The biggest opportunity in today’s beef industry is grass-finished beef. Please note that there is a big difference between grass-fed beef and grass-finished beef. Any old cow that eats grass qualifies as grass-fed beef. In contrast, grass-finished beef is beef that has been fattened, with
substantial amounts of marbling, on an all-grass diet. To date, only a handful of producers are taking advantage of this opportunity. Those who sell their product directly to the end consumer can set their own prices — and they will not be affected by the up and down swings of the cattle cycle.
Although there are many well-documented health benefits to grass-finished beef, most beef producers have never taken the time to find out what they are. In the meantime, however, many health conscious housewives have been studying up on the benefits of grass-finished beef (see article on
page.

Can we afford to know less than the end consumer about the product we produce? Escalating environmental concerns are another issue I think we should be aware of. If you were to show pictures of cattle crammed together in a filthy feedlot pen and pictures of cattle grazing peacefully on beautiful green pastures to consumer they would find most appealing? I spent six years working in a feedlot and I know, without a doubt, which product I would find most appealing.

I’m not saying we should stop feeding grain to cattle, especially when it is cheap. I’m just saying we can produce great-tasting beef with little or no grain if we want to — or if we have to. In the long run, high priced corn may end up being the best thing hat could happen to the beef industry. In the short run, though, many genetic changes will need to take place.

Kit Pharo. Excerpt from Pharo Cattle Company January 2007 Newsletter.