Power of Protein

There are plenty of powerful health reasons to put high quality protein including lean beef protein, at the center of your plate:

Manage your weight

Lower your risk of heart disease

Improve your blood sugars

Make your bones stronger

Read the entire article by following the link.

Beef Nutrition Facts

Red meat's fat profile is often misunderstood and a common misperception is that animal proteins provide only saturated fat.  Surprisingly, half the fat in beef is monounsaturated, the same type of heart-healthy fat found in salmon and olive oil.  In addition, one-third of the saturated fat in beef is stearic acid, which studies have shown has a neutral or cholesterol-lowering effect. 

the Idaho Beef Council 

Colorado Cattlemen Beat WWP

Idaho Cattle Association.The Executive Update is a weekly newsletter sent to members of the Idaho Cattle Association.http://www.idahocattle.org/

The Colorado Cattlemen‘s Association (CCA), the U.S. Forest Service, the Chaffee County Board of Commissioners, and thirteen livestock producing families this month prevailed against a lawsuit filed by Western Watersheds Project (WWP). In 2009, CCA and Chaffee County joined ranchers in protecting their right to multiple-use grazing of public lands by intervening in a lawsuit filed by the anti-livestock grazing WWP, which sought to deny renewal of grazing in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests.

 

According to a CCA press release, the appeal by WWP objected to the renewal of the grazing permits, claiming that the decision violated the Forest Plan in various ways including wildlife protection, protecting soil productivity, protecting water quality, and protecting archaeological resources. The decision to renew had in fact been approved after a thorough environmental review. The Forest Service grazing decision also incorporated adaptive management principles to improve environmental conditions in the forests. The ranchers and the Forest Service worked together to develop management steps that would address resource issues and still be cost-effective. Upon reviewing the briefs and the administrative record, the court affirmed the decision of the Forest Service and allows continued livestock grazing under the adaptive management that everyone committed to do.

 

This ruling is very helpful in the greater fight against extremist groups as they continually file lawsuits with similar claims to those of WWP. The victory is also a testament to the great job CCA has done along with their members in collecting monitoring data to defend grazing decisions in the face of court challenge.

Red Angus plays a strong role in profitable ranching

Cattlemen across the nation are recognizing the role genetics play in increasing both quality and profitability of their cowherds. Breeders and industry professionals who attended the annual BrainTrust meeting in Denver, Colo., held during the National Western Stock Show, discussed the direction of the beef cattle industry and Red Angus’ impact on profitability.

For complete story follow this link

Cattlemen care: Idaho’s beef industry unites against hunger

Cattlemen care: Idaho’s beef industry unites against hunger

It’s no secret that cattle producers have generous hearts, and one program that is clearly showcasing this is Beef Counts, the first-known program of its kind that provides a means for Idaho’s beef producers to assist less-fortunate consumers right in their own backyards.

Described by the Idaho beef industry as a multi-faceted public relations and community-help campaign, Beef Counts brings together all of Idaho’s beef industry in partnership with the Idaho Foodbank, to provide nutrient-rich beef to help end hunger in Idaho.



Read the compete story follow this link

Beef Understanding What you are Buying and Eating

 Today I went to the Bates Custom Butchers and graded my two remaining steers.

Cindy Kinder the Extension Educator for Gooding County was my teacher.

To grade my beef we measured the size of the rib eye, back fat, and figure the kph fat, and you must have the carcass weight. 
These two beef graded prime minus and choice plus. 

Grades are based on the amount of marbling in the meat and the age of the animal. Marbling is the flecks and streaks of white fat you find distributed throughout the meat. In general, the higher the degree of marbling, the more tender, juicy, and flavorable the meat will be. Higher grade meats come at a higher cost.

Beef is best in flavor and texture when cattle are between 18 and 24 months old, so the grading favors younger animals.


Meat graders assign a yield grade to a carcass by evaluating:

1. the amount of external fat;
2. the hot carcass weight;
3. the amount of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; and
4. the area of the ribeye muscle.

There are eight distinct grades of beef recognized by the USDA.

USDA Prime Beef

•  is the ultimate in tenderness, juiciness, and flavor.

USDA Choice Beef

Choice grade beef has less marbling than Prime, but is still of very high quality. This is the most popular grade of beef because it contains sufficient marbling for taste. 
Just over half of the beef graded each year earns a grade of Choice.

USDA Select beef

This is generally a lower priced grade of beef with less marbling than Choice. Select cuts of beef may vary in tenderness and juiciness.


USDA. In order of descending quality they are:

• Prime
• Choice
• Select
• Standard
• Commercial
• Utility
• Cutter
• Canner  

To Read complete articles and click any of the links. 

I got all my information from
http://meat.tamu.edu/beefgrading.html 
http://www.bbqreport.com/archives/barbecue/2006/03/02/understanding-the-usda-beef-grading-system/


for more information click the links above.

I Have Been Giving This Some Thought

 I am not sure if the majority of the American Consumers really understands the impact that the loss of BLM ground for grazing will have on their personal and financial lives.

Once upon a time Buffalo roamed the plains. Sadly, this is no longer true; but when they did roam, they grazed and in the search for food, they also cut large paths that acted as firebreaks. The thundering herds of Buffalo did not harm the environment; the fact is that they worked the ground with their hoofs and grazed off vegetation that later in the summer would become a fire hazard.  The grazing off of this vegetation in now done by cattle and other livestock, their hoofs now work the ground and stimulate the new growth of vegetation that not only feeds the livestock the following spring but the wild game during the winter months.

Wildfires happen it is just part of nature; the fact is that the cattle graze off the fuel that feeds these wildfires, which in turn saves wildlife habitats, and the scenic beauty that we have all grown to expect.  Wildfires cost the American taxpayers millions of dollars per year to put them out. The loss of grazing permits means you as taxpayers will have to foot the bill for not only putting out the fire but also the lost trees, vegetation and habitats.

Ranchers and cattlemen are great environmentalist. We as American consumers need them and the wildlife needs them. After a wildfire, the cattle and livestock still need to be fed, watered and cared for; to meet the needs of their cattle, or livestock. These hard working souls (rancher, cattlemen) work to return the burnt out BLM ground to it natural state, clean water ways so that they run freely, and reseed vegetation usually at their own expense; this is done to not only to feed their livestock; but also to repair the wildlife habitats.To be a true Stewart (environmentalist) of the land you have to get your hands dirty.

Ranchers, Cowboys, Cattlemen live and breath their lifestyle; they are not on a vacation their way of life is hard work. The one perk that they do have is the beauty of the great outdoors, even though it comes with extremely hot summers and very cold winters. 

As I said; Buffalo once roamed; how sad it will be if generations to come say, once upon a time there were Cowboys/Cowgirls, Ranchers, and Cattlemen/Cattlewomen.

Remember that food we eat does not grow on the grocery store shelves.

Keep America strong let us eat what we grow; Look for the Country of Origin on the label.

 That’s my opinion and story and I am sticking to it.