Wild Type Ranch Beef FAQ
                
Why is Wild Type Ranch beef higher quality than what I might typically buy in the grocery store?

    * Wild Type Ranch beef is produced by top Red Angus and Black Angus
      breeding stock.  Angus produces the most consistently high quality
      beef of any breed in the US.  Our cattle are selected for tenderness
      and beef quality
    * Wild Type Ranch beef is pasture-raised without growth-enhancing
      hormone implants.  These implants tend to reduce marbling and
      tenderness.  
    * Our cattle are raised and finished on grass and hay, with just enough
      grain to ensure marbling and juiciness.  Grass-fed beef has more
      ‘beef’ flavor.  Each animal is bred and individually managed to make
      sure that every cut of beef we sell is top quality. We keep detailed
      records on each  animal.  Each package can be traced to the animal
      that produced it.
    * We harvest our beef when the animal has enough marbling to be juicy
      and flavorful, but is not overly fat.  We use ultrasound to evaluate the
      marbling and fatness for maximum accuracy.  Most of our beef grades
      the equivalent of Choice.
    * Vacuum packaging and quick-freezing done at the processing facility
      preserves quality.  Slow freezing causes the meat fibers to rupture due
      to the formation of large ice crystals, so juices are lost when the meat
      is thawed.
    * We dry-age our beef 14-21 days to enhance both flavor and
      tenderness.
    * We taste-test steaks and ground beef from every carcass before we
      sell it to you.  If it’s not tender and tasty, we won’t sell it!


How long can I store my beef?

      The vacuum packaging gives maximum freezer life to your beef.  You
      can safely store your beef steaks, roasts, etc. for 9-12 months and
      ground beef for 6-9 months in the freezer.  Thawed, unopened
      packages can be stored in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.


Has my beef been federally inspected and graded?

    * Wild Type Ranch beef is processed at a local state-licensed packing
      facility.  
    * Your beef was inspected at that facility by a federal inspector to ensure
      it is safe for consumption.  
    * Local facilities typically do not process enough beef to have the
      specially trained graders needed to assign USDA grades of Select,
      Choice and Prime.  However, prior to harvest, each animal at Wild
      Type Ranch is screened by ultrasound and is processed when the
      ultrasound of the ribeye indicates it will grade at least the equivalent of
      Choice.  
    * All Wild Type Ranch beef comes from animals younger than 24
      months of age.


Why is this beef a different color than what I get in the store?

    * The bright red color of beef from the grocery case comes from
      exposure of the meat to air.  Exposure to air is the first step in beef
      ‘going off’ or spoiling and significantly shortens its use by date,
      whether fresh or frozen. Your beef was vacuum sealed as soon as it
      was cut, preventing this exposure.  If you leave your open, thawed beef
      on a loosely covered plate, it too, will turn the familiar cherry red.
    * The fat on your beef may look a bit more yellow than what you get from
      the store, too.  This is because Wild Type Ranch beef cattle spend
      their entire life grazing fresh grass or home-grown hay.  The yellow
      color comes from the Beta-carotene in the hay and grass on which the
      diet of our cattle is based.


What makes your beef not organic?

    * “Organic” is a very specific set of criteria covering all aspects of raising
      food.  We are very serious stewards of our land, but do still use some
      non-organic fertilizers and weed control.  The longer we own and care
      for our ranch using techniques such as shredding (mowing) weeds
      and rotational grazing, the less this is becoming necessary.  
    * "Organic" also includes strict restrictions on the health and veterinary
      care that the animals can receive.  ALL antibiotics and most drugs are
      absolutely prohibited.  We treat our cattle in this regard as we do our
      own children; we do what is in their best interest for promoting overall
      health and reducing suffering.  We do not use routine (prophylactic)
      antibiotics in our cattle and it is rare that we have sick cattle.  We keep
      a complete medical history on each animal, and each package of beef
      we sell can be traced to the individual animal.  If this issue is critical to
      you, it is possible to pre-order beef from animals that have never been
      treated any point.
    * Our philosophy is “judicious and ethical use of technology”.  We do
      what fits for each situation, adhering to a way of life rather than a set of
      rules.

Is Wild Type Ranch Beef Grass-fed?  

      Our beef is first and foremost grass and hay (homegrown) fed.  We
      feed only enough supplemental feed to maximize efficient digestion.  
      Our calves are always on pasture and their primary diet is always
      grass and/or hay.  Supplemental feed is the most expensive feed they
      can eat, so we only use the minimal amount necessary to produce a
      quality product.  Our beeves get about 5-10% of their diet from the
      supplement.

Does the supplemental feeding change the beef compared to purely grass-fed?  

We believe the type of supplement and the way we feed does not
make our beef different from purely grass-fed beef.  The supplemental
grain mix our cattle get contains fish oils, and a blend of minerals (not
salt) that causes them to self-limit the amount of feed they consume.  
Compare it to sprinkling your cornflakes with fish oil—you’d still eat
them rather than starve, but you wouldn’t stuff yourself.  In addition, the
fish oil should counteract the effect of the grain on the Omega-3
content of the beef.  Because it is self-limiting, we let each animal
decide the amount they need that day.  They also ‘snack’ instead of
gulping down a lot at once.  In this way, we avoid the negative
consequences associated with most grain-feeding, which include
acidifying the rumen with a huge influx of high-energy grain.

Why do we feed supplemental feed?  

      A cow’s rumen was designed to digest plant fiber.  That’s what makes
      a ruminant an efficient converter of solar energy to protein.  How fast
      the grass passes through the rumen is determined mostly by how
      much energy and fiber is in the grass.  During times of the year when
      the grass is older, or hay quality is lower, the rate at which an animal
      digests slows down.  A cow or steer will only eat when there is
      capacity in the rumen, so when digestion slows down too much, a
      steer will not eat enough to maintain the moderate gains (1.5-2
      lbs/day) needed to produce the marbling typical of our Angus beef.    
      The small amounts of grain our steers consume add just enough
      energy to let the animal digest the forage completely and efficiently.

What is Marbling?  

      Marbling is the little flecks of fat sprinkled throughout the muscle that
      gives steaks their juiciness and much of their flavor.  Marbling is what
      determines the grade of Prime/Choice or Select.   Marbling is
      determined by genetics and the rate and amount of gain.  We use
      Angus and Red Angus genetics that are at the top of the breed for
      marbling.  We manage our cattle to make sure they grow well enough
      to express their genetic potential.  By combining genetics and
      management, we are able to produce Prime and Choice beef on
      pasture.  



I’m interested in more locally raised products.  Where can I find them?

      Go to Local Harvest for listings of farms, farmers markets, etc., by zip
      code or product.