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Surprised how many people in the replies actually think their beef is grass fed.
by kaleinator 7mo ago
Surprised how many people in the replies actually think their beef is grass fed.
- debo_ 7mo ago[dead]
- tracker1 7mo agoA large amount of beef is mostly grass fed and finished on a grain feed lot the last month of life.
- yesfitz 7mo agoGot a source for "last month of life"? Penn State University Extension says "...approximately 95% of the cattle in the United States continue to be finished, or fattened, on grain for the last 160 to 180 days of life (~25 to 30% of their life), on average."[1] Oklahoma State University Extension also cites a study that compares "growth and carcass attributes of calves finished for 98 to 105 days in a grass system or a legume system"[2] That puts us between 3 to 6 times longer than you stated, and gives us the context for how much of the average cattle's life that is. (USDA Prime, Choice, and Standard are all 30 to 42 months. Select is under 30 months.[3]) 1: https://extension.psu.edu/grass-fed-beef-production https://extension.psu.edu/grass-fed-beef-production 2: https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/finishing-beef-cattle-on-the-farm#:~:text=a%20dirt%20lot.-,Table%203,-.%20Growth%20and https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/finishing-beef-cat... 3: https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/slaughter-cattle-grades-and-standards https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/slaughter-cattle-g...
- victorbjorklund 7mo agoThe world is bigger than US. A minority of the world is US.
- mcv 7mo agoYeah, but outside the US there are also a lot of grain fed cows.
- yesfitz 7mo agoNot a minority in terms of beef.[1] Only Brazil produces more. But if you have any sources about cattle finishing practices in other countries, I’m keen to read them. 1: https://www.cattlerange.com/articles/2026/04/global-beef-production-and-exports/ https://www.cattlerange.com/articles/2026/04/global-beef-pro...
- enoint 7mo agoAround me, 90-120 days on max 60% field corn. If it weren't field corn, it'd be another cereal.
- raincole 7mo agoAnd they are very likely right.
- ErroneousBosh 7mo ago<looks out of the window> Yup, that's grass they're eating.
- robocat 7mo agoAll our beef is grass fed, because we don't use grain finishing in New Zealand. Many US people apparently dislike the taste of our beef (grain finishing has a milder flavour). Cattle for beef is mostly farmed on land that is too crappy to grow crops.