Grass-Fed Beef Benefits

Why do customers choose grass-fed beef?

We hear two things from our customers: They want beef that’s better for them and better for the environment.

A cow’s diet plays a major role in how nutritious it is when we eat it. Multiple peer-reviewed studies over the past several decades have shown that grass-fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and good cholesterols (1, 2, 3).

Grass-fed beef has been shown to be higher in these nutritional attributes:

• More heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids

• More conjugated linoleic acids, a type of fat that’s linked to reduced heart disease and cancer risks

• More antioxidants and vitamins

Why is that?

A cow’s biology makes it hard-wired to receive nutrition from grazing, and that’s how it’s been done for centuries. It’s only since the rise of commodity agriculture that we’ve changed how beef cattle are finished. In today’s beef industry, the majority of cattle are finished at feedlots, where they’re fed a variety of grains and by-products from the big ag system to bring them up to slaughter weight. 

That diet is reflected in the quality of beef on your table. 

Desert Mountain cattle are 100% grass-fed and grass-finished. We capitalize on the cow’s strongest super-power: the ability to turn sunlight into food. It’s something cows have in common with other ruminants that receive the bulk of their nutrition from plants — animals like deer, elk and bison. 

In a way, that means you’re eating what our cows eat: native grasses and forbs, domestic plants like alfalfa and ryegrass, and cover crops planted by our nearby farmers. 

If you had to choose between that diet and a feedlot ration, which would you put in your mouth?