Grassfed vs Organic, What Does it Mean?

My friend Rea recently asked if I would address the difference between organic beef and grassfed beef. These buzz words are everywhere we look, but what do these terms actually mean?

100% Grassfed Beef:

The term grassfed is used to explain how the cow was raised and fed. A grassfed animal was raised on pasture. At Lasater ranch the the cattle graze on a shortgrass prairie system their entire life.  Blue grama and buffalo grass are the dominant grass species present. Pronghorn, white tail deer, several species of small mammals and bison historically grazed in this ecosystem.

Lasater cattle are eating what they are designed to consume--grass and some forbs. A cow takes the cellulose in grass and turns it into protein. Jo Robinson writes about the benefits of eating pastured beef here: http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

Grassfed beef is rich in the following: 

Vitamin E 

Beta carotene 

Good source for Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) 

Healthy ratio of Omega 3 to 6 Fatty Acid 

High quality protein 

Iron, zinc, selenium, and B-complex vitamins

Lasater ranch is organic and the cattle are grazing on grass and other short grass prairie species. 
 
Organic Beef: 

Certified organic beef is born and raised without antibiotics or growth hormones. Unless organic beef is labeled grassfed it is fed grain. This is where quality and health become a concern. Cattle raised on grain, even organic, are not healthy. Cattle are herbivorous ruminants (plant eaters that chew their cud). Cows are not accustomed to consuming grains. Why are they eating such an unnatural diet? It's economically profitable to feed cows subsidized grains that serve to rapidly pack on the pounds. Grains are high in energy and can fatten up the cow a lot faster than the natural way of letting the steer roam on a pasture and eat grass. Because the corn or grain disturbs their digestion, they are more apt to get sick. The grain prevents the rumen (first division of the cow stomach) from functioning as it should, and the cow becomes more susceptible to bloating which can lead to suffocation. Grain fed cattle may also get acidosis, which is the acidifying of the rumen. Eventually the rumen is ulcerated and this can and often does lead to liver disease. Organs failing are symtoms of sick animals which translates to less healthy beef. Cattle raised on grain, even organic, are not as healthy as cattle raised on grass.  There is a very lengthy interview with Michael Pollen addressing the issue of feeding grain to cattle and health concerns here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/meat/interviews/pollan.html


Practice discretion when buying organic beef. 100% grassfed beef is best! I hope this helps answer some questions you may have regarding these two terms.