About Us
1heifers on grassland

In 2007 a group of us (producers, processors, butchers, retailers, chefs and restaurant owners) launched the Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Association to develop a value chain for grass fed beef. We continue to work with chefs & the food processing industry to develop new recipes for our beef and source more avenues for distribution. We recognize the need for high, consistent quality so we have established a production protocol.
Today we market our beef as well as other Chef designed value-added products: These include Saskatoon berry and wine sausage, pate, dill sausage and meat pies.

Beef Production Protocol
March 15, 2011

A production protocol is frequently used by those in a value chain to ensure that the quality of the product meets market specifications. This protocol was developed by members of the MGFBPA and with some external stakeholder consultation and is representative of some of the regulations currently being used in the industry. Each animal has an affidavit that includes:
• individual animal identification (microchip, animal tag)
• birth date
• weaning date
• record of sire and dam
• breed
• movement history
• veterinary interventions
• feeding records
Ultrasound testing is not required for participation in the MGFBPA.
It is recommended that animals are weighed every 90 days to manage herd genetics. The diet of each animal must be recorded.

Diet
Animal diets must be 100% forage from weaning to slaughter; this may be any combination of grass and legumes from pasture during the growing season or stored forage during the feed period (winter). The animal (including calves) cannot be fed energy in the form of starch (e.g. cereal grains, potato waste, etc).
• Weaned calves cannot be fed energy in the form of starch and/or other milk or milk products.
• Cereal crops are to be harvested prior to milk-stage (to ensure no starch).
• Oil seeds and oil seed by-products (e.g. meal, oil) are acceptable feed types.
• Cereal grain supplementation, including corn silage, dry distiller’s grain or other high starch feeds are not permitted.
• The use of animal by-products in feed is not permitted.
• The use of antibiotics in the feed are not permitted.

Veterinarian Treatment
The Association encourages maintaining herd health to Canadian standards. Antibiotics are not permitted as a part of the daily feed mix for animals of any age. Animals receiving antibiotic injections after weaning are not permitted in meat products sold under the MGFBPA brand. Treated animals must be removed from the MGFBPA finishing program.
    The Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Producers are certified under the Canadian Verified Beef Program with additional production protocol developed by the Manitoba Grass Fed Beef Producers Association.
    If you have further questions please contact us or one of our producers directly.

    Jim & Carolyn Lintott
     Box 11 Grp 2 RR#2
    Dugald, MB R0E 0K0 Phone: (204) 444-2514     E-mail

    Wayne McDonald 
    Cartwright, MB R0K 0L0 Phone: (204) 529-2633     E-mail
    Website: www.mcdonaldfarm.ca
    Find us on FACEBOOK
     
    Bragi Simmundson Box 26 Arborg, MB. R0C 0A0 Phone: (204) 376-2369 E-mail
    Website: www.countryquarters.com/grass_fed.htm.

    Doug Turnbull Grip-Fast Farms Box 101 Binscarth, MB R0J 0G0 Phone (204) 532-2178 Fax (204) 532-2401 Cell (204)773-6237 E-mail Website: www.gripfastfarms.com
     
    Joyce & Cal Von Bargen Sifton, MB R0L 1X0 Phone: (204) 655-3320
    E-mail:

    Carla & Randy Radford
    Box 765 Roblin, MB R0L 1P0 Phone: (204) 937-4785 Cell: (204) 937-0611
    E-mail: