Pasture-Raised Cattle

Pasture-raised describes cattle that spend a significant portion of their
lives grazing pasture, but it does not tell you everything about their
feeding or finishing program.

Life on pasture

Pasture gives cattle access to growing forage and room to move and express
normal behaviours. Alberta ranches may use native grasslands, seeded
pastures or combinations of both.

Pasture changes with the seasons

Alberta winters make year-round growing pasture impossible on most farms.
Cattle may receive hay, silage, greenfeed or other stored feeds during
winter or periods when grazing conditions are poor.

Pasture-raised does not necessarily mean grass-finished

An animal can spend most of its life on pasture and later receive grain
during finishing. That animal can reasonably be described as pasture-raised
while also being grain-finished.

Different grazing systems

Some ranchers allow cattle access to large pastures for extended periods.
Others rotate cattle through smaller paddocks so grazed areas receive time
to recover.