What’s the Beef?

All but three of the breeds – the Milking Devon, the Randall Lineback, and the Red Poll – had been finished on Ayrshire Farm, fed an organic finishing feed, and raised and processed humanely, following Humane Farm Animal Care’s standards. The Randall Lineback was grown and finished on Chapel Hill Farm. The Milking Devon and the Red Poll were grass-finished as there were no steers available to finish on grain due to rarity and herd reduction following the drought of 2007.

This event was the largest comparison of beef breeds in North America to date and it successfully demonstrated that each of these breeds is valuable for the unique culinary experience it offers. One attendee, Lina Burton of The Mercer House, says, “And the beef – who would have thought that they really did taste different, and were so much better than what is available commercially in the supermarket?”

What’s the Beef – An Historical Event was produced through a partnership of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow Food USA and Ayrshire Farm.

For more information on the beef breeds, placings, hosting organizations or cattle facts, visit the farm’s Web site.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, founded in 1977, is a non-profit membership organization working to protect more than 150 breeds of cattle, goats, horses, asses, sheep, pigs, rabbits and poultry from extinction. It is the pioneer organization in the United States working to conserve heritage breeds and genetic diversity in livestock.