Q. Do you know where your beef comes from and how it was raised?

A. Most beef, or meat in general , purchased at a grocery store or even the local butcher, comes from large feedlots in the Midwest. Retailers place their orders and receive their shipment with no idea of the animals age, final weight, what it was fed, or if it received growth hormones or antibiotics.

‘Circle Y’ cattle are raised naturally on small prairie farms in Manitoba, Canada. Calves are born in the spring and spend the summer and fall grazing with their mothers, eating grass and oats (creep feed). In late October, the calves are weaned, then  are fed a forage based ration until their weight increases to about 900 pounds. Cattle are provided sheltered feeding and bedding areas with unlimited clean straw, as well as full access to clean well water. They spend 3 to 6 months on a diet of forages ground with barley grains until they reach a weight of about 1100 – 1300 pounds.

Q. DOES AGE MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOR AND TENDERNESS?

A. Aging is a carefully controlled process that holds the meat at specific temperature and humidity levels for a set period of time. This allows naturally occurring meat enzymes to break down some of the connective tissue. Proper aging of beef can dramatically improve tenderness and flavor. Consumers should look for beef that is aged 14 to 21 days. Marbling refers to the amount of white flecks of fat that you see running through the meat. Marbling enhances the beef tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.

Because of the colder climate in Manitoba, which enhances appetite, and the superior growing genetics of our Limousin and Simmental cattle, ‘Circle Y’ steers are finished and ready for market by the time they are 12 -16 months of age. Feeding a high energy-finishing ration improves marbling and carcass quality dramatically. This young carcass produces a bright red color, firmness and fine muscle texture. Most US cattle are raised on pasture for 12 – 18 months, then placed in feedlots to acquire the desired finish (Nation Cattleman’s Beef Association), making the animal at least 2 years old when it is sent to market. As an animal matures, the characteristics of muscle change and the muscle color becomes darker and the texture becomes courser. (USDA Beef Grading)

Q. HOW IS THE SAFETY OF CANADIAN BEEF MONITORED?

A. The Canadian Cattle Identification Program, initiated by producers, identifies cattle with numbered RFID (radio frequency identification) tags. This enables the industry to quickly trace and eliminate serious animal health problems. Canada is recognized world wide for its safe and wholesome beef products. Through stringent surveillance and traceability to the producer with RFID technology, Canada meets the criteria for minimal risk of disease.