Are Riverbend Ranch steaks grass-finished or grain-finished?
Answer: We do not advertise Riverbend Ranch cattle “grass-finished” or “grain-finished.” Neither are an accurate way to describe our finishing ration. Both methods are too extreme. At Riverbend Ranch, we give our cattle a nutritious and balanced finishing ration, which we call a “nutritionally balanced ration.”
Grass-finished Programs
In the past, Riverbend Ranch operated as a “qualified” and “verified” grass-fed/grass-finished operation, so we consider ourselves experts that type of program. We supplied verified grass-fed/grass-finished cattle to one of the biggest grass-fed/grass-finished marketers in the United States.
Based on our own experience, we believe “grass-finished” is a misleading idea designed to improve profits.
We stopped operating under that program because we concluded that it doesn’t hold any merit and isn’t healthier for humans or cattle.
Most consumers think that “grass-fed/grass-finished” means that the cattle grazed on grass for their entire lives. But that’s not usually true. Eating the beef of such animals is usually not a pleasant experience! Grass-finished beef often lacks flavor and tenderness due to a lack of marbling.
That’s why the grass-fed beef industry had to change the industry requirements; thye needed a product that customers would actually want to eat. And these new requirements do not reflect what the general public understands about the industry.
Grass-fed and Grass-finished Requirements
Corporations can legally advertise cattle as “grass-fed/grass-finished” even if the cattle spend their last six months of life in a confined area or a large feedlot and are fed a ration high in carbs containing things like molasses; corn syrup and corn gluten; and various grains, like corn, wheat, barley, and oats.
Yes, cattle can be fed grains and still be verified as “grass-finished.” To qualify as “grass-finished,” the grains just need to be harvested in the milk stage, which means the plant hasn’t yet matured and produced a dry kernel. (A grain kernel has three stages: 1) boot, 2) milk, and 3) dough. A big difference between the stages is how much moisture the kernel contains.)
To produce a palatable product with marbling, the grass-fed industry had to add grains to the diet of their cattle. But they changed the grains just enough to make them seem different.
Below are the official requirements for producing beef that can be marketed as “grass-fed/grass-finished.”
“Grass-fed/grass-finished” protocols allow for extremely high amounts of carbs like sugar, corn syrup, molasses, corn cannery waste, brewery byproduct, and sugar beet pulp. That’s why the “grass-finished” label is a misleading claim. It appeals to consumers who have been led to believe that “grass-finished” means the cattle are actually finished on grass and that this is healthier than other beef. But neither of those are true.
Riverbend Ranch Cattle
Our cattle are raised on their mother’s milk and on grass the first summer of their lives. Then, when winter arrives, they are given a ration consisting of grass hay and alfalfa hay. (Note: throughout the entire Midwest and Northwest United States and throughout Canada, during the winter, snow covers the grass and ranchers need to feed cattle some type of hay ration.) In the spring they are taken again to lush mountain pastures and are fed only grass for their second summer. As winter approaches, they are brought to lower elevations where the winters are less harsh, and through the winter they are fed a ration of hay, barley sprouts, barley, wheat, and corn, supplemented with vitamins and minerals to assure optimum health. Their feed is monitored by one of the nation’s most expert cattle nutritionists. Their ration changes as they mature and as their physical needs change. Their health and well-being are our top priority.
After many years of experience, we can assure you that Riverbend Ranch cattle are much healthier and more robust than cattle that are simply fed grass hay or any of the concoctions that the “grass-finished” industry has come up with. Not only do cattle prefer our more nutritious ration, but our cattle are healthier and more robust and have much more energy. We know this because we tried their method. And there is no comparison.
