Why I’m Not Scared to Eat Beef That Isn’t “Antibiotic-Free”

O my word, why would I, a cattle rancher, use antibiotic and beef in the same sentence, let alone a title to a blog post?

Well, I got your attention right?

Let me tell you this:

THERE ARE NO ANTIBIOTICS IN BEEF!

Let me tell you that again:

THERE ARE NO ANTIBIOTICS IN BEEF!

I know, I know the media and marketers say. And I know that food labeling can be confusing. But didn’t you ever hear the saying, “Don’t believe everything the media and marketers say”?

The media and marketers like to “scare” the crap out of you and tell you things that are not entirely true.

Yep, they do it every day. And to tell you the truth, I am getting tired of the “scare” type of marketing. I would like to tell every business that uses it this: “Don’t you know where liars go?” But that’s for another day story.

Anyway, while I have your attention let’s talk a little about antibiotics in animal production.

Yes, we and by that I mean farmers, ranches, and anyone else who takes care of animals, use antibiotics. You know what else we do? We work with our veterinarian. We keep records on all of our animals. And records for the animals that have been given treatment with antibiotics include which medications we used and how much we gave. Because before an animal treated with an antibiotic is allowed to be harvested for meat, it must go through a withdrawal time.

The withdrawal time, which varies based on the type of antibiotic given and the amount (dose), ensures that the antibiotics are out of the animal’s system before it enters our food supply. (Want to know more about withdrawal times check this out from Beef Magazine.)

Furthermore, it should come as no surprise that there are even more specific government regulations other than withdrawal times that ensure our meat is antibiotic-free when it hits our tables. (Don’t believe me? Here is the link..) I believe that everyone in animal production does a fine job keeping antibiotic residue out of the food chain.

For these reasons, I am not even a little bit scared to eat beef that isn’t “antibiotic-free” because it’s all antibiotic-free. And for the record, I eat and feed my family pork, poultry, fish, sometimes, because I believe in those products as well.

Besides all that, here are 5 more reasons beef has a place on our plates.

1. Beef is Healthy-Beef provides nutrients like zinc, iron, choline, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, riboflavin, protein and B vitamins, and half of the fat found in beef is monounsaturated, the same heart-healthy fats found in olive oil.
2. Beef is Super Easy to Cook for my family– Because beef is an easy addition to well balanced meals. Do you need Beef recipe ideas? Check out Circle L Chuckwagon, Beef…It’s What’s For Dinner and FaithFamily and Beef 
3. Beef is good for our environment. Yep, I have proof. You see, the land on Circle L is not suitable for farming. It is suitable for cattle. The cycle of cattle ranching is really easy, the cows eat the grass. The grass they eat turns to poop. The poop is fertilizer that helps grow more grass. The cows get fat and raise calves and the cycle continues every day.
4. Beef helps your muscles grow. Mom used to say, “Eat your spinach so your muscles will grow!” My mom is dead, but I really want to tell you that I would rather have Beef on my plate than spinach. In all seriousness, beef is really rich in ammonia acids which increases our muscle mass. As a mom, to four ranch kids, I know that feeding them beef will not only help them get muscle mass, it will also help them to have energy to succeed in their school studies and at sports.
5. Beef makes my waistline smaller. Yes, you read that right. I have been doing a no carb diet for months now and by that I mean, I am not taking any pills or shakes, just not eating any carbs. I have been eating mostly beef with cheeses and vegetables. I feel the best I have ever felt and my jeans are loose.

There you have it, all beef is safe, wholesome, nutritious, AND antibiotic-free. So next time you have questions, please come to me – a real-live-rancher who honestly knows more about the beef than the media, marketers, and Google.