Marbling marvels

Purchasing a big freezer is on the to-do list for many upon tasting the difference that marbling makes in the homegrown beef of Cumberland County’s Highridge Farm. The melt-in-your-mouth flavor in the steaks, roasts, and ground beef is evident.

Norman Davis and his wife, Ricky, have been raising purebred polled Herefords at Highridge Farm since 1982 and selling freezer beef for six years. Norman says that he had used several finishing feeds in the past, but the meat never had as much tenderness and flavor until he began feeding Co-op’s Marble Lock two years ago. The feed is ideal for producers completing the beef finishing process on their farms and selling directly to consumers, he says.

“I’m convinced that Marble Lock will enhance average cattle to a better quality,” says Norman, who shops at Cumberland Farmers Cooperative in Crossville. “The tenderness and flavor of the beef are excellent. Our herd’s genetics don’t lend themselves to great carcass traits, including intramuscular fat, or ‘marbling.’ Co-op Marble Lock feed seems to help finish cattle with a more desirable lean/fat composition.”

“Marbling” refers to white flecks and streaks of fat within the lean sections of meat, often resembling a marble pattern. Marbling adds flavor and tenderness and is one of the main criteria for judging quality in cuts of meat. In general, the more marbling a cut of beef contains, the better it is.

“Marbling is largely determined by genetics and diet,” says Norman. “Cattle that are raised on grain will typically have more fat than grass-fed beef. Marble Lock seems to help put that fat where it needs to be, which is in the meat rather than covering it on the outside of the carcass.”

To acquire the desired flavor and marbling, Norman follows a particular feeding and health schedule. “Throughout the year, we feed our steers Co-op 14% course feed, along with hay and pasture,” he says. “Then, the last 90 days before slaughter, they are switched over to the Marble Lock feed along with hay and pasture. During the last several months, we don’t use hormones, antibiotics, fly tags, or anything else, and I think this enhances the overall product. My customers respond positively to that practice.”

Norman is meticulous about the quality of cattle he raises. His entire herd is derived exclusively from Victor Domino bloodlines. A famous Hereford bull, Victor Domino was born in Kansas in 1930, sired many national champions, and was in such high demand that even now, his descendants enjoy notoriety.

Norman line-breeds his cattle for consistency, predictability, and a high degree of genetic purity. He says other breeders often look for these traits in a bull when selecting to breed other lines of Herefords or other breeds. Each year, he has nearly 40 cows that calve in the summer. He pre-sells about eight steers a year to be harvested as freezer beef.

Norman says that in Tennessee, the wonderful benefits of raising polled Herefords are often overlooked. He prefers them because they are docile, hardy, and adapt well to the area’s challenging fescue.

In addition to choosing the desirable bloodlines and feed for his herd, Norman is also very careful about where he processes his beef. He uses H&R Custom Slaughter in Crossville because “they have a great facility and do excellent work, which adds value to our beef.”

“Processing is an important component in selling beef directly to consumers,” says Norman. “If you don’t have a good slaughtering facility, you’re going to diminish the quality of your end product.”

Norman says that although purchasing a half a steer is a large commitment, it still makes financial sense considering current grocery store prices, and the quality of his beef is second to none.

“I can tell that the Marble Lock feed has really made a difference just in the couple of years that we have been using it,” he adds. “Just taste it, and you will know what I’m talking about.”