Grassfed Beef | Sunrise Ranch

Grassfed beef is known to be one of the more nutrient-dense proteins on earth.

cattle

Grassfed beef has a remarkably higher micronutrient profile compared to grain-fed beef.
Sunrise Ranch beef is 100 percent grassfed. It’s low in fat and high in Omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene and vitamin E.

Our Approach to Raising Beef

We believe in the approach that building health is better than fighting disease. We had been finishing 1-year-old, mostly Beefmaster, Angus/Limousin, Charolais and Hereford cattle on our 120 acres of non-sprayed irrigated pasture; but in 2014, we began building our cow/calf operation, starting with breeding our 13 heifers with a Black Angus bull. We maintain a sustainable herd of about 30 cows, bred annually via artificial insemination, which keeps our operation self-sustaining and healthy.

Sunrise Ranch cattle are naturally raised in a safe, humane and environmentally sustainable way. Our philosophy is that healthy animals produce healthy beef. We practice only stress-free handling techniques with our livestock. Our herd grazes on 350 acres of non-sprayed pastures using a system known as rotational grazing. Our cattle are able to amble freely and eat grass and grass hay from our valley and mountain pasture until they are content.

Sunrise Ranch cattle never receive antibiotics, steroids or hormones, and we know exactly where our animals come from because they are born here on our ranch! We do not buy cattle from outside sources, and our breeding program is completely sustainable. They are fed only grass from our pastures during the summer and a grass/alfalfa mix hay that we produce or buy locally in the winter. The only supplement they receive is access to natural salt and mineral block as needed.

We move our cattle often so that our pastures stay as healthy as possible. We use low-stress stock handling techniques, usually just calling the cows so they follow. Scotch, a farm horse, is a recent addition to the Ranch, and he helps with moving the cattle, as well.

Double J and Steving Meats

We have our cows slaughtered at Double J Meat Packing in Pierce, Colorado, and Steving Meats in Kersey, Colorado, both locally owned and USDA-approved processors. They dry-age our beef for 21 days and then vacuum-pack the cuts. We have chosen these facilities because they have skilled employees who treat our animals humanely and slaughter small numbers of animals each day, compared to larger corporate facilities that butcher hundreds of animals per hour.

How to Buy

Sunrise Ranch grassfed beef is available in quarter-, half- and whole-cow packages.
Call (970) 679-4200 or e-mail sunrisebeef@sunriseranch.org.
Or visit us at the farmers markets in Fort Collins and Loveland. See our Farmers Market page.

Our 100 percent grassfed beef is:

grassfed and grass-finished. No grain, ever!
locally raised in Loveland, Colorado
rotationally grazed
natural—no antibiotics or added hormones
humanely produced and handled
processed locally in a small, family-owned USDA-inspected facility
sold in individual cuts and in packs

Our Promise to You

No artificial fertilizers
No artificial pesticides
No artificial herbicides
No added hormones
No antibiotics
No animal by-products

Beef Packages

Quarter Cow (100 lbs.)
(Weight varies by as much as 5 pounds.)
The Quarter-Cow package includes the following cuts (average weights noted):

4.5 lbs. New York Strip
4.5 lbs. Ribeye Steak
3.5 lbs. Top Sirloin
2 lbs. Filet
3 lbs. Brisket
6 lbs. London Broil
12 lbs. Chuck Roast
6 lbs. Arm Roast
4 lbs. Soup Bones
1.5 lbs. Skirt Steak
2 lbs. Flank Steak
6 lbs. Short Ribs
6 lbs. Stew Meat
35 lbs. Ground Beef
5 lbs. Cube Steak

Nutritional Benefits of Beef from Grassfed Cattle

Beef from grassfed cattle contains 3-6 times the Omega-3 fatty acids of that from grain-fed cattle. These fatty acids are important because they are associated with lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Beef from grassfed cattle contains 3 to 5 times the amount of conjugated linoleic acid, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of cancer, especially breast cancer.
Grassfed cattle produce meat with more minerals and micronutrients, as well as higher levels of vitamins. One study found that beef from grassfed cattle had four times the vitamin E of that from grain-fed cattle.