Grass fed beef is the practice of raising cattle on natural free-range pasture, without the use of antibiotics, hormones or grain. This creates meat that is naturally lean, high in healthy Omega-3 fats and vitamins, and removed from the risks associated with feed-lot beef.
The result is a healthy and delicious meat.
Is All Grass–Fed Beef the Same?
No! Unfortunately, federal regulations allow cattle to be labeled as grass fed even if they have been “finished” on grain. This means that much of the “grass fed beef” available commercially actually comes from cattle that have spent their last 30–60 days in a feedlot. This is sufficient to change the fats from Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats and to expose the animal to many additional risks.
Be sure to ask before you buy grass fed beef whether the animals were “grain finished”. Our cattle eat only natural pasture and stored grasses.
Read more about the health benefits of grass fed beef.
About our Cattle
Our cattle, raised just outside Chapel Hill, NC, are Hereford beef cattle. They eat either fresh pasture growth or stored grasses such as hay or hay silage. They are allowed to grow at a natural rate; calves stay with their mothers. Our herd is a “closed herd” meaning that we do not buy and sell cattle. Having a closed herd reduces the risk of any sort of disease being introduced to the herd.
Rob plans carefully to maintain genetic diversity and strength in the herd. We have recently introduced a new Hereford bull, Bronto. He will bring enhanced qualities to the steaks. The previous bull was a Red Devon, a heritage breed from England that is particularly well suited to grass feeding. The meat from Red Devon cattle is renowned for being tender and flavorful. The combination of Hereford and Red Devon breeds provides a strong genetic foundation for high quality meat and a healthy grass fed herd.
Our cattle lead stress-free lives on about 40 acres of pasture, with free access to water and shade. We do not use any hormones or antibiotics. The herd stays healthy due to the lack of crowding, free-range pasture, and careful management by Rob.
We also partner with Roland Walters at Carls-Beth farm in Efland, who has a very high quality rotational-grazing practice for his Angus cattle. Roland, like Rob, does not feed any grain, and uses no pesticides, antibiotics or hormones.
Learn how you can purchase our grass fed beef.