How To Butcher Animals and Feel Good About It

Animals Live Their Best Life Possible at NCR

Calf getting curious with fencing at The North Coast Ranch, Northern Michigan

This is one of the most challenging things we do at The North Coast Ranch. Animal welfare is important to all of us.

​Butchering season is here and it’s always bittersweet:




Bitter because our animals make the ultimate sacrifice for each of our families' health and well-being.
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Sweet because our freezers are nearly empty, and we still have mouths to feed.

It can be difficult thinking about taking an animal's life for food. There’s a small lump in my throat when they get loaded in the trailer heading to the butcher. However, I believe the animals are here to help nourish us, and their meat helps provide what our bodies need.

Many customers have struggled with the ethical dilemma of eating meat. They know their health suffers without it, but the idea of killing an animal is sometimes hard to reconcile. 

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Now, more and more people only choose meat that is raised at a place like The North Coast Ranch, that is:

• Raised Locally
• Grown Sustainably
• Treated Humanely

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Cut hay for winter feeding at The North Coast Ranch, Northern Michigan grass-fed beef.

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Here’s what makes this meat a better choice for better health:

Longer Life – Cattle here average at least 24 months old before slaughter. Unlike feedlot animals that are typically 6 months old at time of arrival and processed at just 14-18 months old. Cattle raised with good old fashioned, regenerative practices are happy cattle that never receive growth hormones or grain-based diets designed to speed up their growth. We let them grow naturally.
  
Small, Skilled Local Butchers - Instead of massive processing plants that handle thousands of animals daily, we partner with small butchers that process only a few animals each week. This ensures that the animals’ final moments are handled with dignity and care. This way, meat quality is ensured. Since stress is limited, the cattle don’t freak out and produce a bunch of stress-relieving hormones, which then end up on your dinner plate.

Transparency – When asked, we offer farm tours so our customers can see firsthand how their food is raised. You can ask questions, meet the animals and ensure our farming practices align with your values.

While it’s impossible to eat meat without taking an animal’s life, we make this promise: 

Animals live their best life possible at The North Coast Ranch. 

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They only have one difficult day. 

Knowing where your meat comes from and how it was raised can help ease the sometimes ethical burden of eating it.

Cheers,

Jim


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