When you think of beef, which breeds come to mind? Angus? Hereford? Shorthorn?
All of those breeds were developed to be good feedlot animals—animals that can be raised in confinement with little exercise and fed a grain-based diet. But what about grass-fed beef? Are there specific breeds that are better suited for grass-fed beef production than others? And if so, why?
The answer is yes, there are some breeds better suited for raising grass-fed beef. Here are the top five:
Angus
Hereford
Shorthorn
Limousin
Red Devon
The best breeds for grass fed beef are those that have been selectively bred to produce the highest quality meat. Many breeds of cattle are used for grass fed beef, but some are better than others at producing meat that is tender, juicy and flavorful.
Best Breeds For Grass Fed Beef
Here’s a list of the best breeds for grass fed beef:
Aberdeen Angus – The Aberdeen Angus is a Scottish breed that originated in the south of Scotland. They are known for their excellent marbling, which makes them a great choice for grass fed beef.
Blue Grey – The Blue Grey is a British breed that was developed from crossing Hereford cattle with Shorthorn cattle. It has long horns and produces lean, flavorful meat with a deep colored fat cap.
Charolais – The Charolais is an ancient French breed that was developed in the Charollais region of France by crossing local cattle with English Longhorns and Dutch Belted cattle. It has long horns and produces lean cuts of meat with good marbling and flavor.
The best breeds for grass fed beef are ones that have been bred to have a long, slow growth rate. This is because the slower the animal grows, the more marbling (intramuscular fat) it has, which is essential for good tasting beef.
Here are some of the best breeds for grass fed beef:
Hereford
Aberdeen Angus
Charolais
Shorthorn
Grass fed beef is healthier and more nutritious than grain fed beef. It is also better for the environment and the cattle.
The best breeds for grass fed beef are those that have been bred specifically for this purpose, such as Angus, Hereford or Devon cattle.
Grass fed beef is healthier than grain fed beef because it contains higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which has been shown to help reduce body fat levels in humans and animals alike. Grass fed beef also contains less cholesterol than grain fed beef, making it a good choice for people who are trying to lower their cholesterol or blood pressure.
Grass fed beef is more nutritious than grain fed because of the way it is raised. Grass fed cattle are allowed to roam freely on open pastures, eating only grasses and other plants that they find there. Grain fed cattle are given a diet consisting of grains, silage corn and soybeans along with supplements like vitamins and minerals to make up for what they are missing from their diet. These supplements can actually be harmful to humans if eaten in large amounts so it’s better not to eat them at all if possible
Beef from grass-fed cattle has a different fat composition than beef from grain-fed cattle. The fatty acid composition of grass-fed beef is closer to that of wild game and other grass-eating animals.
Grass-fed beef has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease, than grain-fed beef. Omega-3 fats also have anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent chronic diseases.
Grass-fed beef is higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than grain-fed beef. CLA has been shown to have anticancer properties, especially against breast cancer cells. It may also help reduce body fat and promote lean muscle growth.