Glossary
As more and more people are considering how their meat is being raised, food producers are making more and more claims about their practices. We don't blame you if you find it all a little confusing! Here's a quick run-down of all the terms you might encounter, and what they do (and don't) tell you about your meat:
Pastured or Pasture-raised
While this term is not certified by the USDA, it is the one phrase you can look for if you want meat that has been raised outdoors on actively managed pasture using the techniques of rotational grazing on nutrient dense forage crops. "Free-range" doesn't necessarily mean that the animals are actually ranging for this, look for the words pastured, raised on pasture or grass-fed. Pastured meat may be fed some grain as a supplement to their grass-based diet, especially in the winter when it is harder to meet nutritional needs through hay and silage.
Grass-Fed and Grain-Finished
Our cattle are grass-fed and grain-finished. They enjoy not only open pasture and fresh hay on a daily basis, but they also receive a little supplement of grain each day and are grain finished. Grain finishing refers to achieving a full weight and desirable marbling (little ribbons of fat in the muscle tissue that contribute to the juiciness and flavor of the meat). Some farmers prefer to finish their cattle on grain because it helps the animals gain weight and increases the marbling of the meat, making it more tender as well. Feeding cows grain at the end of their lives does not erase the benefits of raising them on pasture, and it is not the equivalent of keeping them in a feed lot their entire life.
No Hormones
The USDA prohibits the use of hormones in raising poultry. For beef, hormones are allowed, and frequently used to speed up growth. Hormone-free beef means that no hormones were used, and the producer provides documentation to support this claim.
No Antibiotics
When animals are raised in confinement, disease is common. Cows and chickens are fed antibiotics as preventative measures whether they are sick or not. Many consumers worry about the excessive use of antibiotics in livestock raising and its potential effect on human health. No antibiotics means that the animals were never fed antibiotics.