Currently, all the products that we sell are purchased from Bowersox Farms.  Bowersox Farms is a family owned operation that is located in northern Armstrong County near New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and they specialize in both grain finished and grass finished beef.

Bowersox Farms manages two separate herds of cattle.  The first group of cattle is selected and bred specifically for finishing in a grass finishing system.  These cows tend to be slightly smaller in stature, so that they can typically finish around 1100-1200 lbs in 30 months. The second herd of cattle is selected and bred specifically for a grain finishing system.  These cattle will typically weigh on average 1200-1350 lbs in 16-18 months and are selected with many carcass traits in mind.  Not all genetics will fit into a grass finishing system, but, typically, any calf can fit into a grain finished program.

A 1250 lbs live animal will hang a warm carcass with a weight of approximately 775lbs.  After the initial moisture loss from the carcass during cooling and the removal of the bone and excess fat during processing, there will be approximately 504lbs of packaged beef.  A half of beef will yield approximately 252 lbs of packaged meat for the freezer.

This is a topic that you will hear a lot of opinionated views and theories about.  It's my opinion that the answer to this question comes down to personal preference.  The most noticeable difference in these two finishing methods will be the texture and flavor of the beef; however, there are a few other things to consider.  Grass finished beef will typically contain less total fat and thus, have fewer calories than grain finished beef.  Grass finished beef will contain less monounsaturated fat and more Omega-3 fatty acids than grain finished beef.  Some studies have shown that the amount of omega-3 in grass finished beef can be as much as five times more than that contained in grain finished beef.  Grass finished beef has also shown to contain 2X the amount of CLA, conjugated linoleic acid, as well as, higher amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and other antioxidants.  Beef in general, whether grain finished or grass finished, is a great source of vitamins and minerals, and an important part of any balanced diet.  So the bottom line for me comes down to what you enjoy eating.  Regardless of your choice, just make sure it's beef.

That's a great question with an easy answer - consistency!  If you enjoy our product from your first experience, you will enjoy it through your future experiences.  The reason why is that we purchase all of our product from one source, Bowersox Farms.   The animals we purchase spend their entire life on their farm, while being handled in a low stress environment under great care.  Where we have the greatest advantage in consistency over cooperatives, brick and mortar stores, and box meat retailers is the management of the animals.  We are purchasing animals that come from the same cow families every year, that have access to the same pasture programs and feed rations every year, and are subjected to the same finishing philosophies every year.  The perfect model for consistency!  The prementioned beef retailer options can not offer that level of consistency because they typically are purchasing animals from many different sources with a wide array of feed sources and finishing philosophies.

The beef we buy has not been exposed to any growth hormones in their feed/finishing program. 

The beef we sell through Bowersox Meat Market LLC, is inspected during the slaughtering phase, as well as the packaging phase.  Knowing your beef is inspected provides peace of mind that it is safe for you and your family to consume. 

Most of the grass finished beef eating experiences that went poorly more than likely happened for one of three reasons.

1) The product wasn't prepared properly.  When preparing grass-finished beef, one must keep in mind that beef finished in this manner typically has less intramuscular fat (IMF) thus making it naturally less tender than properly finished grain-fattened animals.  When preparing beef with less IMF, you must take extra steps to enhance its tenderness, such as, implementing tenderizing techniques, aging procedures, or even marinating.  Also keep in mind that larger cuts, such as roasts, should be cooked slower and you will want to keep your steaks more toward the medium degree of doneness.  If you want your steaks to be well done, grass finished beef is not for you.

2) Wrong genetics in the animals that your product originated from.   Not every cow or every breed can successfully be grass finished to provide the desired dining experience that everyone wants to enjoy.  If your beef supplier has not tailored their program to beef genetics that naturally finish more efficiently on forages, then the end product that you are provided will be inferior.   

3)Lack of forage or lack of diversification of forages to produce the quality of product you are anticipating.  Many times, when someone purchases grass finished beef that they didn't enjoy, it’s because the animal did not have enough available forage to consume to put the necessary muscle and finish on that animal.  Another factor that is commonly overlooked is the producers lack of diversification of forage options. The Diversification of forage is important because it helps with the enhancement of the flavor of the meat. Finally, time is a major component when grass finishing beef.  In our part of the country, you better be committed for at least 30 months from the time the animal is born until it is ready for processing.  If the animal is not ready in 30 months, you have to be willing to keep it on the program until it is finished. So many producers will sell or process the animal too early because they are running short on pasture or stored forages.  Falling short in any of these areas can lead to a product that you will not enjoy 

Our supplier, Bowersox Farms, prides themselves in paying attention to the smallest of details which enable us to provide you with the best product possible.  Their grass finishing operation is not any different.    Through proper genetic selection, constant monitoring, forage and land management concepts, and herd healthy practices they are developing into one of the most desired grass finished beef herds in our region.  Bowersox Farms have modified their rotational grazing pads to provide adequate exercise while limiting the amount of excess energy that the animal burns traveling for water or shade . This will help to increase weight gain and finish of the animal.   Bowersox Farms is constantly introducing new forage species to increase the diversification and quality forages in their animals’ diets which in turn enhances flavor and finish of their meat products.  Finally, they demonstrate great patience.  No animal in the finishing program has a clock.  Their goal is to finish the animal regardless of how long it takes.  These are just a few reasons that we believe your next grass finished beef purchase from Bowersox Beef Market LLC will be like none other and the reasons that give us comfort in the products we sell.  We know our customers are getting the best product that we can provide.