
Anyone who has ever had their blood pressure checked can understand why Provenir’s on-farm processing of our livestock produces better-tasting beef. Here’s why.
Imagine this scenario: You have an annual checkup booked with your GP. You are delayed leaving home because of a call that goes too long, you rush out the door forgetting your wallet, the traffic is awful, it’s raining, and you can’t find a park. Just as you are about to walk in, a courier calls to say they are at your house with a parcel to sign for. You go into the surgery and the first thing the doctor does is take your blood pressure! You fail the test – dismally. But is this the normal you? Or were you just stressed?
This is why on-farm processing produces better-tasting beef. It’s all about stress removal to create better beef and to remove stress to create a better farming system.
Back to the future
On-farm processing is not new. In fact, it is the original way livestock were always processed. For centuries animals were processed on-farm, by the farmers or local butchers. Off-farm processing was only established in the 1800s as the development of large-scale farms and efficient transport saw animals moved by foot, and eventually truck and train, to large processing plants. The benefit of this was more readily available and affordable meat, but the undeniable cost was to quality, flavour and animal welfare—the reasons why were not understood at that time. Cut to the 21st century and this model is still unfortunately the dominant method. However, those who have access to on-farm processed meat (farmers or friends of farmers) can taste a difference, and they know why.
Living the best life
Provenir cattle live the best life. The reality of livestock in our agricultural system is for human consumption. Once we have come to terms with the fact that we will eat the animals we care for (many still can’t reconcile this), then the next question for farmers is – what is the best way that I can achieve this? Not only for financial viability but for the animals that are under my care? Provenir farmer partners are focused on achieving the best for their livestock for their whole life, including their last day. They live on farms using regenerative land management methods, that have the highest welfare standards and full traceability and are only grass-fed and grass-finished. This most certainly helps in terms of flavour and quality, but the real difference is that our unique on-farm processing massively reduces any stress that the animal might endure. They are not being removed from that environment, shipped in crowded trucks for hours to an unfamiliar, noisy, industrial plant. Our animals start their last day like any other; grazing on delicious, diverse pastures, on beautiful farms where they have mostly always lived. No stress, just another day in paradise.
No Stress = Better Flavour
As we have written before, the stress an animal experiences affects the levels of glycogen in the meat. A stressed animal consumes the glycogen which converts to lactic acid after processing. Low glycogen equals low lactic acid which equals a higher pH level which makes for darker meat with poorer eating quality. Less stress means lower pH and far better taste and quality. It is a simple science and like your blood pressure, something that can be managed.
Now imagine having your blood pressure test done while you are chilling in the backyard with friends and family, enjoying nature and nibbling on tasty snacks. You would nail that test and get a gold star from your doctor. At Provenir, we aim to ethically raise chilled-out animals that produce the very best-tasting beef for you. It’s simple, it’s science and your tastebuds will tell you it works. Enjoy!
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