What does ‘pasture-fed’ mean? How does it connect to what we’re eating?

 

To understand the significance of what ‘pasture-fed’ means, and how it connects to what we are eating, it is helpful to compare it to the term ‘grass-fed’. You can be forgiven for thinking both terms mean the same, but in fact, when referenced in the food and farming system, they are two very different things, one diverse and the other rather ambiguous. You may have ordered a ‘grass-fed steak’ in a restaurant or bought a tray of ‘grass-fed minced beef’ from a supermarket; these products, according to Defra, can be labelled ‘grass-fed’ if the processed animal had consumed ‘a majority’ of grass in its lifetime (i.e. >51%). So, what’s the other 49% you ask?

 

You may be surprised that the majority of cattle and sheep in Britain and Ireland are not raised entirely on grass but finished (fed towards the end of their lives) on grains (spent brewer’s grain, maize, barley) and sugar beet, chosen for their high-calorific composites that can fatter an animal quickly and cheaply – the current framework for selling farm animals is based on size and weight, not nutritional values or animal welfare standards. Although it’s not the end of the world to feed grain to a ruminant animal, it is not natural for their ruminating stomachs. Plus, growing cereals to feed ruminant animals is clearly an unsustainable use of land, farmland that should be used to sustainably grow food for humans.

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Next, let’s define the two habitats of ‘grass’ and ‘pasture’. Grass can (and often will) refer to a monoculture, whereas pasture is a biodiverse habitat made of multiple species (several types of grasses, herbs, legumes, wildflowers and hedgerow flora) all playing different roles in an ecosystem, supporting different species of insects and birds throughout the year.

 

So, what’s ‘100% pasture-fed’ mean? Right, so we know the ambiguity of the term ‘grass-fed’ (which could mean only 51% grass and the rest probably cereal), we also know what ‘pasture’ means (a diverse ecosystem), so ‘100% pasture-fed’ refers to produce sourced from animals that have been raised solely on pasture, aka eating a wholly natural diet in a diverse ecosystem.

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Pasture-fed produce is also superior in nutritional values. It’s clear to understand that whatever we feed our animals will eventually impact the nutritional quality of meat and milk. Pasture-fed produce is much higher in omega-3 fats, vitamins and minerals, as well as on animal welfare - pasture being the natural diet for cows and sheep after all!

 

Talking of animal welfare, pasture-fed animals are given the freedom to express their normal behaviours and often live in family groups. They feed on a natural diet of pasture and forage such as hay in winter and they are less likely to suffer from disease and require little veterinary attention or antibiotics.

 

Those following 100% pasture-fed practices also see dramatic environmental improvements, such as increased biodiversity, soil health and carbon storage. They have a fantastic series called Biodiversity Case Studies that showcase their pasture-fed member farmers working alongside nature, producing nutrient-dense food while improving the level of their local biodiversity.