The Politics of Beef

I was looking for information on the lipid composition of beef grass fed and grain fattened. I found three articles two in clinical nutrition journals and one in an ag U journal. Of the three articles,two of the three presented data supporting my understanding that grass fed beef was "a source" to a "good source" of DHA and EPA Omega 3 SFA.I won't tell you which one was which, you can look for your self.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006;15(1):21-9.
Effect of feeding systems on omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid and trans fatty acids in Australian beef cuts: potential impact on human health
J Anim Sci. 2008 Dec;86(12):3575-85. Epub 2008 Jul 18
Effects of conventional and grass-feeding systems on the nutrient composition of beef
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2003;12 Suppl:S38
Feeding regimes affect fatty acid composition in Australian beef cattle
Needless to say, beef is not all bad for you. The kind most of us eat though is not that good and the "natural" trans-fat in beef is higher in corn-fed which would explain why it tastes(to most people) so much better. Just like Krispy Kreme and MuckDonald's.
The other issue here is that any time more than 100 animals are sequestered into fattening pens the methane downwind creates acid rain. Cattle raised on marginal land not suitable for cultivation do not create these phenomena.Of course poorly managed cattle can be the fourlegged locusts that devestate anything green in its path but what legacy do we have from the years of feedlots in the Hermiston area? Nitrates in out groundwater. The corn industry has a huge sway in this country as to subsidies and supports for a crop that covers much of several states. The sacred cow may be a corn stalk.