What is the best way to organically fatten a steer?

[planecrazyusa]

How should I organically fatten up my steer for butchering and what makes it organic? Last time we used corn and tenderlene.

[gone-a-milkin]

In order to be 'organic' it has to be fed completely and only feeds that are certified 'organic'. Also, if it was ever given any type of antibiotic in its whole life, then it is not 'organic'. Are you looking for a brand name of some type of grain? Is it for your own consumption or for sale as 'organic'?

[copperhead46]

To me, the only way is to put him out on good grass. If you raise your own grain, you could use that, or maybe buy from a local farmer who raises his grain without pestacides, but they are hard to find. You might check with a co-op or small town feed mill and they could help you with organic grain. I just grass feed mine, that way I know what they have in them.

[genebo]

Organic is a term that is regulated. In order to be organic, you must meet some strict standards. They cover the type of fertilizer you put on the grass to what medicine you use on the steer. In order to be claimed to be organic, your entire farm must be certified to ne free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and the steer must be certified free of all non-organic chemicals.

The key to this is being certified. It's a tough, expensive process getting certified.

All natural is not a regulated term. Anyone can use it. I use it to describe my cattle, which have never had antibiotics, hormones or vaccines. You have to trust the person making the all natural claim.

You may be thinking of "all natural" or "grass fed", but not organic.

"Grass fed" beef is opposed to grain fed beef. There are a lot of reasons for fattening on grass only. The beef has a slightly different taste, it won't be as well marbled, and the cooking methods have to be adjusted. It may be only able to hang for 10 to 14 days, while the heavy fat cover of grain fed beef allows it to hang for 21 days. Yet the health reasons for grass fed outweigh any possible disadvantages for some people.

A direct answer to your question, "how can I organically fatten my steer?" is: you can't. Unless the steer has been raised organically on an organic farm all it's life, it can never be organic.

I was talking to a friend who raises organic cattle the other day about the difficulty of remaining certified organic. He had just purchased a new farm and was trying to get it certified. The new farm failed it's pesticide test. The previous owner said he hadn't used any pesticides on the farm in over five years, but it still failed.

If my friend sends any of his cattle over to the new farm to graze, then they will lose their organic certification. If he then brings any of those cattle back to his farm, his farm will lose it's organic certification.

So he'll keep two herds. One certified organic and one not organic.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[jode]

The spring grasses here in TX this year have my little heifers so fat they look like they can barely walk. I can't see what is wrong with just plain ol spring grass if you have some.

[planecrazyusa]

Thank you, I had no idea. No it hasn't ever had shots of any kind but it has eaten Dairy feed from the co-op. So I guess he won't be organic to someone else. What about the hay he eats?

[copperhead46]

Once again, it depends on woh baled the hay. If it comes off a field that hasn't been sprayed with pestacides or herbacides, it will be organic. You didn't ever say, are you looking to raise beef for yourself that is "organic" in the sence that it hasn't been pumped full of crap, or do you need it certified organic. If it's for yourself, it's pretty easy to raise a calf organicly, although it could not be certified as such. I consider my cattle organically raised, but, thats in comparison to feed lot cattle.........it's organic enough for me, although I do fertilize my pasture every few years for the hay, and I do feed calf creep to them through the winter. I think anything you can do to provide a healthy life for your steer makes for a better beef.