For 22 years now, we've raised a breed of cattle called Dexters. Many years ago when Heather was single and working on her own with animals, she picked Dexter cattle because they were dual purpose (milk and meat), they were easier to work with due to their smaller size, and they were very hardy in the cold prairie climate we live in. They lived up to every expectation and then some - every time we considered switching breeds, we'd taste them and decide Dexter is the only way to go. In 2019, Dexter steaks won the American Royal steak competition, beating out Angus and other traditional breeds - even Wagyu!! In our experience, our Dexters have the most flavorful and tender beef, and we guarantee it.
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Why do we raise our beef cows on grass alone?
What a cow eats affects the nutrient composition of their beef, especially when it comes to fatty acid profiles. Grassfed beef is one of the most nutrient dense meat proteins you can buy. What makes it so different?
Grassfed beef has twice the amount of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) as other beef.
CLA helps prevent diseases and conditions such as obesity and diabetes because higher levels of CLA promote healthy blood sugar levels via improving insulin sensitivity. A recent randomized double blinded study concluded that 37% of the people given CLA demonstrate better insulin sensitivity over those not given CLA.
With twice the CLA as other beef, grassfed beef becomes one of the strongest nutrients which can defend cancer. Most naturally occurring nutrients containing anticarcinogenic properties are derived from plant foods, but CLA is unique because it’s one of the only anticancer nutrients that is found in meat.
A study conducted on women who were given high amounts of CLA-rich foods had roughly a 60% lower risk of breast cancer over those who had little to no amounts of CLA in their diet.
Grass-fed beef provides up to six times more omega 3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef. Some of the benefits of reducing Omega 6's and increasing Omega 3's are Omega 3's are highly effective in decreasing all markers of inflammation (ie they help alleviate arthritis and other inflammatory conditions),they reduce cholesterol levels, lower "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels, and raise "good" (HDL) cholesterol levels, making the meat super heart food. Studies even recently found that higher CLA in the diet results in less depression and improved mental clarity, making it not just heart food, but brain food!
Grassfed beef is higher in vitamins in minerals, container twice the amount of beta carotene, vitamin E and lutein as well as many others.
Now that we know why we should be eating grass fed and grass finished beef, how do we raise our dexters??
We raise our dexters free of steroids, antibiotics, grains, hormones, and in as relaxed and stress-free as possible. We rotationally graze our 75 acres of mixed Alfalfa, grasses, Clover, and Sanfoin throughout the summer into the fall. That means 1-3x a day the cows are given fresh pasture, which besides helping to keep our pasture healthy, improves the soil, keeps plant diversity in the field for pollinators and birds, and even keeps our wild birds happy with nesting
areas, as most of the property is only grazed a total of two times a year. It makes more work for us to have back fences that restrict cows from regrazing, but letting the grass grow back to 12 + inches also means fewer parasite issues for the cows - the birds nesting in the grass help keep the cows free of flies, and cows aren't grazing near their own waste. One of the most pleasant tasks we do twice a day is moving fences and stopping to enjoy the sunset and birds swooping across the pasture.
​ In winter, we bale graze which means the hay is strategically placed in pasture to facilitate spreading manure which is natural fertilizer for our fields. The cows have access to a nice hoopshed, but prefer being out in the field most of the time. The herd always has access to clean water and free choice minerals/salt.
