Cattle Production Questions
Beef Cut Selection & Cooking Questions
Steak Questions
Myth Buster Questions
The majority of cattle are at some point placed in a feedlot. However, the average animal spends only 60-120 days in a feedlot and the rest of their lives are spent grazing freely on pasture. It is also important to learn that feedlots are not the miles-long, crowded images shown by the media. Feedlots in Canada can range from a few hundred to 40,000 head, though the majority are small. Feedlot operators take all the necessary steps to ensure animals are well cared for as their health and happiness translate to an ethical and economic priority for ranchers.
The majority of BC ranches produce calves. Roughly 95% of these calves are sent outside of BC for finishing. The reason for this is that BC has a very small feedlot and abattoir sector. BC's geography does not allow for large crop production like that of the prairie provinces. Therefore in order for BC producers to finish their cattle in BC, they would have to purchase and transport grain from other provinces which has a higher economic and environmental bill. Another factor is our relatively small abattoir industry. Currently, BC does not have a federally inspected abattoir. Though our provincially inspected plants are held to the same high standards as those of federal plants, many large retailers will only purchase product from a certified federal facility. With that said, there are many places in BC that sell BC raised & fed beef such as local butcher shops, farm gate sales, farmers markets etc.
Consumers need to be aware of terminology when discussing certain production claims on beef products. All beef can be defined as grass fed as all cattle spend the majority of their lives eating grass on pastures or being fed hay. However, it is what cattle are finished on that may make a difference. Those that are grain finished are fed a mixture of grain to their diets for about 4-6 months. Those that are truly grass finished consume only a diet of grass. There is much debate over the benefits of grass finished or grain finished beef. Preliminary studies have shown very little nutritional difference between the two finishing practices, however there can be quite a taste difference. Whatever your choice is, it’s important to know that all Canadian beef is nutritious to eat and is part of balanced diet.
Beef producers may use antibiotics to ensure optimum health of their animals as it is an ethical obligation to treat a sick animal. However, antibiotics and other drugs are costly and producers only use them when necessary.
If a producer has to administered drugs to an animal, they must follow the withdrawal times before that animal can be processed. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency's antibiotic residual testing has shown a 100% compliance, and if residual was ever found in beef the product would not be sold.
Antibiotic resistance is linked to the misuse of prescribed human antibiotics, and no conclusive studies have shown a link between those used in farm animals. The beef cattle industry continues to take a proactive role in ensuring that sound science is the foundation for our understanding and utilization of antibiotics, and human and animal health. View the Antibiotic Fact Sheet.
All living things- animals and plants- contain hormones. The hormone levels found in a sample of organic beef are similar to beef from animals given hormonal substances.Producers who make the choice to include added hormones as a part of their production practices may do so to produce leaner meat, increase feed efficiency, and reduce costs. The safety of hormone use has been reviewed by many experts and agencies, including Health Canada, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. All have concluded that hormones can be used safely in beef production. Research has shown that very high levels of hormones taken for a long time (such as those levels found in oral contraceptive pills or hormone replacement pills) may be a risk factor in some kinds of cancer. However, the levels found in food products, such as beef, are far too low to be of risk to human health. View Hormone Fact Sheet .
Beef from cattle not given hormonal growth promotants 100g
1.5
27
Beef from cattle given hormonal growth promotants 100g
2.2
44
Cabbage, 100 g
2,381
n/a
Oral Contraceptive (per pill)
20,000-50,000
100,000-500,000
The criteria for Canada's A grades - A/AA/AAA/Prime- are identical with the only exception being degree of marbling; A grade having the least marbling and Prime the most. However, marbling levels account for no more than 5% of beef palatability or eating quality traits. This means that you should get a great beef eating experience- if prepared correctly- from any of the grades. Furthermore, only 3% of graded carcasses are graded Canada A, while the remaining 97% are AA or higher. ( 45%- AA, 50%- AAA, 2%-Prime) Get more information.
The difference between ground beef choices is the allowed maximum fat content. Regular ground beef can have a fat content up to 30%, lean up to 17% and extra lean up to 10%. If you are looking for a new ground beef experience, try beef ground from single cuts such as ground sirloin or ground chuck. Draining the fat from any of the ground beef options helps to reduce the fat content, and rinsing regular ground beef after cooking can reduce the fat to be equal of that of extra lean ground beef!
More info
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Beef or Rib Finger meat is the meat located between the ribs or what remains on the roast once the ribs are removed. This cut is not found regularly at the grocery meat Counter. Popular ways of utilizing this cut is by threading them onto a skewer and cooking them on a bbq, or preparing them like tradition ribs by boiling and then roasting.
This varies on the type of guests you have and how hungry they are! To be on the safe side, it is recommended to plan for half a pound per person of boneless/uncooked roast. That means if you are serving 10 people you would need a 5 lb roast (10 ppl x 0.5 lb= 5 lb).
You need to choose lean cuts for beef jerky- fat tends to go rancid at room temperature which is what beef jerky is stored at. Flank steak is a lean meat that makes excellent beef jerky, and it has a relatively consistent grain so it is easy to slice thin. Round steak, brisket, and rump roast work well also, but be sure to trim any fat.
It can be hard to navigate the different steak cuts as there are many options and multiple names for each. Tenderloin is recognized by many as the most tender steak cut, hence the name. This cut is also referred to as filet mignon. The bottom sirloin, also known as a tri-tip, is a cost effective cut and the eating experience can be enhanced by tenderising and marinating. With any steak cut, it is important to prepare and cook correctly. Many retailers now label cuts with the appropriate cooking method - Marinating steak or Grilling steak. Find out more.
A butler steak is the British term for what we would call a Flat Iron steak. It comes from the shoulder (or chuck) of the carcass. A top blade roast cut into steaks produces this cut, which has significant marbling and is becoming more popular on restaurant menus.
Flank steak can be hard to find at the grocery store, but recipes- like ginger beef- may call for it. The closest substitute cut for a flank steak is a skirt steak. If you cannot find either of these cuts, any steak coming from the chuck/shoulder, cut thin enough and against the grain, should work well.
The coined term "pink slime" actually refers to boneless lean beef trimmings; the product and process is patented by a company from South Dakota. The USDA allows this product in ground beef. Many people are concerned over "pink slime" as the process uses ammonium hydroxide, which is essentially a solution of ammonia and water. Health Canada does not approved the use of ammonium hydroxide in Canadian packing plants, and we also do not use the process that the South Dakota company uses in the production of ground beef. Ground beef in Canada is made from grinding the beef trimmings from cuts like steaks and roasts.
Transglutaminase is used in commercial food processing to bond proteins together. Slang termed "meat glue", transglutaminase is approved for use in Canada only in prepared fish products, simulated meat products, and some dairy products. This food additive is not used by processors or retailers in standardized meat products such as steaks or roasts. Transglutaminase in simulated meat products- which could possibly be found in such items as imitation crab meat or fish balls- must appear on the label by law.
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