Beef

[Buck]

Interesting 4 part article regarding the raising and slaughtering of beef in the United States.

Is beef in Australia corn fed?

 

[Tannin]

In general, Buck, no. Most (but not all) Australian beef is grass-fed. Grain fed beef mostly gets fed on ... er .. now this is going to stretch my memory ...

Oats, peas, and several other things I forget.

 

[CougTek]

Oats, peas, and several other things I forget.

Like dead beef meat.

 

[Tannin]

No time to finish reading that this morning, but it is indeed interesting stuff, Buck. Very different from over here. And over here, with our different soils and climate, grazing cattle does not "make superb ecological sense" - catte cut the soil up and degrade it, introducing all sorts of foreign weeds and changing the chemistry. Here, the appropriate animals to make that coimment about would be roos and emus.

Gotta go ...

 

[Tannin]

No meat, Coug. Never. I was asking an expert about that just yesterday. She told me that the chances of a CJD outbreak here were practically zero - different management practices, and very strict controls in order to maintain acces to two key markets (US and Japan) that really want to ban all beef imports so their own subsidised and farmers can make more money, but are constrained from doing so by various international trade agreements. Instead, they impose incredibly strict "health" regulations on imported beef, and conveniently don't bother making sure that their domestic herds comply. The sort of tarrif you have when you are not having a tarrif.

If the US beef industry goes belly-up because of CJD, it just might turn out to be a blessing in disguise, however.

Really gotta go!

 

[Pradeep]

Feedlots in Australia are certainly on the way up with the rise of demand in export markets such as Japan.

http://www.infarmation.com.au/alfa/lot-feeding.asp

Tho I dunno if they are allowed to use hormones as they do in the US. Fortunately in Tassie it's mostly dairy cattle, still romaing the green hills. Tho I must admit I prefer a nice marbled rib-eye to a leaner piece. Almost impossible to get a good marbled steak in Tas, it's all going over to Japan.

BTW in Japan they have beer-fed beef. I'll have to try that one day.

 

[sechs]

I lived in Kansas for a while. I've seen feedlots like that.

While I've always known about slaughtering (and never had a problem with it), I didn't know that raising cattle had become so unnatural. Ten or so years ago, cattle spent two to three years eating grass before being fattened at the feedlot. Now they spend a third of their lives eating people food.

Damn the food industry for making me change my diet. No fish, and now this beef thing!

 

[blakerwry]

no fish?

 

[e_dawg]

BTW in Japan they have beer-fed beef. I'll have to try that one day.

Kobe beef, perhaps? I've had a Kobe ribeye a couple times. The outer inch or two wasn't the best because it was a little overcooked, but the inner 4 inches or so was really good. Worth the price (almost double the price of a typical high-end ribeye)? Maybe not, but it's one of life's luxuries that you have to treat yourself to every once in a while.

From what I hear, it isn't just that they feed them some beer, but the Kobe beef is actually from the Wagyu species of cattle bred for their highly-marbled cuts. Furthermore, only the tenderest, most well-marbled top graded cuts are sold as Kobe beef. (This is similar to Certified Angus beef in N.America, but with stricter standards). The higher proportion of unsaturated fats makes more perishable, as unsats are less chemically stable.

Here is some info on Kobe beef. The first link is hillarious:

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artkobebeef.html

Australia's own Broadleaf Kobe beef: http://www.broadleafgame.com/newat/kobe.htm

And the most informative link from the California BBQ Association!:
http://www.cbbqa.com/meat/beef/Kobe.html

 

[ddrueding]

Most Kobe Beef today is bred and raised in California and Australia. For example, Harris Ranch in California is contracted with beef producers in Kobe to breed and raise their cattle in California, where land and grain is relatively inexpensive.

And we all know that happy cows come from California

 

[ddrueding]

 

[Tannin]

Ahh... Thankyou for that link, Buck. Very interesting reading indeed. Recommended for all.

 

[Buck]

You're welcome.

 

[Bartender]

The beef we serve here at the bar is grown at our offsite ranch. Our resident farmer takes pride in raising these beauties on nothing but grass, and there is no feadlot - he does things the old-fashioned way.

 

[sechs]

no fish?

There aren't enough fish in the sea for people to be taking so many to eat. So, I do my share, and don't eat them.

 

[Mercutio]

I live in the Midwestern US. Fresh fish for me is an oxymoron.

 

[ddrueding]

I live in an area famous for seafood, but I just treat myself to sushi every once in a while. I have no taste for the more traditional dishes.

 

[blakerwry]

I live in the Midwestern US. Fresh fish for me is an oxymoron.

You can certainly get fresh trout, Bass, Perch, Crappie, and especially catfish.


I like my fish, and I do my part by eating them.

There aren't enough fish in the sea for people to be taking so many to eat. So, I do my share, and don't eat them.

That's what fish farms are for. Most of the fresh water fish in the grocery store probably comes from fish farms (atleat here in the midwest). Probably alot healtheir than fish from your local lake or pond (pesticides and fertilizer).

 

[Bender]

Thank you for the link Buck. As Tannin said, very interesting read.
On a related note, many many moons ago one of my High School trips was to an abattoir. After that trip, I did not eat beef for 6 months!

That article mentioned about antibiotic resistance bacteria. Poultry farming is another major source of spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria. That is why there is a move in Australia to ban the use of antibiotics in feedlots for poultry.

Cheers

 

[CityK]

That's what fish farms are for. Most of the fresh water fish in the grocery store probably comes from fish farms (atleat here in the midwest). Probably alot healtheir than fish from your local lake or pond (pesticides and fertilizer).

I don't know about that Blake. Some studies about the fish from Atlantic salmon farms were just in the news all of two weeks ago, and I don't think the news has been too encouraging. I have serious doubt that things are much different with the stock from fresh water farms.

 

[CityK]

BTW Buck, good link. I'm enjoying the article so far...but parts 3 & 4 are going to have to wait till tommorow night cause this kid is beat.

PS. When I grow up, I going to go to Bovine University!

And do you know why? Simple, cause:

You don't win friends with salad!

 

[timwhit]

BTW Buck, good link. I'm enjoying the article so far...but parts 3 & 4 are going to have to wait till tommorow night cause this kid is beat.

PS. When I grow up, I going to go to Bovine University!

And do you know why? Simple, cause:

You don't win friends with salad!

Best quote from that episode:

Ralph: Umm, Miss Hoover?
Hoover: Yes Ralph, what is it?
Ralph: My worm went in my mouth and then I ate it...can I have another one?
Hoover: No Ralph, there aren't any more...[shaking her head] just try to
sleep while the other children are learning.
Ralph: Oh boy...sleep! That's where I'm a viking!

 

[time]

I think this is a good time to mention Dana Lyons' classic anthem, Cows With Guns. It's about 4.8MB and worth every bit.

BTW, I'd recommend avoiding the flash version of this on the web because for me at least, it killed the fun.

 

[sechs]

That's what fish farms are for. Most of the fresh water fish in the grocery store probably comes from fish farms (atleat here in the midwest). Probably alot healtheir than fish from your local lake or pond (pesticides and fertilizer).

I don't know about that Blake. Some studies about the fish from Atlantic salmon farms were just in the news all of two weeks ago, and I don't think the news has been too encouraging. I have serious doubt that things are much different with the stock from fresh water farms.

Since they are stuck in one place, farmed fish tend to soak up whatever the local nasty chemical is. I think that salmon is probably the best example of this.

Furthurmore, fish farms are just about the worst thing for the water. Most farms siphon off water that the wild fish need, dump a bunch of crap in it (literally and figuratively), and then send it someplace else. Those that are comprised of pens in open water tend to greatly unbalance the nutrients in their vaccinity.

If you catch them yourself from an unstocked man-made lake, you might be okkay. Else, you might as well take a quart of oil and dump it on the ground.

 

[CityK]

There's a lot of great moments in that episode Tim.

Monty Burns and Smithers stand at the window of Burns' office.
Burns: You know, Smithers, I think I'll donate a million dollars to
the local orphanage...when pigs fly!
[They laugh. The pig sails across the sky before them.]
Smithers: Will you be donating that million dollars now, Sir?
Burns: Nooo, I'd still prefer not.

 

[CityK]

That was pretty funny time.

 

[CityK]

Since they are stuck in one place, farmed fish tend to soak up whatever the local nasty chemical is.

I think it even goes even beyond that. Namely, living in a pen (whether a fish, cattle, chicken etc) probably isn't too good for the animals stress. As stress increases, ability to fight off infection and to filter out impurities decreases.

Overall, its pretty sickening how commoditized food "manufacturing" has become. It also annoys me to no end the ridiculus packaging most food stuff comes in.

 

[sechs]

We need something like Duales System Deutchland. That's just damn smart thinking.

 

[ddrueding]

We need something like Duales System Deutchland. That's just damn smart thinking.

??

link?
??

 

[Buck]

Google? 8)

 

[jtr1962]

Overall, its pretty sickening how commoditized food "manufacturing" has become.

And how lousy this is making the food taste. Store bought tomatoes are completely disgusting which is why I grow my own. Most other foods are getting increasingly bland and "processed" tasting as well. I mentioned in another thread how I'm enjoying most foods less and less.

It also annoys me to no end the ridiculus packaging most food stuff comes in.

Especially all those stupid things like Lunchables. Any parent giving their kid that garbage should be charged with child abuse. And then you have those stupid one-serving drinks. Don't even get me started on this. Everything in our society is overpackaged these days, not just food. I literally spent 30 minutes getting one of my neice's Christmas presents out of the package. There's no way a child would have been able to figure out how to do it.

 

[Mercutio]

Kind of an interesting thing:
The authority on making slaughter less stressful and more humane is an autistic woman named Temple Grandin, who is also known for making a machine for austistics who, seriously, need hugs.

 

[sechs]

We need something like Duales System Deutchland. That's just damn smart thinking.

??

link?
??

http://www.google.com/search?num=10...&safe=off&q=Duales+System+Deutschland&spell=1

You may want the English only option.

 

[e_dawg]

Excellent article, Buck.

When it's all about economics in a low margin business, you do what you gotta do, I guess, unless you want to go bankrupt...

 

[i]

What we really need is lab-grown meat.

I'm serious.

Think giant trays (or whatever) in a sterile factory that, over the span of a few weeks with the right ingredients and nutrient supply systems, can produce 60 foot long, perfect steaks. Or chicken. Or swordfish. Or whatever*.

The tragedy today is that we're basically treating animals in the food industry like lab-grown meat, when they are in fact complete, emotion-capable animals.

There are companies working on this sort of thing, but it's not going to be easy to make it a wide-scale reality, let alone get the general public to spring for it.

Imagine: perfect steaks every time, with no guilt about what some poor cow went through in order for you to get it. Plus, total control over what actually goes into the meat, and the potential for a nearly sterile production environment - so virtually no risk of disease of any kind.

* Yes, whatever. Including human meat. Interesting dilemma, isn't it. I've had some hilarious conversations in the past about what will happen the day this technology becomes feasible. For example, is there any moral or legal issue with respect to eating human meat that was produced in a lab somewhere from a single donor cell? What if it you were the donor?

 

[sechs]

So, cattle will go extinct.

 

[i]

So, cattle will go extinct.

If I consider the average herd of cattle, I think it's safe to say they'd prefer extinction over the lives they currently live. Wouldn't you?

Really though I don't think extinction would happen. "Traditional" farms (especially ones with religious streaks) would continue. And no doubt you'd see cows along with goats, chickens, etc. at petting zoos.

They'd become even more of a novelty than they already are, for at least city-dwellers who don't know any better. Parents will continue pointing out cows in storybooks to their children. They're already a symbol of "old world" green-ness (falsely so, as Buck's article demonstrates) - a part of a bogus cheery notion of healthy ties between man, animal, and the land. They'd just become more so.

 

[Buck]

We need to keep cows around, I like eating beef. I just wish they were treated more decently prior to, and at the climax of their death. My top sirloin tonight was tasty.

 

[blakerwry]

I think the stress of living in the wild for a fish is a hell of a lot more than the stress of being fed in a lake without any predators. But that's just me.

 

[sechs]

So, cattle will go extinct.

If I consider the average herd of cattle, I think it's safe to say they'd prefer extinction over the lives they currently live. Wouldn't you?

Who cares about cattle, what about people? There are hundreds (perhaps more) breeds of cattle which have or are on the verge of disappearing, and we have know idea what they might do for us. You think that keeping a couple samples in zoos is a good idea? It might be more cost-efficient to simply down several hundred acres of pristine Amazonian jungle.