Pasture Raised Versus Grass Fed

What’s the difference between a cow that has lived on a pasture and one that has lived on a feedlot? Grass fed cows can make good products, but there’s a difference between the two. The reality is most cows do not live on pastures for their entire lives, which is why it’s important to be aware of the different terminology used in food labeling.

Grass fed only means that the diet of the animal contained grass.

The term grass fed is often used interchangeably with the term pasture raised. They are not the same, however. While grass-fed animals may be allowed to graze in a pasture, it doesn’t mean that their diet is exclusively composed of grass. It simply means that they were fed grass at some point during the year and were never confined to pens or feedlots.

In contrast, when we say an animal is pasture raised we mean it was 100% fed on grass in a pasture setting for its entire life cycle (birth – death). In addition to grazing on natural fields of fresh cut forage, these animals also receive supplemental grain during winter months as well as vitamin D3 from sunlight exposure (which promotes proper bone development).

Since many people think free range means “pasture raised” but this isn’t necessarily true either! Free range simply means an animal has access to outdoors though can still be born indoors then moved outside later on in life – so long as there’s no confinement involved (meaning less than 1 square foot per bird).

Pasture raised animals are raised on pasture where they can eat a variety of things.

Pasture raised animals are raised on pasture where they can eat a variety of things. They’re healthier, not confined to small spaces, and able to be outside in the sun and fresh air. In contrast, cows that are kept indoors or out on feed lots are not as healthy because they don’t have access to the varied diet that pasture-raised cows do.

The term “grass fed” has become a buzzword for foodies but it doesn’t really mean much unless it’s followed by another word: cattle or beef. That’s because most grass fed beef comes from dairy cows who were never meant to eat grass in the first place–they’re made up of different digestive systems than beef cows! The same goes for pigs; even though pigs can happily eat grass (and do), they’re still raised primarily on corn if they’re going to be sold as pork chops at your local grocery store!

Chickens and pigs can be pasture raised along with cows.

As we discussed above, cows are ruminants, which means they have a special digestive system that allows them to digest grass. Cattle are also obligate herbivores—meaning that their bodies have evolved over time to require a very specific type of diet; and in this case, for cattle it’s grass. Pigs and chickens are omnivores: they eat both plants and animals. They can survive on an all-plant diet but definitely thrive when given animal protein as well as plants (like corn or soybeans).

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein that has all the essential amino acids necessary for good health. Chicken breast meat contains about 28 grams of protein per three ounces cooked serving—that’s about two chicken breast fillets! Chickens will eat virtually anything (and I mean ANYTHING) including grass clippings from your lawn mower bag if given the opportunity!

Pasture raised is different from free range because it means the animals were not kept in cages but were not necessarily always outside.

A pasture-raised animal is different from a free range animal because the animals are not confined to cages, but may be kept in barns or sheds. Pasture-raised does not mean that the animal was always outside, just that it had access to outdoor space at least part of the day.

Pasture raised also does not mean that you can be sure that your meat is grass fed, organic, hormone free or antibiotic free. For example: if your chicken was raised on pasture but given antibiotics at some point during its life cycle then it would still be labeled as “pasture raised”. You would have to ask your farmer how they raise their animals in order to find out exactly what conditions they were raised under and whether they meet your own personal standards for ethics and healthiness

Cows spend over half their lives living indoors.

Most people think of cows as living in the open field, but that is not the case. In fact, most of a cow’s life is spent indoors. Cows are born in small stalls and remain there until they wean at 14-16 weeks old; they then move to pens with other calves before being transferred to a feedlot at 12-18 months old.

The number one reason for moving them inside? The weather. Cows are sensitive to temperature extremes (and yes, even rain), so during winter months they’re brought into barns or sheds where temperatures are more consistent and food can be provided without letting it get wet on rainy days or frozen on snowy ones.

Pasture raised animals are healthier than cows that spend all their time indoors or out on feed lots

Pasture raised cows are healthier animals than those that spend all their time indoors or out on feed lots. This is because pasture has a variety of grasses, which enables the animal to get a wider range of nutrients and minerals. The outdoor environment also exposes these animals to sunshine and fresh air, both of which are important for proper health.

A cow who spends most of its life indoors will not be able to fulfill its nutritional needs by eating only grain. Because this diet does not contain all the nutrients needed for optimal health, it must rely on supplements in order to maintain good health. These supplements may include antibiotics or hormones that aid in growth but can also increase susceptibility to disease.

It’s safe to say that if you are trying to eat healthier then pasture raised meat is the way to go. It is a more sustainable option because it keeps animals on small farms instead of large feedlots, and they eat food they were meant to eat instead of just grains. Because pasture raised animals tend to be treated better than their counterparts in the factory farm system, there are also ethical implications for choosing this type of meat over conventional meats as well. The choice is yours, but we hope you will choose wisely!