They are given 3 season pasture made up of perennial grasses common to Pennsylvania, this makes up a bulk of their diet.

A Non-GMO grain & mineral mixture is also supplied each day to promote healthy growth, and delicious marbling.

In winter they are brought into the barnyard and are given grass hay in addition to their grain ration to maintain this access to grasses!

All feed is grown locally, and contains All Non-GMO grains: Corn, Soybeans, Oats, and Barley.

No, we do not use any hormones or antibiotics on our cattle we offer as meat sales to the public.

In necessary cases, we may use antibiotics to treat a sick animal, but those animals not longer qualify for our "All Natural" program and at no point enter our inventory.

Unqualified cattle are sold at auction or to larger packers that supply grocery stores and restaurants.

Our animals are treated humanely and are raised in a low-stress, pasture environment. We prioritize low-stress livestock handling, and select docile animals (because it's lower stress on us as well, we dislike wild and worked up cattle).

We also use our sister company's (same ownership as Keystone Cattle Co) Mobile Slaughter Service for all of our 1/4, 1/2, and whole animal shares!

(For bundle boxes we must take animals to our local USDA inspected processor)

Mobile Slaughter produces SUPERIOR quality beef, because the animal is calm and comfortable in its own surroundings, right up to the moment of dispatch. More info at www.mountainmanllc.com

Cost of animal: Since the Spring of 2023 (due to ongoing droughts in the Mid Western USA), live cattle market price at New Holland Sales Stables (New Holland, PA) has risen dramatically, and as a result cattle are worth more.

Raising Beef on pasture causes them to grow slower, as they exercise more than the feedlot cattle. Because of the longer grow times and decrease in efficiency, a higher price must be paid to compensate for that lost income.

Also most Farmers would much rather ship their finished cattle to auction, as it is MUCH easier than cultivating a brand and dealing with customers, facility inspections, and inventory.

So a higher retail price is what needs to happen to incentivize farmers to sell directly to you, instead at the cattle auction.

For all of our 1/4, 1/2, and Whole beef shares (in store pickup only), we use "Meat Master Mobile Harvest" (they purchased our mobile slaughter truck in Oct 2024).

These animals are processed on farm, without having to be caught and trailered. This yields SUPERIOR quality beef, as the animal never gets stressed from shipping, but is comfortable in its own environment until the very moment of dispatch.

This is how we first started filling peoples freezers in 2019, and remains our favorite way to serve family's!

The beef in our bundle boxes is prepared more traditionally, as we must use our local USDA butcher: Hi-Way Meat Market in order to comply with regulations. My Grandmother used to shop there in the 1960's! They have an excellent reputation for cleanliness & food safety, and we appreciate their services. -Derek