Oak Row Angus Cattle

  WHY BUY?

 The average American consumer has the unique advantage of a tremendous array of food choices from the safest selection in the world at very affordable costs.  While there are vast differences in quality and price, beef can offer a great choice for a wholesome protein source no matter where you buy it.  But the educated and selective consumer has the opportunity to surpass supermarket choices to buy affordable and premium beef for an eating experience at home that can rival even the very finest in restaurant dining.

There are a number of reasons that a person would choose to buy ANGUS BEEF from Oak Row Angus Cattle when choosing healthy dinner choices for their family.  Beef is a hugely variable commodity in taste and quality that few consumers appreciate.  There are several reasons that this variability in product exists.  I will outline just a few.

Reason #1.   Breed Genetics

The beef industry comprises dairy and beef cattle.  Dairy (Holsteins) make up a very large part of the beef industry, they are a by-product of the dairy (milk) industry and are plentiful.  In the USDA grading system, Holstein dairy steers usually finish in the lower grade of Select (Prime, Choice, Select) and make up a large portion of the offering in supermarkets. 

Colored cattle is an all-encompassing term used to identify beef cattle of different breeds.  While Holstein dairy cattle are bred for their ability to make milk, beef cattle are bred to make good steaks.  Angus cattle are known for the very finest in marbling and meat quality.

Our purebred Angus calves that are born in February and March stay with the moms until about 7 or 8 months of age, depending on how our grass holds out.  They will eat only grass and mom's milk. Then in October or November we will wean them and move them from the pastures to our big, sandy barn lots for the winter.  At this point in their lives, they will average 700-800 lbs.  We will maintain the grass/hay diet they are used to and transition them to 1-2 lbs. of grain.  We will slowly add higher quality alfalfa hay, always available 24 hours per day to them and ramp them up to 7-8 lbs. of grain per day until they are 1200-1300 lbs. at about 13-14 months old. 

  We are different-HOW?

  This combination of management and genetics are almost unheard of and impossible to achieve currently for most producers in our industry.

It's all about breeding for an efficient animal.  Over the past 40 years, we have bred our cattle to grow very efficiently and quickly on grass, and have selected only the ones that did it the very best to stay in the herd.  We refer to this as our genetic engineering.  This selection has been focused and diligent and has cultivated a very efficient converter of grass to protein.  Our calves (that are still on the cow,) routinely gain over 4 lbs. per day!   Most feedlots, on an almost all grain (concentrate) diet, struggle to reach 3 lbs. gain per day.  

 *  Research has shown that it takes 10 lbs. of grain to equal 1 lb. of gain for an average Holstein steer near finish weight.  It takes 6 lbs. of grain to equal 1 lb. of gain for an average beef steer.  *

But to be fair, Grass is expensive:  

It needs to be noted that feedlots feed corn as a way to concentrate energy density in their programs.  Most cattle do not grow as fast on grass as they do on corn and it takes a lot of land and a lot more time, to graze a lot of cattle to finish weights.  By the time most cattle would be finished, they would be old and tough.   Land is expensive and crops routinely make more $ per acre than grazing cattle.  It has been more efficient and cheaper to feed cattle harvested crops in corn, than to try to graze them. That is why grass fed beef costs more to produce and purchase.  And it requires different genetics to get a tasty result. 

 So most feedlots will have to feed at least 3 times the amount of grain per day for a much longer period of time (months longer) than we do in order to achieve similar gains and finish weights.  For us, this way combines the benefits of grass fed beef while adding enough marbling for a outstanding, and healthy eating experience.  Folks tell us that we spoil them from going to restaurants and ordering steak!  They have the best at home. 

Our hamburger is 90% lean.  No more pans full of grease.   Our beef is very flavorful, lean (no trim,) juicy and incredibly tender.  This is such a healthier alternative to what you may be currently buying.

 Reason #2.  Dry Aging

Supermarkets are designed for turnover, or to move product in and out quickly.  It is routine at big packinghouses across the county, to process 5000 head of cattle at one plant per day.  Cattle go into the plant one day and are on your supermarket shelves for you to buy the next and that meat can travel hundreds or thousands of miles on a truck to get to your store.  However, to achieve the best eating experience, beef needs to be dry aged for at least 11 days.  The reason for this is that aging allows natural enzymes to breakdown the hard connective tissue in meats and for water to evaporate away concentrating the flavor, making the meat more tender and flavorful.  Because of the expertise, time and the space necessary to age meat, dry aging has become very rare.  Actually only a few of the finest restaurants buy dry aged beef. 

The slaughter facility we use dry ages our beef for 11-14 days in humidity and temperature-controlled coolers.  This time intensive process greatly contributes to a quality eating experience.   Also, ALL cuts and burger come from your animal, not  from multiple animals like most burger.

This small, local packer has an exemplary record for being very clean, compassionate to our animals and is customer friendly.  We have used him for almost 20 years. They will cut it to perfection to your specifications and vacuum pack it.  The animal we take in is the same animal that you take home! 

Reason #3.  Consumer Choice. 

 Beef cattle are highly adaptable creatures that can be fed a variety of by-products that will satisfy their nutritional requirements.  In an effort to contain costs, producers in large feedlots combined many different and sometimes unconventional feedstuffs in order to satisfy a growing population of consumers that demand a cheap protein source that is readily available. Research has found some of the ethanol based by-products and growth promotents tend to lower the quality grades so the product does not have as much intramuscular fat (marbling) and is not as tasty as conventionally fed cattle.  Many feedlots with high concentrations of cattle feed antibiotics and growth stimulants to encourage lean muscle mass and to help with sickness outbreaks.  The USDA deems these practices safe; it is efficient and can save productive farmland.

Our feeding practices differ from most.  We feed a balanced, but limited  diet of homegrown corn and oats.  We grow and store only non-GMO corn (and oats) on our farm.  We also feed quality, free choice hay, also grown on our farm.  Consumers need to be reminded that "hay" is nothing more than dried grasses.  Our mineral mix is the only purchased input.  We have never used fed-in antibiotics or used growth implants.  Over the past 40 + years we have improved our cattle genetics by selecting those that can thrive on grass. They have become incredibly feed efficient, forage converting models.  We encourage potential customers to see first hand how our animals are fed and cared for and believe that transparency in our industry is essential to maintaining our customer's confidence.  We  also pride ourselves in individually caring for and personally knowing each animal.  We make animal well being and comfort  our highest priority.  

Reason #4.   Price

Price is the other consideration.  We price our beef, (with all of the perks including aging,) below the cost of supermarket beef.  We sell beef in ¼ (half of a half) ½ and entire animals.   We have the packer take weights a week after harvest.   A ¼ of the carcass will usually weigh about 175 lbs., with a whole carcass weight of between 600-800 lbs. average.  Although consumers need to address storage considerations and have to shell out more dollars than for one package of hamburger, the per-cut cost is significantly lower or equal to the low cost cuts at the supermarket and one price covers everything from hamburger to your best rib eye steaks.  However, it is quality difference in taste and tenderness that is the most significant. Our customers are our best salespeople.

If you have an interest in our freezer beef, please send an email or give us a call for current pricing and availability.