Yes. BetterFed Beef cattle are 100% bred, born, raised and harvested right here in the Midwest USA

All our beef is from the Midwest United States. From conception to consumption, every stage of our cattle's life happens in the Midwest - from birth, rearing, growing, finishing, and harvesting at one of our Midwest abattoir facilities. 100% pure U.S. Midwest beef bred, raised and harvested right here in America's heartland.

BetterFed Beef decided to partner with upper Midwest locker plants as a way to grow together. Locker plants across the Midwest have been anchor businesses in most small towns. Unfortunately, they are a dying business, as small towns dry up and people leave, the business has slowly eroded. 

BetterFed Beef offers a partnership with locker plants that are USDA inspected facilities, to grow their business beyond the geographical constraints of their town or county. BetterFed Beef brings direct to consumer sales via the internet, to the small towns locker plants. Our locker plant partners are brilliant at what they do. They harvest and process beef, expertly and carefully. Many are several generations family businesses and have been preparing awesome meats for many, many years.

No, while our cattle look like Black Angus, we are not constrained by this specific breed. We view better beef and better meat as much more than the Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Limousin etc, breed. 

We believe better beef is a product of a thoughtful and deliberate system of breeding, rearing, growing, and finishing beef within a framework of perfect care, comfort, handling, nutrition and health. This is the BetterFed Beef system. 

At BetterFed Beef, our cattlemen partners have carefully selected beef sires to match their cows and produce the best meat quality offspring. This takes careful planning and foresight. Consider this, a cow that becomes pregnant today, will have the calf 9 months later, and then the calf will grow for 16-18 months until harvested. 

BetterFed Beef and our partners are looking and planning well ahead - about 25-27 months ahead of your meal!

Yes. The mothers are Jersey cows and the fathers are specially selected beef bulls. 

Dr. Tom Peters is one of the world's foremost experts on beef cattle raising, growing, finishing and beef-meat science. After 35 years of consulting and millions of beef cattle being processed, Tom developed a special cross breeding program that lies at the heart of the BetterFed Beef system. Our dairy farm families and feedyard families are integral parts of the breeding and growing system, where every step of the process is managed and controlled. This special breeding and rearing ultimately allows your Certified ONYA® beef to be tender, tasty and simply better - every bite, every order. 

The BetterFed Beef system has design control from insemination (conception) to harvest, removing so many variabilities that constrain the traditional beef supply, such as genetic selection, age, nutrition, health and environment.

Jersey cows are a famous breed of dairy cow originating from the Isle of Jersey in the UK. They have been especially selected (over hundreds of years) for their ability to transform forages and grains into beautiful rich and creamy milk. They're famous for cheese making and for rich ice cream because they have more butterfat concentrated in their milk. 

This genetic ability to incorporate more butterfat into their milk also has the same benefit of transforming more intramuscular fat into their muscle/meat which is called "marbling". That's why we especially love Jersey cow mothers for our Certified ONYA® beef and crossed with a specially selected beef sires to produce beautiful offspring that perfectly are designed for wonderful and nourishing beef.

BetterFed Beef cattle come from Gelbvieh or Angus sires. Our cattlemen select the best sires and use their semen to breed the Jersey cow mothers to produce something special. 

This deliberate crossing of Jersey cows with Gelbvieh bulls (pronounced Gelb-fee) has been carefully researched over the past 15 years by Dr. Tom Peters and has proven to be a fantastic combination for producing calves that can really grow into amazing beef. 

With this perfect cross breeding and the resultant hybrid vigor, plus the best nutrition formulated by Ph.D nutritionists, plus a stress-free environment their entire life, these cattle can produce the most tender and flavorful meat.

Dr. Tom Peters is one of the world's foremost experts on beef cattle raising, growing, finishing and beef-meat science. Animal Scientists document that steers outperform heifers for growth attributes and consequently meat tenderness. Steers grow faster, more efficiently, and produce meat that is more tender. 

In order to deliver on our brand promise, "naturally tender", and give our customers a consistently exceptional beef eating experience, Dr. Tom Peters decided we must take the extraordinary steps of harvesting only male steer cattle and furthermore, only from very youthful steers at age of 16-18 months to be sure of the peak tenderness window for beef meat. 

The females (heifers) go to the routine meat packers where they enter the food chain and provide great beef for people to enjoy. BetterFed Beef only harvests steers because while the heifers are also great, steers are simply better. 

That is because steers grow differently than heifers, and as a result are naturally more tender and larger. Because our selection and process is so fine-tuned, BetterFed Beef's Certified ONYA® steaks, roasts, and Whole Muscle Ground Beef is the pinnacle for consistently tender flavorful beef. We want simply the best for our customers.

At BetterFed Beef we target 1,450 pound live weight for our hand-picked steers. 

Because we control the genetic selection of the cattle and the feeding of the cattle from birth until harvest, we can consistently target the ultimate finished weight of these steers. 1,450 pounds is the perfect size where we optimize production efficiency, youthfulness, and consistent tenderness, taste and texture of Certified ONYA® beef.

16-18 months of age is the sweet spot for Certified ONYA® beef tenderness, texture and taste. In order to consistently hit this sweet spot, BetterFed Beef cattle are reared with the best nutrition and environments to be ready at this early age. 

All BetterFed cattle are Midwest grain-fed, which provides meat with beautiful marbling, tenderness and taste. Young cattle have less connective tissue in their meat and naturally more tender than meat from older cattle. Just like with chicken or lamb, age is a critical factor for tenderness of meat. As cattle get older (above 18 months), their meat contains more connective tissue fibers. Connective tissue is tough, hard to chew and has a stringy texture. 

Much of the beef consumed in the USA and around the world is older beef or culled dairy cows. Interestingly, grass-fed cattle are usually much older because they grow much more slowly as compared to our Midwest grain-fed steers. 

Yes. All our cattle are slaughtered in USDA-inspected facilities where great care is taken to harvest the animal without any stress or pain.

Our goal is to be very sustainable through all facets of the integrated BetterFed Beef program. Sustainable for the cattlemen and families that raise our Beef, and sustainable for our company and our customer. 

We do this by utilizing all relevant technologies to improve efficiency of health and growth. Faster growing, healthy cattle are simply more efficient converters of food to meat. For example, BetterFed cattle reach their target harvest weight at a youthful age of 16-18 months whereas many cattle from grassfed systems or traditional systems reach their target harvest weight up to double the age. Older aged beef means lots more food consumed and a lot less beef produced. 

Another positive facet of the BetterFed system is that all the BetterFed cattle manure is captured over the animal's lifetime and returned to the farmland to more efficiently grow crops and plants to in-turn be fed to the cattle in a virtuous cycle of regeneration or up-cycling. Up-cycling of manure (fertilizer) to plants to beef - a perennially sustainable cycle. And, all the captured manure cannot run into creeks, waterways or groundwater. 

Our highly efficient system is a huge benefit to the environment and the economics of growing superb cattle for the cattlemen, and for bringing practically affordable, tender beef to our customers. We must be sustainable for the future generations of cattlemen and customers.

BetterFed Beef is simply better because our cattle been fed and raised, better. BetterFed Beef is a complete system from conception to harvest, where all aspects of cattle health, wellbeing, environment, growth and performance are purposefully designed and managed. Literally, from insemination, through gestation and birth, raising, and finishing. 

The statement of "conception through harvest" is very important to clarify. BetterFed Beef is one of the only, if not the only, beef company that has complete guidelines and ownership of the animals from breeding of the animal (9 month gestation) through the animals entire lifespan. We strictly select the genetic attributes used from the Sire (father) to best align with the Dam (mother) genetics to produce the most tender, marbled beef available in every animal. 

BetterFed Beef cattle are strictly monitored all along the way. Quality environment during the animals lifespan is of utmost importance to our producers and our system. All producers adhere to well defined animal welfare practices and care to provide this extremely tender beef. Low stress is of utmost importance in this system. 

 BetterFed Beef producers know that they are raising beef for important consumers. Unlike commodity beef production where the producer has no clue what state or country his product will be consumed in, BetterFed Beef producers and consumers are all conscientiously linked for the same cause- producing the best beef. 

Not only are BetterFed Beef's cattle especially selected from conception to harvest, they are also all male steers (no heifers) and they are very youthful cattle, which is one of the most important factors in meat tenderness, texture and taste. You may be surprised to know that much beef being sold in the USA is from old animals. Older beef cattle, older culled dairy cattle, >30-36 months of age. This is not the case with BetterFed Beef. Our Certified ONYA® beef comes from very youthful steers, aged 16-18 months at the time of harvest. 

BetterFed Beef comes from from grain-fed, youthful steers fed according to Dr. Tom Peters' standards to create a tender, flavorful and consistent product, every time.

While this can be a matter of opinion, for us at BetterFed Beef and maybe billions of consumers around the world, frozen beef is just as good as chilled, fresh beef, if it is done correctly. 

At BetterFed Beef, all of our meat is dry aged in a controlled cooler environment before it is cut up into steaks, cuts, and whole muscle ground beef. It is then individually packaged in vacuum sealed bags and flash frozen to lock in the full flavor and preserve the meat. 

When it comes time to cook our beef, we recommend thawing for 24 hours in the refrigerator for full retention of flavor and tenderness. If you like tender flavorful beef, then frozen BetterFed Beef is the way to go.

No. None.

It's a long and meticulous process. It all begins with genetic selection for mother and father to birth a calf that has the high potential for marbling. Marbling is the term used to describe intramuscular fat, that is fat contained inside the muscle matrix rather than extra-muscular fat (or subcutaneous fat) that surrounds the outside of the muscle. More marbling usually means more tender and tastier meat. That's because intramuscular fat is softer and contains much of the unique flavor from our grain-fed cattle. So, genetic selection is critical. 

Then it's nutrition. BetterFed Beef cattle are fed diets especially formulated by Ph.D cattle nutritionists. These diets are designed right down to micro elements such as trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, at levels of parts per million to produce a perfect balance of nutrients to meet the animal's needs and optimize health, growth and marbling. In this way we utilize the nutritious benefit of mid west corn, cereal grains and forages like hay, straw and alfalfa to produce the best beef, with incredible marbling, for our customers to enjoy.

BetterFed Beef wants you to enjoy hamburgers like never before. The key is the meat and the fat. Most hamburgers are a blend of meat and fat coming from (sometimes many) different animals. Lean meat coming from culled dairy cows or bulls mixed with fat trimmings to make a grind of 80:20 or 75:25 blend (meat:fat ratio), for example. 

While this is good, our whole muscle ground beef is uses the whole muscle from a single batch of our cattle, with the fat marbled into the meat, naturally. The result is a simply better ground beef experience. Better tasting, better texture, better grilling. You'll notice the difference when you make hamburgers, meat loaf, spaghetti, or any other ground beef centered meal. Your favorite meals, simply better.

The key is the meat and the fat. Most hamburgers are a blend of meat and fat coming from (sometimes many) different animals. Lean meat coming from culled dairy cows or bulls mixed with fat trimmings to make a grind of 80:20 or 75:25 blend (meat:fat ratio), for example. 

While this is good, our whole muscle ground beef is uses the whole muscle from a single batch of our cattle, with the fat marbled into the meat, naturally. The result is a simply better ground beef experience. Better tasting, better texture, better grilling. You'll notice the difference when you make hamburgers, meat loaf, spaghetti, or any other ground beef centered meal. Your favorite meals, simply better.

Our Whole Muscle Ground Beef and grocery store hamburger are oceans apart. That's because at BetterFed Beef, we only use whole muscle to make our ground beef. And, we use a much smaller grind matrix to make the ground beef easier to form and eat. 

Store purchased hamburger is a mixture of numerous cow meat trimmings and numerous cow fat trimmings. Both homogenized trimmings (meat and fat) are mixed together at a ratio to give the consumer 90:10, 85:15, 70:30 meat:fat ratio hamburger. This store purchased hamburger is hard to make patties from because it wants to fall apart into it's separate components, and often times it is very greasy. It flares up in the grill and it leaks all over the grill and plate. 

BetterFed Beef's Whole Muscle Ground Beef has the fat inside the muscle (marbling) and it simply awesome. Once you try our Whole Muscle Ground Beef you'll never want to buy hamburger from a store again. And, chances are you'll set aside the ketchup, the mayo, the mustard and just add some salt - no need to 'fix the burger up' with condiments, it's that good!

It all begins with genetic selection and selecting the best parents (cow and bull) for the best, most tender offspring. And then there is the perfect nutrition program designed for the cattle health, growth and muscle tenderness. 

The nutrition plus stress-free comfort environment while the cattle grow combined with youthful age of harvest all combine to produce naturally tender, Certified ONYA® beef.

It's complicated, but here are six main reasons. 

1. Genetics. Some breeds of cattle will produce more marbled meat which is more tender and of better flavor. Marbling is the incorporation of intra-cellular lipid (fat) within the muscle fiber matrix. This results in white fat throughout the meat muscle, rather than fat on the outside of the muscle. 

2. Nutrition. Feeding cattle specially designed diets maybe the most important factor. Special diets that are formulated to provide nutrients at the right concentration, and at the right time and duration of the animals growth, will greatly increase the tenderness and texture of the meat. 

3. Stress. High stress of an animal results in tough meat. Cattle that raised with care and in a low-stress, comfortable, healthy environment will generally have meat that is much more tender. 

4. Aging of the dressed beef. Post slaughter, hanging the beef in a controlled temperature cooler results in progressive connective tissue and muscle fibre decomposition and therefore more tender beef. 14 days of hanging in a controlled cooler is ideal for peak tenderness of meat. 

5. Sex. Male steers are more tender than female heifers. This is because steers have less connective tissue in their muscle versus heifers 

6. Age of the animal. Young animals, fed correctly to reach their target final weight, are much more tender than older animals. 

At BetterFed Beef, we control all six of these factors in order to produce the most consistently great-eating, naturally tender beef. No one else is doing what we're doing. Our unique system is designed to deliver awesome beef, every day, every meal.

Yes, BetterFed Beef is 100% gluten free. There is no wheat protein in our 100% pure Midwestern beef

Certified ONYA® beef comes from the BetterFed Beef system. This system, developed by Dr. Tom Peters over his 35 years as a consulting beef cattle nutritionist, consists of oversight, control and management from conception all the way to consumption. 

The BetterFed Beef system produces Certified ONYA® beef specifically raised to be naturally tender, full of flavor, and consistent. The cattle within this system are bred by purposeful design for superior genetics, are reared with great care, and are grown with the best feedstuffs and nutritional formulation. 

All Certified ONYA® beef comes from cattle meeting the following criteria:

• Born and raised 100% in the USA

• Antibiotic free

• USDA Inspected

• Free from lameness and/or illness

• Dry aged a minimum of 14 days

• Approved marbling measurements

• Steers only 

• Less than 18 months in age 

• Raised in approved comfort facilities

BetterFed Beef has partnered with the best upper Midwest cattlemen to raise cattle that meet our specifications. Dr. Tom Peters has worked with many beef cattlemen over the past three decades, and perfected an integrated system of breeding, rearing, growing and finishing beef, to be simply better. 

Out of the tens of thousands of cattle within this coordinated system, only the very best are Certified ONYA®. Our goal at BetterFed Beef is to bring you steaks, cuts, and whole muscle ground beef that is better than what you, your family, and friends have experienced in the past.

Certified ONYA® beef is so good because it is the result of the fine-tuned BetterFed Beef system. 

It starts with genetic selection of the animal, then the rearing of the calf all the way through to weaning and then onto the growth stage and finally at the BetterFed Partner feedyards where our cattle are grain-fed the most healthful, nutritious food for finishing their growth and producing tasty tender steaks, cuts, and whole muscle ground beef. Certified ONYA® beef is better because we have an 27 month program to bring the steaks from conception to your table. This controlled program with our cattlemen partners allows us to produce simply better beef. 

Certified ONYA® beef is tender every time because of these six factors: 

1. Genetics. Some breeds of cattle will produce more marbled meat which is more tender. Marbling is the incorporation of intra-cellular lipid (fat) within the muscle fiber matrix. This results in white fat throughout the meat muscle, rather than fat on the outside of the muscle. At BetterFed Beef we control the genetic selection, aiming for the best cattle health and a better, more consistent meat eating experience. 

2. Nutrition. Feeding cattle specially designed diets maybe the most important factor. Special diets formulated to provide nutrients at the right concentration, and at the right time and duration of the animals growth, will greatly increase the tenderness and texture of the meat. Dr. Tom Peters is a world-renowned beef cattle nutritionist and co-founder of BetterFed Beef. Dr. Peters has fed millions of cattle during his 3-decade career and knows beef like almost nobody else. Dr. Peters formulates all the nutritional and health protocols to ensure our beef is simply better. 

3. Stress. High stress of an animal results in tough meat. Cattle raised with care and in a low-stress, comfortable, and healthy environment will generally have meat that is much more tender. 

4. Aging of the dressed beef. Post slaughter, hanging the beef in a controlled temperature cooler results in progressive connective tissue and muscle fibre decomposition and therefore more tender beef. 14 days of hanging in a controlled cooler is ideal for peak tenderness of beef. 

5. Sex. Male steers are more tender than female heifers. This is because steers have less connective tissue in their muscle versus heifers 

6. Age of the animal. Young animals, fed correctly to reach their target final weight, are much more tender than older animals. 

At BetterFed Beef we control all of these 6 factors in order to produce the most consistently great eating, naturally tender beef. No one else is doing what we're doing. Our unique system is designed to deliver awesome beef, every day, every meal.

Cattle in the BetterFed Beef system are fed a carefully designed diet to match their nutritional and health needs, every day of their life. 

The diets are formulated by Ph.D ruminant nutritionists. These diets are designed right down to micro elements such as trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants at levels of parts per million to produce a perfect balance of nutrients to meet the animal's needs and optimize health, growth and marbling. 

In this way we utilize the nutritious benefit of Midwest corn, cereal grains and forages like hay, straw and alfalfa to produce the best beef for our customers.

Absolutely yes. We love GMO corn and other GMO crops because they're simply better (like our beef). Our farm family partners use GMO corn to grow the best crops, and the best grain to feed our cattle. 

GMO is one of the most remarkable biotechnologies that helps the environment, the farmer and the consumer. GMO crops mean less insecticide use, less herbicide use, less fungicide use, less water use, less diesel, less tillage, higher yields of grain per acre, and therefore less acres needing to be planted. 

GMO and upcoming advances with biotech are critical keys to sustainability. Sustainable farms, environment, nature and humanity. 

We have 7.6 billion people to feed today and an additional 2.2. billion on the way. We must use 100% safe biotechnologies like GMO, for humanity's sake. It's the moral highground. Here's a good reference website to learn more.

There are numerous benefits to grain-fed beef. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the better taste. Grain-fed beef simply tastes better. More tender, more flavor, better eating. Feeding the cattle grain improves the marbling of the muscle, and the flavor and tenderness comes from the infiltration of muscle with lipid (fat). 

Grain-fed beef also reach their perfect harvest date at a much younger (and more tender) age than non-grain-fed cattle. The age of the cattle at the time of harvest is also important for the tenderness of the meat. On the production side there is an the essential efficiency of grain-feeding, where the cattle consume less overall feed and water and produce less manure (waste) than non-grain-fed cattle. Higher efficiency helps the environment and helps our cattlemen partners' profitability and livelihood. 

BetterFed Beef cattle are the youngest most healthful and carefully raised cattle, hand-selected by our cattlemen partners to make sure you get a simply better eating experience - every steak, every bite.

Only if needed. In the case where an animal becomes sick and the veterinarian recommends the animal needs to be treated with an antibiotic, then our cattlemen (and their veterinarian) treat the animal to help it recover to full health - just the same as you do for yourself or your children with your Doctor. 

Our responsibility to care for our animals determines that we use whatever approved pharmacy is appropriate, under veterinarian supervision. We do not believe in letting animals suffer needlessly, when approved veterinary medical interventions can be used to treat and save the animal. 

Of importance, all antibiotics used on animals must meet the statutory withdrawal period prior to harvesting. This means that all antibiotic residue is gone, washed-out from the animals system before the animal is processed. With these guidelines, BetterFed Beef products do not contain any antibiotics.

BetterFed Beef cattlemen care deeply for their cattle. They love cattle and hate to see them suffer. The veterinarians who work with the cattlemen love cattle. Because of their deep-rooted care for their cattle, when an occasional animal becomes sick, it is cared for much the way your child would be cared for: Given a comfortable environment, plenty of clean fresh water, and a doctor visit for diagnosis and professional medical recommendation. Depending on the situation, if the animal needs to recover in an area where it can be monitored closely, it will be moved to a "hospital pen" where close observation and any further treatment can take place. When the animal is recovered, it can be moved back to join its herdmates. 

All health events and treatments are recorded for every animal so that each animal has a health file, just like you have at your local medical clinic. A supportive therapy is applied to every sick animal including rest in a clean, dry recovery pen. Supportive therapy also includes supplementation of thiamine and fortified vitamin B to stimulate appetite and improve muscle coordination. Sick animals are also provided extra room for physical distancing from other sick animals while recovering from illness. 

Most cattle illnesses are caused by respiratory viruses, similar to the common cold in humans. Cattle are vaccinated with known respiratory vaccines after meticulous scrutiny prior to FDA approval to improve titer (herd immunity). Thus, vaccinations for respiratory illnesses are engaged in all SOP practices when receiving animals into feedyards. 

No antibiotics are used unless they are necessary to sustain life. Antibiotics are used to reduce disease length and severity for the welfare of the animal. Antibiotics are used to reduce pain and suffering of the animal - just like when used to sustain human health. All antibiotic use is arduously recorded and tracked to adhere to FDA withdrawal rules and guidelines. 

In the BetterFed Beef system, animals treated for respiratory ailments more than 2 times during their feedyard stay are removed from eligibility for harvest/beef product to our customers.   

Absolutely yes. Our BetterFed Beef cattlemen love their cattle and take great pride in their health and happiness, or contentment. They make sure they have fresh food, fresh water, fresh air, and freedom to move around and socialize with their mates. Moving cattle is done with care and the lowest stress possible. 

One easy way to tell how well the cattle are cared for is when you visit a BetterFed Beef feedyard, the cattle are not scared of people. They almost have no 'flight' response, and will literally sniff and lick your outreached hand. This reflects a level of trust between the cow and the man. They have been treated well all their life, and as a result are not scared of humans. Cattle that have been abused or harmed by people will naturally be very wary and distance themselves from any person. 

Lastly, low stress environments help the cattle grow better, faster. The result is naturally tender meat. Meat from animals full of anxiety becomes dark in color, dry, and tough - not tender.

Yes. BetterFed Beef cattlemen have invested large amounts of money and resources to build an environment that is best suited for raising grain-fed, beautiful cattle. They have built Cattle Comfort Barns (CCB) which provide shelter from the weather (hot and cold), keep the cattle dry and comfortable on soft bedding or padded rubber flooring, and provide great air turn-over to circulate fresh air constantly. The cattle are clean, dry, and comfortable, Free from biting flies, insects, heat stress, snow drifts and mud. They have fresh food, fresh water, fresh air and freedom to move around and socialize with their herdmates.

No. BetterFed Beef cattle are raised in specially designed Cattle Comfort Barns (CCB). Dr. Tom Peters has spent his professional career as a Consulting Nutritionist for feedyard cattle. Dr. Peters is world-renowned and a pioneer in developing CCB for the upper Midwest feedyard cattle operations. These barns are perfect for purpose: Cattle health, comfort, growth, environment and farm family sustainability. These CCBs allow for highly efficient management and care of the cattle and highly-efficient growth. 

Our Onya products and whole muscle grind come from healthy happy steers raised in CCBs. These cattle are so healthy and grow so well, that BetterFed Beef only harvests the very youthful 16-18 month aged cattle - the sweetspot for your Certified ONYA® eating experience.

For efficiency, health and growth performance. Feedyards are purposefully designed to maximize the efficiency of growing cattle and to protect the environment from manure run-off. Feedyards allow for large numbers of cattle to be reared together, in groups and pens where they can interact and socialize with each other. They have 100% freedom to eat, drink, lie down, sleep, socialize. 

Feedyards allow for efficiency of labor and equipment, to monitor their health, look after these cattle and to feed them. Hence the name "feedyard,"- feeding cattle in yards or pens. Feedyards are designed to maximize comfort and wellbeing of the cattle, so that they are content and grow to the best of their genetic ability. 

Feedyards allow the farmer to feed the cattle a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) which is a very detailed recipe (mix) of forage and grains, vitamins and minerals, to maximize the cattle health and growth at every stage of their life. These TMR diets are formulated by Ph.D nutritionists, and likely much more nutritious and healthy for the cattle than the diets that most humans consume. 

Feedyards are required to have a manure management plan approved by government regulatory agencies. All the manure is contained and then utilized on crop fields for 100% recycling of water and highly nutritious (for plants) waste stream. Cattle manure is 100% organic and a wonderful way to recycle nutrients back to the soil and future crops. 

Yes, all cattle have hormones just like all animal life and all plant life. We are all hormone producing creatures. Every vegetable, every fruit and every bite of meat, contains hormones. Interestingly, plants and fruits have hundreds - and often many thousands - of folds higher levels (concentrations) of hormones versus beef.

Yes. Since the 1970-80's, almost all feedyard cattle have been implanted with slow-release hormone implants in the form of a small pellet inserted under the skin in the ear of the cow. The reason for the implanting these hormones is to improve the efficiency of growth of the cattle and also indirectly, improve the tenderness of the meat and reduce the cost of production of beef, for the cattlemen and ultimately, the consumer. The hormone implants are approved by the FDA for safety of the animal and the people consuming the beef from these cattle. 

Remarkably, incredibly small amounts are provided to the cattle, (1-2 nanograms per day) but the results are spectacular for the cattle performance and efficiency of producing meat. The greatest benefit is the increased efficiency (of the cattle) of converting their food-forage-grains into meat. Implanted cattle are about 15% more growth-efficient versus non-implanted cattle. This means a saving of food-feed, water, and land needed for beef production. The more efficiently we can produce meat, using less land and resources, the lower the costs are for the farmer and for the consumer. 

Ultimately, using less land and resources means more land available or spared (from agriculture) for nature and/or other use. The use of these moderate growth promotion implants is basically reduction of carbon footprint of beef production. Consumers benefit greatly from this increased performance realized from growth promotants as the result is improved efficiency in production of cattle resulting in reduced beef prices for consumers.  Additional useful information about hormone implants can be found here. 

Most steak lovers would disagree. Midwest grain-fed beef is what people from all around the world love to eat when they visit the USA. And of course most Americans love our grain-fed beef, it's simply better tasting and better value. 

Grass-fed and grass-finished beef is also wonderful beef, but it's simply not for us, as it is generally more tough and lean. If you wish for grass-fed beef, please visit Butcher Box and order some of their imported Australian grass-fed beef product. 

No. Grass-fed beef is a wonderful product, but it has its differences from grain-fed beef. 

BetterFed Beef cattle are fed perfectly with corn and grains from the Upper Midwest corn belt so that the product is highly marbled, more tender, and full of flavor. Grass-fed beef certainly has flavor, but due to its leaner composition, it is generally less tender than grain-fed beef. 

If you like lean, less-marbled and potentially tough meat, then grass-fed might be perfect for you. If you prefer tender beef that is full of flavor and consistently excellent, then BetterFed Beef is for you. 

Yes, in fact all cattle are all organic, as are all lifeforms. If it contains carbon, it's organic! There is ZERO inorganic life.

No. BetterFed Beef does not believe organic farming practices to be the most responsible way to produce food for an expanding and ever-hungry world. BetterFed Beef is proud to utilize all approved technologies and practices to produce the best beef, most efficiently and most sustainably. In order to feed an expected 9.6 billion people (7.6 billion today) by 2050, we must embrace all technology that can safely improve beef growth performance and utilization of resources.

No. No animal byproducts are fed to BetterFed Beef cattle.

No. USDA inspected just means that the slaughter and processing of the cow was performed in a FSIS (Federal Safety Inspection Service) licensed facility. The reality is that the cow could have been raised and grown in a foreign country and imported into the USA prior to slaughter, and then received it's USDA Inspected stamp. 

It also could be that the cow was slaughtered and processed in a foreign country where the foreign plant has USDA Inspection. Then after slaughter and some partial cut-up it could be imported into the USA and sold to US consumers with the USDA Inspected label on it. It's confusing. 

Consumers naturally think that USDA Inspected means that the beef was born and raised in the US. But that is not the case. BetterFed Beef is 100% bred, born, raised and harvested in the Midwest USA. Guaranteed.

COOL is an acronym for Country Of Origin Labeling. In 2016 the requirement for meat to be identified/labeled by it's Country Of Origin was repealed for beef muscle cuts. Since then, labels identifying country of origin are purely optional. Unfortunately, without COOL regulations, the US consumer is left in a confusing situation when it comes to buying beef. 

A strange loophole exists in the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service regulations whereby “Product of the USA”, “Made in the USA” and “USA Beef” can be used on foreign born and or raised meat that has merely been processed or blended in the USA. Consumers are led to believe (by inference) that this meat is originating from cattle that were born, raised and processed in the USA. Whereas this meat may only have been cut-up or repackaged in the USA, but labeled as Product of USA. This imported beef is cheaper than U.S. beef but often sold at a premium price to U.S. born and raised beef. The price premiums financially benefit meat importers, meatpackers and distributors at the expense of profits that should go to USA livestock producers. 

These vague labels can contribute to the consumer’s lack of trust in the USA food system. Today’s consumers more than ever desire honesty and transparency, they wish to know where their food comes from and choose actual 100% USA beef. BetterFed Beef is 100% born, raised, harvested and packaged entirely within the Midwest USA.

Yes. We know that seems hard to believe. How can it be that imported beef can have a label on it that says "Product of USA"? 

The answer is because of a loop-hole in the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service labelling regulations whereby imported meat that is repackaged or cut-up (fabricated) in the USA, can then label the meat as Product of USA. This is very misleading for consumers who wish to know the Country of Origin of their beef and consumers that wish to buy U.S. beef. Consumers are misled to believe the beef they are purchasing is from cattle that were born, raised and processed in the USA. 

Furthermore, consumers often pay a premium price for this imported beef, especially if it's marketed as 'grass-fed'. Those premiums financially benefit meat importers, meatpackers and distributors at the expense of profits that should go to USA livestock producers. 

These vague labels can contribute to the consumer’s lack of trust in the USA food system. Today’s consumers more than ever desire honesty and transparency, they wish to know where their food comes from and choose actual 100% USA beef. BetterFed Beef is 100% born, raised, harvested and packaged entirely within the Midwest USA.

Yes. We know that seems hard to believe. How can it be that imported beef can have a label on it that says "Product of USA"? 

The answer is because of a loop-hole in the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service labelling regulations whereby imported meat that is repackaged or cut-up (fabricated) in the USA, can then label the meat as Product of USA. This is very misleading for consumers who wish to know the Country of Origin of their beef and consumers that wish to buy U.S. beef. Consumers are misled to believe the beef they are purchasing is from cattle that were born, raised and processed in the USA. 

Furthermore, consumers often pay a premium price for this imported beef, especially if it's marketed as 'grass-fed'. Those premiums financially benefit meat importers, meatpackers and distributors at the expense of profits that should go to USA livestock producers. 

These vague labels can contribute to the consumer’s lack of trust in the USA food system. Today’s consumers more than ever desire honesty and transparency, they wish to know where their food comes from and choose actual 100% USA beef. BetterFed Beef is 100% born, raised, harvested and packaged entirely within the Midwest USA.

No. The hormone implants that are administered to cattle are approved by US FDA, which has reviewed all health and safety aspects of consuming beef from cattle that were implanted with hormones. 

Onset of puberty is correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI). Caloric intake of children is the driver for weight gain and onset of puberty. The amount of estrogen found in implanted beef meat is absolutely miniscule compared to the amount of estrogen naturally occurring in children, girls and women and in comparison to the estrogen (phytoestrogen) coming from plants and vegetables that are regularly consumed. Consider, a non-pregnant woman produces 513,000 ng of estrogen/day and a pre-pubescent child produces 41,000 ng/day versus the 7 ng of estrogen provided from a 500 gram (or one-pound) serving of hormone-implanted beef. Beef that was not implanted contains 5 ng estrogen, per 500 gram meat. 

Also consider, the following estrogenic activity of various foods expressed in ng per 500 gram serving: Soy flour provides 755,000,000, Pinto Beans 900,000, Peanuts 100,000, Cabbage 10,800. Beef, by comparison, provides the proverbial 'drop in the ocean'. For more reading, click here.

Too much of anything can be bad (unhealthy) for you. Too much water, too much sugar, too much salt, too much chocolate, too many vegetables. So, yes, too much corn can be bad for cattle and even for you (check out Pellagra disease). 

In order to ensure our cattle remain ultra-healthy, they are fed carefully formulated diets designed by Ph.D ruminant nutritionists. These diets are designed right down to micro elements such as trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants at levels of parts per million to produce a perfect balance of nutrients to meet the animal's needs and optimize health, growth and marbling. 

In this way we utilize the nutritious benefit of Midwest corn, cereal grains and forages like hay, straw and alfalfa to produce the best beef for our customers.

Feeding cattle grain is not cruel and our cattle do not only eat grain. They eat a carefully designed diet to match their nutritional and health needs, everyday of their life. 

The diets are formulated by Ph.D ruminant nutritionists. These diets are designed right down to micro elements such as trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants at levels of parts per million to produce a perfect balance of nutrients to meet the animal's needs and optimize health, growth and marbling.

In this way we utilize the nutritious benefit of Midwest corn, cereal grains and forages like hay, straw and alfalfa to produce the best beef for our customers.

Not so. Fat from beef is healthy. If you're old enough to remember, maybe you mother or grandmother had a Folgers coffee tin of lard and tallow under the kitchen sink and that was used to cook every meal. Maybe you can also remember fried bread. That's right, bread fried in a skillet of lard (animal fat) and served with the meal. And everyone (well, nearly everyone) was slim and lean and fit. Go figure. 

Also, marbled beef containing fat within the muscle (intracellular fat) simply tastes better. Most flavor of meat is contained within the lipids (fats) and so if you remove all the lipid as with lean beef, you will have a different taste and tenderness experience. So, it comes down to preference. 

If you like lean beef, then please enjoy and if you like marbled beef, please enjoy. We believe Certified ONYA® beef is simply better.

No. It's not so simple. In fact, the interaction between ruminants, grasslands and "the environment" is extremely complex. First, let's clarify just what exactly is "grassfed beef". Consumers - the public, have an image of grassfed cattle as being cows grazing pastures or rolling hills, under a clear blue sky. But across almost the entire US, the grass growing season is limited to a mere 4-9 months of the year. Temperature, sunlight and rainfall determine grass growth. In the big cattle states, the grazing season is a meagre 5 months of the year plus 5 months of snowbound freezing winter. So, it's a pure fantasy that cattle are grazed year-round in the US. What this practically means is that grass-fed cattle are fed baled grass hay and/or grass silage (fermented forage) for all the months when grass is not available. Baling hay and/or making silage are both ways of preserving forage for feeding during the non-grazing season, which can be 7-8 months of the year in the North East, Midwest and Western US. 

The second big issue with "grazing cattle" or any other ruminant like sheep, goats, deer, buffalo, is pasture or grassland management. If done properly, grazing of grasslands and pasture can be incredibly good and important for the environment and the ecology of the grasslands. For more on this subject, watch Alan Savory's TED Talk explaining desertification and the role of grazing ruminants. Then think about the natural and symbiotic role that the massive buffalo herds (30-60 mil. head) used to play across the vast Savannah of the Great Plains, roaming and grazing this ocean of native prairie land spanning more than 500,000 sq mi (1,300,000 km2). However, if pasture and grassland management is not practiced properly, it's a big disaster for the environment. A common mistake is persistent over-grazing, with no respite (recovery period) for the grassland or the soil. Persistent over-grazing is effectively a feedyard on a pasture, minus any purposeful design to protect the environment or the ecology of the soil and land. 

In contrast, at BetterFed Beef feedyards, environmental issues such as manure containment, water run-off containment and leaching of manure into creeks and streams, is prevented within an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved system or design called a CAFO. CAFO is an acronym for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. Any animal feeding operation with more than 1,000 animal units is defined as a CAFO and is consequently regulated by the EPA under the Clean Water Act. Thus, BetterFed Beef feedyards are designed and engineered for manure containment, to meet EPA legal requirements. In contrast, grassland/pasture raising is completely unregulated for manure management and water contamination. 

At BetterFed Beef, our feedyard partners have environmental protection design built into their operation. All manure is captured and used to recycle nutrients back onto cropland to nourish crops, with 100% organic manure. Furthermore, the manure that is recycled back onto the cropland is managed under EPA regulations, so that it's spread onto fields at a rate (concentration of manure/acre) that will not over-saturate the land with manure. BetterFed Beef feedyards are the most professional, responsible and caring stewards of both their the cattle and the land. 

At BetterFed Beef we believe that cattle and environmental responsibility are mutually beneficial to each other and humanity. It's all about "The How". It's complex and the details are critical. We love grazing cattle, we love feedyard cattle, and often the two systems are integrated together. The cattle are reared on grasslands or crop residue (through the fall and winter months) until such time as they are ready to go to the feedyard for 'finishing' their growth. Both systems can work independently or as an integrated system for producing healthy beef. Both can be good for the environment, for the cattle and for humanity, if they are managed with care, knowledge and responsibility. 

Absolutely not. While no doubt some feedyards could be a disaster and undesirable for cattle, just as some pastures and fields can be a disaster and terrible for the cattle (mud, biting flies, burning sun, wet, and freezing cold blizzards), the vast majority are comfortable for cattle because the cattlemen really care about their cattle and they also want the cattle to be comfortable and happy in order for them to grow to the best of their genetic ability and to be healthy. Healthy, fast growing, happy cattle are the most economically efficient cattle. The intersection of cattlemen care, cattle health and cattlemen profitability are directly related. 

Furthermore, BetterFed Beef takes cattle comfort and wellbeing to the highest level. Our cattle live in specially designed comfort barns, where they stay dry from rain and snow, have shade from the sun, and free flowing fresh air to keep them comfortable. These special Cattle Comfort Barns (CCB) are the result of a lifetime of work by Dr. Tom Peters, having observed and researched the best way to raise beef cattle in the upper Midwest USA. The CCB's are designed for growing happy and healthy cattle. CCBs are also comfortable for the cattlemen and caretakers when inspecting the cattle at least twice a day, and feeding them 1-2 times every day. These barns have soft and dry bedding to lie on, as well as water and feed available at all times.

BetterFed Beef partner feedyards must control the manure and run-off to protect streams, creeks, rivers and ground water infiltration. In fact, every feedyard with more than 1,000 animal units (cattle) must have an EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved system or design called a CAFO. CAFO is an acronym for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation. Any animal feeding operation with more than 1,000 animal units is defined as a CAFO and is consequently regulated by the EPA under the Clean Water Act. Thus, BetterFed Beef feedyards are designed and engineered for manure containment, to meet EPA legal requirements. 

In contrast, grassland/pasture raising is completely unregulated for manure management and water contamination. At BetterFed Beef, our feedyard partners have environmental protection design built into their operation. All manure is captured and used to recycle nutrients back onto cropland to nourish crops, with 100% organic manure. Furthermore, the manure that is recycled back onto the cropland is managed under EPA regulations, so that it's spread onto fields at a rate (concentration of manure/acre) that will not over-saturate the land with manure. BetterFed Beef feedyards are the most professional, responsible and caring stewards of both their the cattle and the land. 

At BetterFed Beef we believe that cattle and environmental responsibility are mutually beneficial to each other and humanity.

No. This is again a highly complex and contentious area. Firstly, methane is a figurative "storm in a tea cup". Data from the US EPA shows that atmospheric methane (CH4) levels actually declining between years of 1990 - 2018, and methane only comprises 0.000179% of the earths total atmosphere, an amount so small that it couldn't even be accurately measured until a few decades ago. Methane is an ant on the backside of an elephant when it comes to greenhouse gasses. 

Greenhouse gasses (GHG) in total represent 1-2% of all atmospheric gasses, and water vapor represents 90-95% of all GHG volume. CO2, the gas of life represents a distant 3.7% leaving the remaining balance 1.3% of gasses for Nitrous Oxide, Ozone, CFC's, and Methane. Methane, the ant in the corner, represents 0.36% of all GHG. Water vapor is the absolute heavy weight, the giant among dwarfs, representing a whopping 95% of all GHG. But no one wants to talk about the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Instead, they want you to focus on the ant in the corner of the football stadium, miniscule, innocuous methane, a gas that is transitory (short-life) and part of the natural recycling of biomass on earth. 

The contention that cattle are causing or increasing global warming is misguided alarmism, pulling a fire alarm where no fire exists. Methane is a natural gas and is a byproduct of decomposition. In the case of ruminants, (e.g.cattle), their natural digestive physiology involves a 4-chambered stomach of which the first chamber is the rumen where fermentation of otherwise indigestible forages occurs. Methane produced in the rumen (a byproduct of microbial fermentation), is released by cattle as they belch and chews their cud. But ruminants have been around and belching methane for eons; literally for millions of years. Until the buffalo herds were tragically exterminated in the US (around 1880), there were 45 - 65 million buffalo roaming the Great Plains. In addition there were an estimated 45 million Whitetail, Mule and Blacktail deer, 30 - 60 million Antelope and 10 million Elk. All ruminants, all belching methane, for millions of years. 

Today the US is home to about 94 million cattle, whereas in 1975 there were 130 million head of cattle. US cattle numbers continue to decrease as US cattlemen become more efficient with more milk from less cows and more meat from less beef cattle. Methane emission from ruminants is a distraction, a red herring. Methane is also emitted continuously by active volcanoes and vast amounts spewed into the atmosphere with volcanic eruptions. Methane is also produced by the decaying/digestion of plant matter as part of the natural recycling of organic matter in the timeless cycle of life and death (decomposition). A cycle that's been ongoing for 500 million years. Think about National Forests and State Parks, think about Wildlife Areas and Wetlands. Think about the vast Great Plains of native grass, valleys of wild flowers, and rolling woodlands. All this plant matter is in the cycle of life-death. As every plant dies it decomposes. This decomposition releases methane gas. The very same gas that cows release when they digest grass and grains. So, if methane is so dangerous, and if methane causes global warming, then we should also drain all wetlands and remove all forests, grasslands and flora. And, we must address landfills of human waste which are biomass decomposition sites. Every landfill in every town, county, state and country of the world is emitting methane from your waste disposal. Every sewage treatment plant for every town and city is emitting methane from the processing of your toilet export. 

Furthermore, the biomass decomposition gasses (including methane) from gazillions of dead organisms which were transformed into oil and natural gasses over the millennia, are being released to the atmosphere as we drill wells and mines. The release of this natural gas when mining for coal or oil, powers your iPhone and refrigerator, your car and truck, heats and cools your home and keeps your gas BBQ fired up for these delicious BetterFed Beef Onya steaks. But, somehow the public is asked to believe that cows are the problem. And, by extension, cattlemen are bad and, by your consumption of beef, you are also bad. You are guilty of causing global warming because you love eating beef. Fortunately, on deeper analysis, it's a baseless claim, a storm in a tea cup, so go ahead and enjoy your steak. For further reading, check out this article by Dr. Tim Ball.

Not true. To call feedyards a "factory or industrialized farm" is to try and slander it as being a place where cattle are not cared for or cared about - to reduce it to a cold, sterile, harsh, systematic way of growing cattle. 

The reality is very different. The vast majority of feedyards are purposefully designed and carefully managed by caretakers who love cattle. These cattlemen love to see cattle "doing well" - comfortable, eating well, happy in their social groups and gaining weight. Because feedyards can have many thousands of animals, it can be easily labeled as "factory" or "industrialized" farming. The process and organizational proficiency may resemble highly efficient factory or industrialized processes, but then again so does your local medical center, your Starbucks coffee franchise, and your children's School. Feedyards, by design, are highly developed process-based systems, with large numbers of cattle for efficiency of feeding, monitoring, manure management, water management, veterinary management, machinery and equipment utilization, and for the up-cycling of human food industry (waste) byproduct utilization. This efficiency extends to labor and overall production costs, allowing feedyard beef beef to be produced at a more affordable price, without sacrificing cattle health and welfare.

Most feedyards are owned by families. These farm families have incorporated their business for business ownership, financial, estate transfer and tax reasons, just like your local plumber, bakery, cafe, trucking company or builder is incorporated as a business. With this in mind, what is wrong with a "corporate farm"? Your hospital is a corporate organization that you trust for your welfare, the car you drive and trust for your safety was made by a corporation, the grocery store where you buy your food (even if it's a co-op) is a corporation, and for sure the smartphone that never leaves your side, was made by a giant corporation. 

Somehow "corporate farming" got a bad rap. Unfortunately, the term (or more accurately, the slur) is unhelpful for it doesn't accurately define anything other than a particular farm is structured legally as a corporation. If we focus on healthy happy animals for their lifetime, then we are oriented to a noble discussion and worthy goal. Then the pronouns of small farm, big farm, corporate farm are less confusing. 

All farms are welcome and all are needed if we are to produce enough affordable, nutritious food to feed the world, and do it on a way where the animals we are responsibly cared for, are healthy and happy for their lifetime in our care. In the BetterFed Beef system, our cattlemen have invested in Cattle Comfort Barns to ensure cattle health and comfort. Their wellbeing is the key to our cattlemen-partner sustainability. 

No. BetterFed feedyard partners are very sophisticated in their feeding and cattle husbandry. They take the greatest care to feed the perfect diet formulated by Dr. Tom Peters, a diet to match the cattle requirements for growth and health. Our cattlemen also take the greatest care to ensure the cattle are healthy, content and stress-free (for better meat tenderness as well). 

BetterFed steers are bred and then raised and fed to produce beef that is the optimal combination of muscle, intra-muscular marbling and extra-muscular fat, so that our Certified ONYA® products are consistently delicious, and simply a better eating experience. 

No. BetterFed Beef is naturally tender, because of the healthful way these cattle are cared for, fed and raised. Adding chemicals to the feed of cattle is strictly controlled by the US FDA. Any substances which are added to the feed are called feed additives and these must obtain regulatory approval which is an evidenced-based process with an onerous consumer safety emphasis. Therefore, any chemical(s) fed to cattle must be approved and entirely safe for the cattle and the consumer. 

BetterFed Beef cattle are fed the best diets for growing market-ready cattle. These diets are largely comprised of forage and grains, plus minerals and vitamins. The word "chemicals" as a descriptor has been used to create needless fear, mistrust and anxiety. Consider for a moment that everything is a chemical, in a literal and real sense. The chair you sit in, the table you sit at, the device you're reading this on are all chemical compositions. Chemical elements (remember your periodic table?) assembled together and held together by chemical bonds. 

You are in fact a mass of chemicals, every cell, every fiber, every muscle, synapse, organ and biochemical process is chemical. We are essentially living, sentient bio-chemical compositions. 

No. The science behind fat types and cardio vascular disease (CVD) is fraught with misinterpretation and distortion. US consumers have been subjected to confusing recommendations about what to eat and what to avoid. As a result, over the past 30 years we have witnessed increasing obesity, type II diabetes and CVD to a point where we now have an obesity (and associated health disorders) epidemic. Even young children are presenting with this problem. Something is deadly wrong. 

Suffice to say, the replacement of meat and fat from meat and butter, with carbohydrates, grains and sugars has not worked out well for the US population general health. Much scientific data demonstrates that meat and animal fat is not associated with CVD. For good reference, please read this recent state of the art review by The Journal of The American College of Cardiology and also a great book called The Big Fat Surprise, by Nina Teicholz 

No. In 2014 a peer review paper was published demonstrating that after a trillion meals, there has been zero health effects from GMO corn. In addition, in 2017 a meta-analysis of 21 years of published data concerning GMO crops entering our food chain, concluded zero negative health implications. 

So, GMO crops and foods are safe. Not only are they safe, they are essential for our ability to feed a growing, ever hungry world. Genetic Engineering is a tool that mankind must use more, not less. This is counter to the mass media and celebrity narrative that GMOs are somehow "franken food", a food that is artificial, unnatural and unsafe. 

The truth is that GMOs are good for the food crop, good for the environment, and good for feeding animals and humanity. Higher crop yields, less pesticide use, less herbicide use, less diesel and machinery use, less water use, less crop failure, less crop loss from fungus and insects, less spoilage, etc. results in more healthy, essential nutrients available to feed animals and us. Here is a good reference website to learn more.

True, chickens (broilers) are much more efficient converters of food to meat. But that's only half the story. Cattle and other ruminants have the unique benefit of converting inedible forages to meat. That's because they have a rumen whereas chickens and pigs and humans have only one stomach (monogastric). 

The rumen is a remarkable digestive organ which is essentially a fermentation vat, full of bacteria and protozoa which digest forages and fibre (which we cannot digest) and pass on the usable nutrients to their host (the cow) to use for it's growth and health. It's an ancient evolutionary symbiotic relationship between bugs and cow (and other ruminants like sheep, goats and deer). 

No. Cattle simply consume as much water as they need to grow and stay healthy. Also, remember water is comprised of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen - two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom to form H2O. These two gasses are forever recycling, never lost or eliminated. 

Water consumed by an animal, a cow, a chicken or by you and your family is never gone, it's simply recycled in the form of water, vapor or gas. Because BetterFed Beef cattle manure (urine and feces) is captured at our comfort shelter barns, all this water is recycled back onto the land to grow more crops for the future. A virtuous cycle.

Yellowish fat is most likely seen in cattle grazing fresh grasses that containing carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, a yellow pigment and precursor to Vit A. These pigments are eaten by the cattle, absorbed and stored in the subcutaneous fat, causing it to appear 'yellowish'. 

There is nothing wrong with this fat, it simply looks different. You might be interested to observe that almost all of the so called "grass-fed beef" has white fat, indicating that this beef has not been fed any fresh grass in a while, if ever. At BetterFed Beef our cattle are grain-fed along with the highest quality forages and all other necessary nutrients as part of a meticulous diet carefully formulated by Ph.D cattle nutritionists. Our beef has most of the fat inside the muscle (marbling) instead of on the outside of the muscle, it's pure white in color and it's delicious.