By Brad Haire
University of Georgia
The cattle on Bob Woodall’s Sparta, Ga., farm may not look
different from any other cattle. But their meat may be more
healthful because they do one simple thing: eat a lot of
grass.
Woodall’s cattle are what are known as grass-finished or grass-
fed cattle. After weaning, his calves primarily feed on grass,
with no added antibiotics or growth implants.
Studies have shown that the meat from grass-finished cattle can
be healthier than meat from cattle fed corn in feedlots, which
is the standard practice.
Susan Duckett is a meat specialist with the University of
Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. She
studies the meat of grass-finished cattle and has started the
Georgia Grass-fed Beef Initiative.
The initiative has helped small-scale farmers like Woodall with
start-up information.
Lean, healthy
The beef of grass-fed cattle is as much as 42 percent leaner
than corn-fed cattle. “Certain cuts are as lean as poultry,” she
said. “And it’s as tender or more tender than grain-fed
cattle.”
It has higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, too. Meat products
with high Omega-3 fatty acid levels have been shown to reduce
heart disease and certain cancers. Fish oil is considered
healthful because it’s high in this fatty acid.
But the meat of grass-fed cattle tastes different. It’s gamey,
like venison and lamb, Duckett said. Some consumers accustomed
to grain-fed beef may not like it.
Niche
But Woodall has found a healthy niche market for his beef.
His business has grown by word of mouth. Most of his customers
are “upper-end, health-conscious, metro people,” he said.
“We can directly market our beef to these customers for more
than what we could get at the sale barn,” he said.
Woodall began his operation three years ago with 15 mother cows.
He sold three animals the first year and nine the second. He
expects to sell 12 this year. Now he’s increasing his herd
size.
“Our customers are loyal and can’t get enough of the meat,”
Woodall said.
One repeat customer is allergic to grains and can’t eat anything
exposed to corn. The customer can eat grass-fed beef with no
problems, he said.
Cattlemen like Woodall have to be very customer-oriented and
willing to put in a lot of time and money to develop niche
markets, said Curt Lacy, a livestock economist with the UGA
Extension Service.
It takes more land to raise grass-fed cattle, too. And they have
to be managed longer.
It generally takes grass-fed calves about two years to reach a
sellable weight of around 1,000 pounds, Lacy said. Corn-fed
feedlot calves reach it in about 18 months.
Grassy
A grass-fed cattle farmer has to be able to grow high-quality
grasses, too, said John Andrae, a forage specialist with the UGA
Extension Service. But the Georgia climate works in his favor.
“We can grow the right types of forage,” Andrae said. “And we
have a long growing season.”
Wintertime is a challenge. But it’s hard for any cattleman.
Stockpiles of grass or hay can supplement cattle during winter
when grass is dormant or less lush. Annual winter grass can be
planted for the cattle to eat then, too.
Because farmers with grass-fed cattle are limited on what they
can feed their stock, times of prolonged drought would hurt them
more than conventional cattlemen.
