Victory News
RUSSELL SANDERS
Hello, and welcome to Victory News. I'm Russell Sanders. There aren't too many people who wouldn't agree that there's nothing quite like a great steak. Tasmania has become well-known for the quality of its beef, and there is much hope about grass-fed beef. But what exactly is the difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef? And does it really make a difference to the quality of the meat on our plate?
Vision of cows on pasture
GEORGE LACHLAN
Grass-fed beef are grown and fattened on pastures, with very minimal inputs. The animals basically live their lives roaming stress-free on the pastures. Grain-fed cows start out on grass and milk, like the grass-fed cows, but they are then moved to feedlots. They remain in the feedlot for about 3 to 4 months, enough time to boost the animal's weight. The purpose of the feedlot is to maximise weight gain in a short period of time.
George interviewing farmer
GEORGE LACHLAN
Today, we are talking to local beef farmer, Perry King, who will be answering some questions about his grass-fed cattle operation. Why do you choose to use grass as the main source of food for your cattle?
PERRY KING
Well, grass is something that… This farm has always been based on grass production. My father and grandfather and great-grandfather farmed here and it's a sustainable product. With a little bit of fertiliser and the right sort of weather, we grow grass here pretty much all year round. Although we're not doing it at the moment. But it's the most sustainable way for us to produce cattle.
GEORGE LACHLAN
What are things you do to raise good-quality cattle to make your business sustainable?
PERRY KING
Well, in terms of pasture we grow with a bit of fertiliser, but we put a lot of time and effort into buying the right sort of bulls to put over the cows to produce the calves. And we put a lot of effort into the temperament of our cattle because quiet cattle are generally good cattle and that produces a healthy beast.
George at the saleyards
GEORGE LACHLAN
We are on location at the Smithton Saleyards with Roberts Ruralco auctioneer livestock agent, Gavin Coombe. Gavin will answer some questions for our viewers about the sustainability of grass-fed beef compared to grain-fed beef. Gavin, does it cost more to produce a grass-fed piece of steak or a grain-fed piece of steak?
GAVIN COOMBE
Yes, George, in general it does cost more to produce a grain-fed piece of steak as compared to a grass-fed piece of steak. Being that grass-fed cattle are born on the property, run on the property, then either it's shipped off to a saleyard or an abattoir to be slaughtered. A grain-fed beast obviously is off property, then on to a feedlot situation, then they bring grain to them and any other supplements. Also the freight components to and from the feedlots, and manpower and machinery also to keep those cattle fed within the feedlot situation. So yes, it does generally cost more for grain-fed steak as compared to grass-fed steak.
Russell in TV studio
RUSSELL SANDERS
I guess at the end of the day, the real test comes in the taste. So how do you compare these two? And can you really tell the difference? We'd love to hear from you. Post your comments on our website and let us know your thoughts on this topic. This is Russell Sanders from Victory News. Thanks for tuning in.
Victory News
Russell Sanders — Producer, presenter
George Lachlan — Reporter
Jillie Jordan — Camera operator, sound recordist
Maddison Mcdonald — Editor, researcher