One of the key factors in raising tender grass fed beef is to keep the animal consistently gaining weight. This requires the highest quality forages. Before we started grazing cattle, pastures were renovated from Kentucky 31 tall fescue to a mix of orchard grass, Max Q nontoxic fescue, red and white clovers, and some chicory. Kentucky 31 tall fescue contains an endophyte⁵ that is mildly toxic to most livestock including cattle.

In research tests at a Central Georgia Branch Station, Max Q fescue had average gains of 2.6 lb/day as compared to 1.7 of endophyte toxic varieties. If the diet of cattle consists mainly of Kentucky 31, they will run a low-grade fever, growth will be slow, and the meat will not be as tender. The Chicory has a deep taproot, which makes it very drought tolerant. Chicory is high in protein (18 to 28% crude protein) and is richer in minerals and trace elements than any other forage. Chicory has given 50 to 100% better weight gains when used in pasture mixtures over typical grass/clover pasture.

Pastures are fertilized only with poultry litter each fall.

5. An endophyte is an endosymbiont, often a bacterium or fungus, which lives within a plant for at least part of its life without causing apparent disease. Endophytes are ubiquitous and have been found in all the species of plants studied to date; however, most of these endophyte / plant relationships are not well understood. Many economically important forage and turfgrasses (e.g., Festuca spp., Lolium spp.) carry fungal endophytes (Neotyphodium spp.) which may improve the ability of these grasses to tolerate abiotic stresses such as drought, as well as improve their resistance to insect and mammalian herbivores.

Presently, we purchase our calves from neighboring farmers that also grass finish. These calves are guaranteed to be hormone and antibiotic free. We plan to start raising our own calves in the future. Cattle that are bred primarily for fattening on grain will not taste as good when grass finished. Our calves are Angus, and have the most optimal genetics for finishing on grass. They are a smaller framed animal and start marbling at lower weights. They will finish with a live weight of 1000-1100 pounds.

Most livestock producers will not tell you where their cattle's water source comes from. That's because it is usually from a stream or other open water sources. Cattle can pick up parasites and other organisms this way. We have fenced off all streams so the cattle cannot enter the streams. This conservation practice also insures good water quality as the streams pass through our farm.

Our cattle have only one centrally located water source that comes out of the same spring and water line that supplies our own house. Pure mountain spring water is what our cattle drink.

Along with having streams fenced out of the pastures, we compost any uneaten hay and manure in the feeding area. This makes excellent fertilizer for the pastures and gardens. The feeding and watering area has been concreted to aid in removal of waste and it also keeps the cattle from standing in mud and ice in the winter time.