Site last updated 9/15/2017

What is Grassfed Meat?
Grassfed meat is meat harvested from an animal that is fed only forages and hays. These can be grain plants like oats, rye or wheat that are grazed by the animal before the plant seeds out. The grain is not allowed to be fed in grass fattened or grassfed meat in order to keep the good Omega 3 fatty acids high in the animals body. Grain is high in Omega 6 fatty acids.

Some producers in Nebraska are using green corn plants for the high leaf area and stalk and making sure the grazing is done before the plants are putting kernels in the cob. In this case the crop is planted at staggered times so there are always immature plants available for grazing. In our case we are using native grasses we have planted back into crop ground or are grazing native sod that has warm season grasses. We also harvest some intermediate wheatgrass hay and this year some oats hay that was harvested before it seeded out. We also swath graze millet and intermediate grass and feed this in the winter time using electric fence so the cows are rationed for a days worth of feed to graze on.

The calves are weaned onto grass and then started on the hays and they may receive a small amount of non-GMO molasses and field peas for more energy and protein. The field pea ration consists of weed seeds or irregular size or shape field peas.

No corn grain or corn byproducts are allowed to be fed at any time as they reduce the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids in the meat.



Our philosophy on raising healthy cattle
We do not farm, but strictly raise cattle and the grass and forage they eat. Our cattle are never fed any grain.  The grass season that raises the lush highest nutrition grasses, that cattle grow and fatten the most rapidly on, is from mid April to August. 

We spend a lot of hours moving cattle between small paddocks or pastures to make sure they have fresh growing grass for them to eat at all times. We feel cattle are healthier and happier out being real cows on grass or pasture. Our cows graze stockpiled grass or portioned out windrowed feed in the winter time as possible for the supply that the summer's rains have allowed to grow.

We do not shut the weaned calves up in small muddy lots, but allow them to run and play and find dry spots even when it snows and is muddy.  They have clean hair coats which also makes a clean harvest possible easily and keep them healthier.

We use a de-wormer with no withdrawal time that does not harm the dung beetles in our soil so the fecal pats are rapidly and efficiently recycled. The manure is removed so there is more grass surface to graze and the nitrogen in the feces is recycled by the dung beetles in the pasture for natural fertilizers. Since the manure is physically removed by the dung beetles, fly populations are naturally reduced as flies have no place to multiply. We also move cattle frequently so most flies that did hatch will stay on the old pasture and die, and the cattle are less stressed by flies biting them.