INFORMATION ABOUT MAD COW DISEASE

The USDA definition for "natural" is as follows: "Minimally processed. No artificial ingredients. USDA permits no preservatives in these products." Additionally, the USDA permits production claims, which indicate how the beef was raised and/or how it was produced and monitored.

Maverick Ranch NaturaLite Beef and Natural Choice Beef comes from cattle raised on a 100% vegetarian diet with no animal proteins or byproducts in the feed, ever. Our ranches are requested not to administer growth hormones for faster weight gain or antibiotics unless a life-threatening illness is present. Once harvested, our beef carcasses are then tested prior to fabrication by GuaranTek Analytical Laboratories. Our guarantee is that if any beef shows residue from antibiotics, steroids, or pesticides, that entire beef carcass is removed from the Maverick Ranch system. To learn more about this subject, continue reading below, or choose from the list of related topics above.

THE FACTS ABOUT NATURAL BEEF

   In the mid-80s, more than fifty companies started up in the natural beef business. Today there are only six survivors from that era with a measurable market share of the natural beef industry, which demonstrates the highly competitive nature of our business. It is only through honest dealing with the customer, and delivering on promises that a natural meats company can hope to compete. Each company uses a slightly different system for producing their products.

PESTICIDES

   Several companies state that their cattle are raised without hormones or antibiotics, but do not mention pesticides. Pesticides are used on all cattle after weaning in order to control lice, flies, and internal parasites. Without any pesticides, cattle would be miserable and sick, and their meat could be unsafe as well. The danger to humans comes from residues from those chemicals applied directly to the animal. If pesticides are properly used, there are no residues left in the meat. However, a significant danger exists if an animal is overdosed, slaughtered too soon following treatment, or if the animal simply cannot dissipate the residue. Many pesticides - including some that are known cancer-causing agents in sufficient quantities - are cumulative, and animals that are older, such as B and C maturity steers, heiferettes, cows, bulls, and some imported beef present a risk for carcinogens. There are several dangerous pesticides still on the market, and The New England Journal of Health has documented their dangers. The Maverick Ranch solution: we test the beef at GuaranTek Analytical Laboratories, a USDA-accredited facility.

SUBTHERAPEUTIC ANTIBIOTICS

   Antibiotics must be used to treat and prevent sickness in cattle, but continuous use of antibiotics may create resistant strains of bacteria and viruses. Today, about half the nation's beef herd has never been exposed to antibiotics. We realize that we can't follow every animal around every ranch. When premium monies are at stake to raise beef naturally, some producers could be tempted to be dishonest about their raising practices. The Maverick Ranch solution: We test the beef!

HORMONES & STEROIDS

   The "Hormone Issue" has wrongly been used to scare the public unnecessarily in North America and Europe. The fact is that every living animal has naturally-occurring male and female hormones. These hormones control sex characteristics and affect growth. So the real issue is whether any additional hormones have been added to the animal, to artificially stimulate their growth.

   In steers, there are perhaps 1,000 times more male hormones than female; the opposite is true in heifers. If an animal is administered a hormone of the opposite sex, it grows faster and puts on more muscle and less fat. Even though a heifer may receive a small amount of male hormone, she still has hundreds of times less than a steer would have naturally.

   A steroid is a chemical that has a similar effect to hormones, but that may not occur naturally in the animal. Steroids are often given to cattle in low doses. However, many people feel that the natural growth cycles should not be tampered with. Also, what happens if an animal is overdosed? Can steroids in cattle affect humans? Much of the scientific community says no, but many ranchers and consumers still are opposed to these practices. How does Maverick Ranch ensure the absence of added hormones and steroids in its products? We test the beef!

OUR GUARANTEE

   If a Maverick Ranch Beef carcass ever tests positive for any of the above applications, the chemists and technicians at GuaranTek Labs simply reject the entire carcass. That beef is removed from the Maverick Ranch system. Although the lab rarely comes across a USDA violative level of a substance, it is not uncommon to find a smaller yet still detectable level. At Maverick Ranch, we reject every beef carcass with any detectable level of any of these substances. We even test the beef from our own family ranch in Idaho, where we are certain no steroids or other growth promotants, antibiotics or pesticides are used.