We can argue all of those points for sure, but first we must ensure we have a great foundation to build on.
Angus beef cattle have been bred for perfection since the 18th century. People who choose Angus know it is the pinnacle of beef breeds. But attaining a quality cut doesn’t begin and end with a pedigree breeding stock. So, what else is there?
And how do we define a prime rump? Well, we start at the foundation of course! Because if we are what we eat; we are what we eat, eats.
There are two main diets and feed regimes for beef cattle: grass fed on pasture and grain fed in feedlots.
A Cow By Any Other Name
Let’s start with a bit of history: According to scientists (bless them) all beef cattle in the whole world can be traced back to approximately 100 oxen (aurochs) that were first domesticated in the Near East - also known as the fertile crescent or the cradle of life - over 10,000 years ago. Why is that important? I mean, it’s a cool fact, but then what? First and foremost, this tells us a lot about the natural habitat of cattle. The great-great-great-(etc)-grandfathers of our cattle roamed prairie grasslands, which are similar to modern day paddocks, just a whole lot bigger. Saying that, the ox were a whole lot bigger back then too!
The Grass is Greener
Grass feeding involves cattle grazing naturally in large paddocks and includes supplementary feeding of silage (fermented grasses) and hay. This is such a common sight in New Zealand that a lot of us don’t realise it’s done any other way. This way of raising Angus beef cattle (actually all cattle) is as close to natural as possible. Farmers spend a lot of time and money ensuring the grasses that our beef eats are nutritious, varied and plentiful. Because cattle naturally eat grass, they need little to no antibiotics or other medications to keep them healthy. Not only that, the exercise our beef gets by roaming the paddocks, playing and relaxing with their herd, really does make a huge difference in the end product. #Winning
Going Against the Grain
Then there’s grain feeding, which is common practice in most parts of the world. Grain feeding generally goes hand in hand with feedlots - small stalls where the cattle has minimal room to move. It has everything to do with increasing efficiency by bulking up the animals as fast and as cheaply as possible. The cost of that is both animal welfare and a sub-standard beef product. Bovines are not meant to eat grains, soy or corn, so to keep them alive they are pumped with medications, antibiotics and supplements. Because cattle kept like this spend little to no time moving around or socialising (which are both hugely important for all sentient beings, not just humans!) they are grossly unhealthy and consist of more fat than muscle. This of course then gets passed down to you and me when we eat the meat from these animals.
We Are What We (M)Eat
Here are just a few pluses of ensuring your next steak is grass fed:
Grass fed beef contains up to five times the omega-3 fatty acids.
It also has far higher contents of CLA, which helps burn fat by turning it into energy.
Red meat is one of the most complete foods for our diets, containing almost every single amino acid, micronutrient, protein, vitamin and fat that we require for optimal health.
In New Zealand are we blessed to know that the steak on our plate was grown on grass. Or was it? Sadly it is becoming a common practice to send our beef to feedlots, grain feeding to bulk them up faster for the markets. This ends up being no different to grain feeding, and it isn’t always easy to tell the difference on the packet.
That’s why at Frederics, we support the amazing efforts of Green Meadows a local Taranaki Angus beef supplier (as well as other great farmers around the country). They raise, finish and pack all their own grass fed beef, which then gets shipped around New Zealand (and to us, yay!). We can’t help but support such a great initiative, which also supports our own customers by providing the healthiest, freshest, tastiest Angus rump steaks.
And because a perfectly cooked steak is a very personal thing, we don’t try to tell you what sides it should come with or choose your sauce for you. In our ‘Butchery’ section of the menu you can decide for yourself.
See you at Frederics!
