Rockin' MT Ranch

There is much "hype" and discussion about grass fed/finished vs grain finished.

Per USDA, all cattle that have been fed grass at some point in their life can be labeled grass fed. Heated discussions occur however over the term grass finished. What does that mean? To most, that means that these cattle never ate any grains or were finished out with grain in their diet.

So what is "grass"?

Grass refers to a vast and highly adaptable family of flowering plants (scientifically known as Poaceae). It is characterized by narrow, bladelike leaves and hollow stems. Colloquially, the term "grass" can sometimes broadly refer to any green ground cover, including non-grassy plants like sedges and rushes. Grass is one of the most widespread and ecologically vital groups of plants on the planet, serving several critical functions. In food and Agriculture, major cereal crops like wheat, corn, rice, barley, and sugarcane are all types of grasses. "Grass" serves as the primary food source for grazing animals.

In summary, as there does not seem to be a clear, regulated definition of what specific types of grass qualify for the sentiment of "grass finished", in essence, cattle that were finished out with cereal grain grasses (like wheat, corn, rice, barley, and sugarcane etc) can also be referred to as grass finished by definition of "grass".