Make Mine Corn-Fed

I ran across an article from The Courier-Journal about how a new local restaurant "Bluegrass Burgers" will use local beef.

Read the article at - http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110429/SCENE02/304290072/Louisville-Restaurant-News-Local-beef-menu-new-Bluegrass-Burgers

I was excited until I read the comments from the owner.

“People need to be eating the really top-quality meat, from cows that eat grass, not corn. Cows aren't meant to eat corn,” Seckman says. “There's more flavor for sure in the grass-fed.”

Seckman buys strictly Kentucky grass-fed and hormone-/antibiotic-free beef. “I can go pick the cows out at Misty Meadows Farm,” he says.

I definitely had to provide my point of view on this one:

While I think it is great that a local restaurant is using local beef, I won't be going out and paying for "grass-fed" beef. I might as well be eating the venison in my freezer.

All beef cattle are grazed most of their life, but "corn-fed" are only finished on grain. Finishing beef cattle on a balanced diet of grain and forages allows farmers to more adequately control their nutrient intake.

And I can't believe anyone thinks grass finished beef is tastier.

Next - a little a botany lesson - corn is a member of the grass family. All grasses eventually produce a grain. Therefore, saying cows aren't supposed to be fed corn is down-right illogical.

People need to quit listening to Pollan and Martha Stewart and ask a real farmer about the benefits of feeding cattle grain.

Regarding hormone use in beef - I found this post from fellow blogger Megan Kontz - http://sdfarmwife.blogspot.com/2011/04/beefin-up-beef-with-growth-hormones.html. She does an excellent job explaining why hormones are used, and how hormone content in beef compares to other foods.

Finally, if you have read my posts before, you know my take on antibiotic use. If the cow is sick, give it some medicine.

I don't think I will be visiting this local establishment any time soon.

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