content levels are the same. He also wrote that the cholesterol in beef and its products are stored in both the lean and fat within the meat. If someone were to trim all of the fat from the meat including the marbling there would be about forty-five milligrams of cholesterol in a four-ounce serving of beef. When choosing what kind of meat to purchase, keep in consideration the disadvantages of grass-fed beef and remember the advantages of grain-fed beef.  

There are many advantages to grain-fed beef including that it is the perfect example of hormone-free and antibiotic-free beef, and it is proven to taste better. According to Rachel Owens at North Carolina Cooperative Extension on July 16, 2021, she wrote that the traditional model for when cattle are finished by feeding supplemental grains, like soybeans, corn, and wheat to increase the energy that they are getting. Grain is fed to cattle because it has higher energy levels, which is used to speed up the process and increase efficiency. Feeding the cattle grain could make the fat more white colored which typically has more marbling. The marbling is responsible for the flavor and tenderness when grading the quality. Megan Dwyer told Illinois Farming Families that raising cattle is all about choices. There are never-ending choices when it comes to raising cattle. When choosing where to have cattle stay we have to think about all possibilities that might happen. Most farmers prefer calving outside but they have to have the facilities to calve indoors, especially for bad weather. When raising cattle during calving season we often refer to it as a preschool classroom full of toddlers that touch and share everything including germs. If cows calve outside they are less likely to share any bad germs and tend to be healthier. Calves are very resilient and as long as they are dry they have their coats to help keep them warm enough to handle a midwest winter. They are also always concerned for the safety of the cows, they need to stay out of the wind so we like to use hay bales or corn stocks to make a windbreak. Keeping the herd healthy is important. A few ways that we check to make sure they are healthy is to make sure their vaccines are up to date and on schedule to prevent any illnesses. In the summer pink eye is a problem that can be solved by keeping the pastures mowed to prevent eye infections and injuries. Keeping minerals and salt blocks in their pens can also help with any dietary needs that their grass or grain may be lacking. Although there are a lot of advantages to grain-fed beef, there are also disadvantages to keep in mind. Grain-fed beef is proven to taste better because grain leaves the meat with a sweeter taste. In terms of flavor, corn is the most popular type of feed that farmers feed their cattle. Grain-fed beef tends to have more fat which produces marbling. Marbling is what gives beef the rich and beefy flavor. 

Finally, the disadvantages of grain-fed beef can include that it is not suitable for diet-conscious people as it contains higher amounts of fat, and the high levels of grain take different gut microbes than forages and will cause the body to become more acidic. Grain-fed beef has moderate levels of fat that make it fit for people who are aware of health problems, but grass-fed beef is much easier to find. There are very few farmers who raise grass-fed cattle nowadays. Cattle have become less efficient to convert to muscle or meat as they age. Grain contains energy that allows cattle to maintain high growth rates because it provides a concentrated highly digestible source of energy that can be fed when there is a short supply of fiber or it is high priced. Even though beef is normally people's number one choice of meat there are many advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind. 

In conclusion, I think that grain-fed is better for a nutritious diet because it is high in protein and full of vitamins and minerals. There are many advantages and disadvantages to choosing either grain or grass-fed beef but it all comes down to a personal preference for taste. Regardless of choices in grain or grass-fed beef, it is a healthy choice and a safe part of any diet because beef is high in protein and full of vitamins and minerals. I think grain-fed beef is a better choice for beef because that is what we feed our cows. It is also full of vitamins and can help with your heart health.