But ours receive consistently fresh, high-quality forages, clean water and comfortable lounging areas. Meat from forage-fed animals also has far less saturated fat and cholesterol than meat from animals fed grain in confinement. Pasture-fed beef is good for the grass, good for the cattle, good for our customers and good for us. Even during winter, cattle need no grain. Ours eat only hay we've harvested from our pastures when they produce more than we can graze.
Calves gain weight in spring and summer in inverse proportion to winter gain.
Expensive artificial gain on grain in winter will eliminate compensatory gains on lush spring forage. Neither cost nor weight gain can justify feeding grain to calves in winter. Matching calving and slaughter to seasonal cycles allows us to capitalize on forage growth and minimize our forage-feeding costs when pastures are dormant. For example, cattle slaughter follows lush forage growth in spring and fall. This, too, improves palatability.