The benefits of grass-feeding livestock instead of a corn- or grain-based diet are far reaching. In this particular case, its positive effects are being felt yet again as the risk of E. coli contamination in the meat we eat lessens when cattle are fed a natural dried-grass diet.

"Feeding grain to cattle has got to be one of the dumbest ideas in the history of western civilization."So begins the examination of grain-fed versus grass-fed beef by John Robbins, author of the Pulitzer-nominated book ‘Diet for a New America‘, as well as the updated ‘Food Revolution‘ and ‘Healthy at 100‘.

" More and bigger plants fertilized by increased CO2 sounds good. I can imagine raising a 500-pound pumpkin, entering it in the county fair and winning the blue ribbon. As those CO2 rates continue to climb, crop yields should go up. That means enough corn for human consumption, as well as to make ethanol for fuel and to feed beef cattle. "

Nebraska is the Beef State. The diversion of corn to ethanol production should be more of an economic wash here. Much of the 'extra cost' of higher meat prices will stay right here since we grow corn, feed cattle and produce ethanol. But another, more insidious result still lurks. Green meat.

U.S. women who eat a lot of beef while pregnant give birth to sons who grow up to have low sperm counts, researchers reported Tuesday. They believe pesticides, hormones or contaminants in cattle feed may be to blame.

Different cattle feeding production systems have separate advantages and disadvantages. Most cows have a diet that is composed of at least some forage (grass, legumes, or silage). In fact most beef cattle are raised on pasture from birth in the spring until fall (7 to 9 months). Then for pasture-fed animals, grass is the forage that composes all or at least the great majority of their diet. Cattle fattened in feedlots are fed small amounts of hay or straw supplemented with grain, soy and other ingredients in order to increase the energy density of the diet. The debate is whether cattle should be raised on diets primarily composed of pasture (grass) or a concentrated diet of grain, soy and other supplements. The issue is often complicated by the political interests and confusion between labels such as "free range", "organic", or "natural". Cattle raised on a primarily forage diet are termed grass-fed or pasture-raised; for example meat or milk may be called grass-fed beef or pasture-raised dairy. However, the term "pasture-raised" can lead to confusion with the term "free range", which does not describe exactly what the animals eat.In the United States, cattle in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are typically fed corn, soy and other types of feed that can include "by-product feedstuff" such as stale pastry, candy, and recycled municipal garbage. As a high-starch, high-energy food, corn decreases the time to fatten cattle and increases yield from dairy cattle. These cattle are called corn-fed or grain-fed. In the United States, most grass fed cattle are raised for beef production. Dairy cattle are usually supplemented with grain to increase the efficiency of production and reduce the area needed to support the energy requirements of the herd. A growing number of health and environmental proponents in the United States such as the Union of Concerned Scientists advocate raising cattle on pasture and other forage. Some claim that the adoption of a grass-fed beef production system would dramatically increase the amount of land needed to raise beef. While grass-fed beef would take more initial land for foraging, when corn fed beef’s total is squared with the land needed for corn production to feed grain-fed beef, the total would likely be more equitable.