Grass-Fed vs. Grain-Fed Beef: Does it Matter?

Not too long ago, I saw a video that was arguing that grass-fed beef was really the same thing  as grain-fed beef because, "many grains are technically grass - corn, wheat, barley, millet, oats, rice, rye, wheat." 

The curator of the video didn't extrapolate much beyond that point, but the implication was that grain-fed beef and grass-fed beef (and by extension, lamb or goat meat) are essentially the same because if you're feeding an animal grain, it's really just grass. 

Eh. Kind of. But not really.

I'm not a huge fan of videos or posts like this because it doesn't get into the nuances of the matter (as you can see, I'm very much a long-form writer - I think it takes more than three sentences to accurately make a point, which is one reason why I'll never be able to have a Twitter - excuse me, "X"). 

So in today's Factual Friday, I want to break down yet another food label we see - grass fed vs. grain fed - and talk about what that really means.

First, let's dissect the argument that grain-fed is essentially the same as grass-fed because grains are made from grasses.

Corn is a member of the grass family, as are many of the others that the curator listed out in her video. That is completely accurate. 

But corn-fed (or oat-fed, wheat-fed, whatever it might be) cows are not the same as grass fed. 

I'll explain why, but let me start by saying I understand the hesitancy of consumers to shell out extra cash for meat because it's grass-fed. Like most of the food labels I've talked about in this series, it's become a bastardized term that is thrown around like it's made of gold - but there's more nuance to it than that, and understanding the nuance is important. 

Grass-fed isn't necessarily better, just like free-range isn't necessarily better, or organic isn't necessarily better. But it's decidedly not the same as grain-fed, despite what the content curator I referenced above would have you believe - and there are some significant advantages (ones that I'll argue are perhaps much more significant than free-range or organic). 

Let's look at this.

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How Cows Digest Grain vs. Grass

Cows have the ability to digest grain, just like they can digest grass. But remember, unlike people, cows are ruminants, meaning they have a rumen that takes grass and converts it into protein (which is why cows can get all the nutrition they need from grass, while we, as humans, cannot).

When cows are fed corn (or other grains), it's essentially just the kernel or seed, not the whole plant. A corn kernel contains up to 78% starch, depending on the variety. Barley has up to 55% starch. By comparison, grass starches tend to be  much lower - this varies by species (as well as season, time of harvesting, and maturity), but is generally around 1-2%.

For cows to digest the starch from an intact corn kernel, it must be "damaged" by processing, like grinding or rolling. This is often seen as an easy solution to make corn more digestible for cows…but it's not quite that cut and dry. (Yes, that's a hay pun).

When cows graze naturally, on the whole "grass plant," they do eat seeds and fruits - one argument is that there's no difference between grain-fed/corn-fed cows and grass-fed cows because they're eating those plant parts anyway when they graze. 

However, they're generally only eating a few seeds at a time, most of which will pass through a cow's stomach undigested. 

When cattle are fed a diet that's primarily corn or grain instead of grass, an imbalance starts to occur in the gut. It's not dissimilar to what happens to us if we eat a diet high in processed sugar, fried food, and all those other tasty treats that are fine in moderation - but really shouldn't comprise the totality of our diets.

Eat too many of these foods, and your gut microbiome gets thrown off. You start gaining weight, suffering from immune system problems, perhaps have some hormonal issues. But first, you'll likely notice issues like gas, bloating…your typical tummy troubles.

When cows switch to predominantly grain digestion, it can shift the pH in a cow's gut, with a higher acidity leading to problems like acidosis. 

Acidosis is often compared to stomach ulcers in humans and can lead to an early death or liver problems. There are some animal welfare issues to address here. The USDA inspects livers for abscesses at the time of slaughtering - roughly 31% of livers from CAFO cattle in 2010-2011 were deemed unfit for human consumption.

This is an issue that's tricky to reverse, because once those grain-digesting enzymes take over, the acidity just increases and the enzymes that are good at digesting grass become less active, meaning it's then harder for the cow to digest grass. In addition to the health problems and rapid weight gain caused by grain and corn, that's why it's not common to see cattle on high-grain or corn diets live long lives. 

The History of Grain-Fed and Grass-Fed Cattle

Prior to World War II, the vast majority of Americans had never tasted corn-fed beef. It wasn't until demand and production of grain and corn skyrocketed during the war that things started to change. When the war ended and demand plummeted, farmers had a surplus of products to dispose of. 

The government began subsidizing certain groups so that farmers could be paid regardless of demand. 

Much of this corn was later pushed into the ethanol market, and much went into beef.

Does Grain-Fed Beef Taste Better?

We are now so used to corn-fed or grain-fed beef that many consumers cite a preference for it over grass-fed, saying they prefer the dense fat cap and marbling that accompany their steaks. Some also say that grass fed beef tastes "gamey."

Again, it all comes down to preparation. One of the most common mistakes people make when cooking grass-fed beef is cooking it too long. It cooks about 30% faster than grain-fed, just like pasture-raised chicken and turkey cooks faster than conventionally raised. 

Another tip? Don't throw the steak immediately onto the grill after taking it out of the fridge, and don't cut right into it once it's done cooking. You need to let it rest for a few minutes before doing both (again - I'd recommend this for grain-fed beef, too). 

The flavor of the beef can also be impacted by grazing rotations and species type. That's right - the specific grasses that cattle eat can impact the flavor of the finished product. 

In my experience, when customers are given two steaks (one grass-fed and one grain-fed) that are both prepared properly, with respect to how the animal was raised, there is little to no difference in flavor.

Most cattle raised in the US do spend a portion of their lives grazing before moving onto feedlots. The term "grass fed" isn't one that's monitored or policed in any way - so really, any cattle producer could call their meat "grass fed," so it finds itself in the same camp as "free range" or "all-natural."

And perhaps there doesn't need to be. Lots of farmers (like ourselves) raise their beef on pasture, moving them daily or every other day to fresh grass, but still use a bit of grain here and there as a training tool (we tend to introduce it at the end of the season to acclimate the cows to being trailered).

We would never claim to be 100% grass-fed because we don't want to mislead our customers.  Do those last few days really matter? Probably not, but we’re in the business of transparency.

Many producers would, however, market it as such, although the “ideal” term you’re looking for here would be, “grass-fed, grass-finished,” meaning the animal never had anything in its entire life except milk consumed prior to weaning and grass/forage/hay. The USDA itself writes, “‘‘Grass (Forage) Fed’ means that grass and forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning.” This, again, is not regulated. There's no official definition of the term that’s actually monitored.

We advertise ourselves as grass-fed, but not as grass-finished, which is the key differentiator there. This, too, however, is not regulated by the USDA, so take whatever you see with a grain of salt - and, once more, get to know your local farmer. Find out their justification for feeding certain diets. Ask questions. Be inquisitive.

Striking a Balance

For us, it comes down to balance - doing the very best we can by the animal and the environment while also respecting the preferences of our customers.  

Now - and I'll say this again, even though it's something I've repeated numerous times in multiple posts - there is nothing wrong with grain-fed or corn-fed beef. If that's what you want to buy and what you want to eat, that's entirely your decision. 

Personally, I prefer the nutritional profile and flavor of grass-fed (and I do have opinions about the environmental sustainability and ethics of the latter). But you're completely entitled, as a consumer, to buy and eat whatever kind of meat you want. Or be a vegan. What's on your plate is not my business.

But what is my business is making sure the information isn't obfuscated. Don't say "grain-fed tastes better than grass-fed" or "corn-fed is the same as grass-fed because corn is grass." First of all, taste is subjective. I love chicken pot pie, but my kid says it, "makes him want to puke" (toddlers, am I right). Josh could eat sausage, peppers, and onions every day of the week - but I am not a fan at all.

Second, saying that feeding corn is the same as feeding grass because it is grass is like saying that eating cake counts as eating vegetables because it has flour in it and flour is ground from wheat, which is a plant. I don't have anything against cake, but it's definitely not as nutritionally dense as a big green salad. There is a place for both in a balanced diet - but one is going to provide the nourishment I need, while the other is going to make me kind of sluggish.

It's not just about the source, it's about the quality and nutritional value. Grass-fed meats have been found to be higher in omega-3 fatty acids,  vitamins, and antioxidants compared to conventionally raised grain-fed meats. 

And if you're not sold on the benefits of grass-fed and would rather stick to "conventionally" raised beef? That's ok, too. Just know that us grass farmers aren't necessarily trying to revolutionize anything or shake up the scene. Remember, less than 100 years ago, this was just how things were done.

We're returning to our roots, if you will - and letting the cows have the roots (and stems, and leaves, and seeds), too. Not just the kernel.