In late 2020, the Farmer Boys decided to branch out from just serving up yolks. The Verlanic brothers are now delivering beef to all your favorite local stores and restaurants. Locally raised and locally harvested, Farmer Boy Beef is grass-fed and grain-finished.
The Farmer Boys run around 700 head of cattle each year. Looking to learn more about Farmer Boy Beef and what sets it apart from the other beef options you see in the grocery store? One of the key differences remains in the diet these cattle are fed from when they’re young up until they’re fit for production.
What does it mean for cattle to be grass-fed and grain-finished?
You may have heard of the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef...but what does grain-finished mean? Well, the Farmer Boy cattle spend all of their lives eating green grass in the spring/summer/fall and hay in the winter.
There are three key stages to raising cattle. Right now, we’re focusing on the final stage of beef cattle production which is referred to as “finishing.” In this phase, cows are set to gain their final weight and this is where the impact of what they eat in these final weeks can really determine the taste of the end-product.
Then, 30-45 days before the cattle are processed, they’re moved onto barley (homegrown by the farmer boys, of course!) to add that perfect finish. Of course, the transition from grass and hay to barley occurs gently. This allows the bacteria in the rumen (the largest stomach compartment) to adjust to the varied sources of nutrients.
What are the benefits of grain-finished beef?
The grain is believed to add a layer of fat that enhances the marbling, providing extra flavor and overall juiciness to the various cuts of beef. According to Joe Heitzeberg of Crowd Cow, “Grain-finished beef is known for marbling and tenderness because grain helps cows gain weight more quickly and reliably and because grains just tend to produce a milder steak flavor.”
Not only do we find grain-finished beef to be tastier, but it’s also a less taxing process on the environment. It takes three times longer to finish cattle on grass versus grain, adding to the cost of grass-finished beef. At the time of harvest, grain-finished cows typically weigh more and can be anywhere from 14-22 months old.
While “grain-fed” cows are said to produce less healthy cuts of beef, we find that having the mix of grass-fed grain-finished provides the best of both worlds for our customers. Plus, we offer humanely raised beef that we’re proud to serve in communities around Western Montana.
Next time you walk into your local grocer and spot all the labels – from “grass-fed” and “organic” to “grain-finished” and “naturally-raised”, you’ll have a better understanding of what each one means. We hope you’ll love all the tasty benefits of Farmer Boy Beef.
You can enjoy our grass-fed grain-finished beef in stores and shops where you purchase Farmer Boy Eggs. Be sure to tag us on Instagram or Facebook and let us know what you’ve cooked up!