Why Grass Fed?

Do you ever wonder....... why do we go through the trouble of seeking out grass-fed beef?

Grass-fed meat is low in both overall fat and artery-clogging saturated fat, and it provides a considerably higher amount of healthy Omega-3 fats than corn-fed meat.  The meat from grain-fed feedlot animals typically contains only 15-50 percent of the Omega-3's of grass-fed livestock.  And even though grain-fed cows develop highly marbled flesh that most consumers are accustomed to, this is unhealthy saturated fat that can't be trimmed off.

And there's more.  Meat from pastured cattle has up to four times the amount of Vitamin E than meat from feedlots, and is much higher in Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), a nutrient associated with lowering cancer risk.

Another reason to prefer a pastured, grass-fed cow is that it's had a dramatically better life than its feedlot cousin.  Grass-fed animals remain on pasture from birth to market, roaming around in fresh air and sunshine.  Grain-fed cows, on the other hand, are raised on pasture only for the first months of their lives.  The vast majority of them are then transported to distant feedlots where they are raised in confinement.

The diet of grass-fed cows is what it was always meant to be: fresh pasture, hay, or grass silage.  Cows are ruminants.  They are endowed with the uncanny ability to convert grass into food that they can digest.  (This is done by virtue of a rumen, a 45-gallon "fermentation tank" in which resident bacteria convert cellulose into protein and fats.)  In feedlots, cows are switched to a diet based on grains - at times with a dash of poultry litter and a sprinkle of restaurant waste, as we've learned from the news of the first U.S. case of mad cow.  To speed their growth and reduce the health problems that come from being fed this unnatural diet and from their stressful living, these animals are treated with hormones, feed additives, and daily doses of antibiotics.

Compare this with the happy life of pastured animals, who don't partake in the daily stress of modern life.  They don't need drugs and antibiotics to keep healthy, and their growth is determined by genetics, not by genetically modified, growth-promoting hormones.

Traditionally, all beef was grass-fed.  But what you're likely to find in grocery stores around the country today is almost all grain-fed, feedlot beef.  The reason?  Economics.  Cows grow faster in feedlots and they are more profitable.

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So Why Eat Texas Longhorn Lean Beef?

• Taste: It tastes great!! Our Texas Longhorn beef is just naturally flavorful and tastes great, by itself or to enhance your favorite recipe.

• Healthful: Texas Longhorn Cattle are genetically low in fat, they live on grass their whole life. Because we care about what we raise and sell, we do not use, or condone the use of, artificial growth stimulants, steroids, or antibiotics. In fact we oppose the use of these substances in the production of all cattle breeds for meat. Comparisons of the nutritional values of the Texas Longhorn Cattle have shown that Texas Longhorn meat is low in fat, cholesterol, and calories and high in protein and nutrients. Texas Longhorn meat will fit into the Federal Government's Dietary Recommendations for a low fat diet.

• Value: All of our beef is ground beef.  But... this is not the same beef as you get in your local markets.  All cuts including the Prime Rib, Sirloin, Ribeye Steaks, Brisket, Ribs, Roasts and all other cuts are ground-up and placed in our ground beef 1 lb packages and patties.  So this is truly a gourmet ground beef!   Nutritionally, you are getting more - protein and nutrients, for less - fat, calories and cholesterol.

We are passionate about providing our customers with the healthiest, safest and highest quality of beef.

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Here's some more facts about our Longhorn beef

• Research shows that lean beef actually lowers your "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
• Grass-fed beef can have the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breast, wild deer, or elk
• Because meat from grass-fed animals is lower in fat than meat from grain-fed animals, it is also lower in calories
• Extra Omega-3s. Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals. Omega-3s are called "good fats" because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body.
• The CLA Bonus. Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called "Conjugated Linoleic Acid" or CLA.
• Vitamin E. In addition to being higher in omega-3s and CLA, meat from grass-fed animals is also higher in vitamin E.

How Meats Compare Nutritionally
(Information Based on 3.5 oz serving)

Meat	Calories	Protein	Fat	Chloesterol
		(gms)	(gms)	(gms)
Ground Beef	289	24.1	20.7	90.0
Lean Ground	272	24.7	18.5	87.7
Dk. Chicken	205	27.4	9.7	93.8
Lamb Chop	216	30.0	9.7	95.8
Pork Loin	190	28.6	9.8	79.6
Pork Chop	202	30.2	8.1	82.7
Lamb Leg	191	28.3	7.7	89.7
Pot Roast	210	33.0	7.6	101.0
Venison	207	33.5	6.4	4.0
Turkey	170	29.3	5.0	76.6
Top Round	180	31.7	4.9	84.6
White Chicken	173	30.9	4.5	85.7
Longhorn	140	25.5	3.7	61.5
Source: Longhorn Data: Nutrient Density of beef from Texas Longhorn Cattle; Texas A&M; 1987, other data; USDA, USA Today 11/29/91, Pope Lad. Inc. Dallas Texas
USDA Inspected Beef
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