would you buy pastured beef that is fed 5 lbs of grain a day?

[caedmyn]

We're moving to Michigan, and I'm having trouble finding a source of pastured beef that is halfway affordable and butchers regularly (as opposed to only in the fall and selling only quarters/halves/etc)...the place I would probably go with says they feed 5 lbs of grain per day when they feed hay. I've read elsewhere that feeding less than 6 pounds of grain a day doesn't adversely affect the fatty acid balance of pastured animals. So...would you buy pastured beef that is fed small amounts of grains?

[westcoastmom]

Research I have read says that even small amounts of grain makes big changes in the fatty acid balance.

5 lbs a day? wouldn't that be grain fed? That is a lot of grain.

[memory maker]

is that 5lbs per animal or per herd?

[caedmyn]

Per animal.

[zzwhitejd]

I wouldn't. But then I have several sources. My advice would be to keep looking.

[ChristieB]

I wouldn't consider that to be grass-fed. But then, my ds can't eat beef that's been fed any grain. That doesn't mean that it isn't the best option for you. You need to avoid amines, right? And are they in frozen meat? If that's the case, then you do the best you can. If they're not, is something preventing you from buying ahead an freezing?

I really don't know about the fatty acid balance. My guess would be that it's a matter of degrees, and less grain would be better than more. And there's probably a point at which it's definitely too much grain. But I don't know that point. Sorry I'm not much help there.

[caedmyn]

Yes, amines are in frozen meat. The older meat gets the more amines it builds up...freezing slows the process down, but doesn't stop it...unfortunately.

[Brookesmom]

I just got some grassfed beef and grassfed bison (the bison is a 1/4 but the beef is sold by the piece). PM me if you want the info... Cheaper than Whole Foods grain fed beef...

--Kelly