At Nadig Farms, we believe that honesty and transparency are the backbone of our farming practices.
Especially with rising consumer demand for grass-fed beef, it’s important to know if the beef you’re getting is really grass-fed and what that actually means.
As more families seek direct relationships with farmers and search “half cow for sale Illinois” for their beef supply, it’s important to understand what it really means when beef is labeled as “grass fed,” “pasture-raised,” and “naturally raised.”
In this article, we’ll explain what grass-fed beef really means, how to tell if beef is truly 100% grass fed, and why it matters to know before you make your next beef purchase.
Whether you get your beef from your local grocery store or already buy it directly from a farm, our goal is to raise awareness and help you make an informed decision.
What Does “Grass Fed Beef” Really Mean?
When beef is labeled as grass fed, it means the cattle have primarily eaten a diet of fresh pasture and forage rather than grain-based feed. This results in beef that’s leaner and higher in healthy fats like omega-3s.
However, not all “grass-fed” beef is the same – labels can sometimes be misleading, and practices may vary between farms.
The Truth About Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef
Asking your local farmer can make a big difference in understanding how your beef was raised.
“Most cattle are raised on grass when they are born,” says Rob Nadig. “They spend the early parts of their lives eating grass before their owners put them on a corn diet. Corn fattens them up quickly because it becomes sugar when digested, which gets stored as fat.”
According to research from the College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University, “approximately 95% of the cattle in the United States continue to be finished, or fattened, on grain for the last 160 to 180 days of life (~25 to 30% of their life) on average. Therefore, all beef may be considered ‘grass-fed’ for the majority of its life.”
Ask a Farmer to Know How Your Beef Was Raised
That’s where buying directly from a farmer is valuable – you can ask questions and understand exactly how your beef was raised before you buy it.
How to Tell if Beef is Truly Grass Finished
There are tell-tale signs if your beef is 100% grass-fed or not.
Here are a few ways to spot the differences between authentic grass-finished beef and grain-finished:
| Grass-Finished | Grain-Finished | |
|---|---|---|
| Fat Color | Fat is yellow | Fat is white |
| Total Fat | Less marbling, more lean | More marbling, less lean |
Why Most American Cattle Are Grain-Finished
The College of Agricultural Sciences at Pennsylvania State University notes that grain-finishing practices date back to research in the 1800s.
1. Grain Helps Cattle Grow More Efficiently
As cattle age, their ability to efficiently convert feed into muscle decreases. Grains provide a higher-energy diet, allowing cattle to maintain steady growth later in life compared to a diet of only grass or forage.
This approach ensures beef production is both efficient and consistent in quality.
2. Grain-Finishing Conserves Valuable Farmland
Feeding cattle grain also helps make better use of limited land resources. By managing pastures carefully, farmers can use land more efficiently for both grazing and growing crops.
Because of limited land availability in the U.S., some beef sold as “grass-fed” is actually imported from other countries.
Source: College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University
Why Knowing Your Farmer Matters When Buying Beef
It all comes down to trust. When you have a relationship with a farmer, you can feel certain where your beef comes from.
By getting to know a farmer, you can ask them questions, see with your own eyes where your beef comes from, and have all the facts to make a confident decision.
Have Questions About Buying Beef? Visit Your Local Northern Illinois Farm!
At Nadig Farms, we love welcoming visitors who want to see where their food comes from. Visiting our family farm gives you the chance to see firsthand how our cattle are raised, what they eat, and to ask questions directly for the people caring for them.
There are many farms to explore in Northern Illinois, but we’d be thrilled if you stopped by ours. Nadig Farms is just a half-hour east of Galena Illinois, making it an easy stop if you’re visiting from Chicago or the surrounding suburbs.
Our goal: We just want to raise awareness and truly help people learn more about agriculture.
Come see the farm for yourself – we always enjoy sharing our story with curious guests!
Our family’s passed on farming knowledge down generations since 1870, so we want to share our passion with others!
