Humankind have been eating meat since the beginning of time and our digestive systems are designed to metabolise protein. Red meat is an excellent source of essential nutrients including complete protein, vitamin B-12, omega-3 fats, iron, zinc and niacin – all required for healthy bodily functions.
We know that this source of protein plays a vital role in our nutrition – but what impact does the type of farming practice or production system have on the end-product and ultimately on our health? This remains open to debate; however, we can offer to shed a little light on the different approaches and practices. We strongly believe that educating people about their food choices ultimately empowers consumers with the freedom to select the kind of meat they wish to include in their diets.
Feedlot cattle generally spend a few weeks in overcrowded pens, where they are fattened up or ‘finished’ on a diet of maize and other grains. Cows are ruminants, designed to eat grass- hence overeating on grain wreaks havoc with their digestive systems. The cattle are often administered growth stimulants to accelerate the rate of weight gain. Confined living conditions may require that they receive regular antibiotic treatment to mitigate breakout of disease. The carbon footprint of feedlot production may be much higher than a grass fed, freerange system due to the fossil fuels consumed to till, seed and harvest vast quantities of grain. There is also a fossil fuel component in the production and distribution of fertiliser for grain growing, and of course transporting the grain to the feedlots.
Freerange beef comes from cattle which have been allowed to roam freely, they eat grass as part of their diet and are not given routine antibiotics, steroids or growth hormones. Freerange animals' diet may be supplemented with grain – this means the animals gain weight faster and the additional, energy rich feed manifests in meat with more marbling. Since cattle are ruminants, grain feed can cause issues with the animals' stomachs and digestive systems. Certified GRASS FED animals follow a strict grass/veld only diet...in other words, their natural diet.
At FreedomVeld, we are driven to produce ethically reared, wholesome produce alongside nature. Ensuring environmental sustainability, is non-negotiable for us. Our veld reared cattle follow rotational grazing, allowing plenty of time for regeneration of pastures and veld. Quoting the holistic veld management pioneer, Allan Savory – grazing our cattle and game in such a way that they “mimic nature” is essential for restoring and maintaining grasslands. Holistic veld management follows the principle that a large herd of well managed herbivores grazing, dunging, urinating on a piece of land and then moving on promotes healthy soils and vegetation. In effect, this cycle acts to store carbon in the soil.
Our grass fed animals are grazed for 3-5 years before entering the meat supply chain. Grass fed or veld reared meat has shown to have significant health benefits; producing meat with lower total fat content but with more omega-3 fatty acids as well as more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).