Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Questions about La Cense Beef
- Who is La Cense Beef?
- What is grass-fed beef?
- How is La Cense Beef different from other grass-fed beef?
- Is La Cense Beef organic?
- Why are La Cense cattle raised in a humane, stress-free environment?
- Why is your product more expensive than conventional beef?
- What are the benefits of grass-fed beef?
- Where can I get La Cense Beef?
- This is the first time I've heard of La Cense Beef, do you have many customers?
How does Grass-fed beef compare?
- How is La Cense Beef different from conventional supermarket or mail-order beef?
- How is the taste of La Cense Beef different from that of grain-fed beef?
- As a grass-fed beef, is La Cense as tender as grain-fed beef?
- Why is La Cense Beef healthier than grain-fed beef?
- How does the fat content of grass-fed beef compare to other heart-healthy foods such as chicken?
Questions about Safety
- What measures does La Cense Beef take to reduce the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease?
- Have there been any recalls on your beef?
Questions about Cooking / Preparation
- Does La Cense Beef need to be cooked differently from grain-fed beef?
- What is the best way to defrost La Cense Beef?
- How long can I keep La Cense Beef in the freezer?
- What should I do if my order is no longer frozen when I open my delivery?
Questions About Purchasing La Cense Beef
- How is La Cense Beef prepared for shipping?
- Can I request a specific delivery date?
- Will I receive a tracking number with my order?
- Why is cost of shipping so high?
- Are there other shipping options?
Questions About Shipping La Cense Beef
- What forms of payment do you accept?
- Is my information confidential?
- What do I do if I can't remember my login or password?
- What is the La Cense Beef Guarantee?
Questions about La Cense Beef
A: La Cense Beef has been operating this 88,000-acre ranch in Southwest Montana since 2002. The land was originally designated as a ranch in 1869, making it one of the oldest cattle ranches in Montana. La Cense is committed to a natural and compassionate approach to ranching.
A: Grass-fed beef is beef that comes from cattle that feed exclusively on a grass and plant based diet. La Cense beef is true grass-fed beef, in that grain is never introduced to their diet. Grass-fed beef is higher in nutrients and Omega-3s, which are sourced from the grass. The Omega-3 content of beef goes down when grain is introduced to the cow's diet. Therefore, grass-fed grass-finished La Cense Beef is among the most healthy beef on the market.
Q: How is La Cense Beef different from other grass-fed beef?
A: La Cense is a true grass-fed beef in that cattle are never "finished" with the addition of grain to their diet. Many companies introduce grain to their cattle's diet in addition to grass, and label it "grass fed", misleading the customer. La Cense Beef is exclusively grass-fed beef.
La Cense Beef derives its flavor from the grasses and plants the cattle graze on at the La Cense Montana ranch and from the humane and stress-free environment provided by our master ranchers. These master ranchers, with years of experience working on Montana cattle operations, help ensure that a humane, stress-free environment is maintained. In doing so, and in utilizing a sophisticated process of managed rotational grazing that ensures that cattle graze only upon lush pastures each and every day, they provide a superior beef, unlike any other grass-fed beef produced in the U.S.
La Cense Beef also sets itself apart by the virtues provided by the ranch's remote location. Spanning 88,000 acres, and sitting at an altitude of 5100 feet, the La Cense Ranch is a pristine, unpolluted, vast landscape where the cattle enjoy the most natural, unadulterated life possible. The cows drink pure mountain spring water and graze natural grasses, which, due to the high altitude, are very high in Omega-3s.
A: It is our philosophy that if a calf becomes ill that we should do what we can to bring it back to good health. About 1% of our cattle became ill and we will use an antibiotic similar to, but stronger than, penicillin to cure the animal. The antibiotic runs its course and the cow's system within 45 days, and all cattle that receive treatment are marked. We do not proactively use antibiotics, as many feedlots do because it simply isn't necessary. Because our cattle are 100% GRASS-FED and NOT moved into feed lots, illnesses are less common and proactive use of antibiotics is unnecessary. We also do not use hormones of any kind. We had considered going organic, but raising healthy cattle in a natural setting on a lifetime of grass was more important to us. We feel it is not only better for the animal, but the end result is better tasting and more nutritious as well.
Q: Why are La Cense cattle raised in a humane, stress-free environment?
A: La Cense believes in an ethical and humane approach to the raising of cattle. To that end, our cattle spend their lives grazing in a natural environment and are never placed in grain feed lots.
Apart from the responsibility we feel toward our cattle, a stressful environment can lead to production of beef that is tough and of poor texture. By ensuring a stress-free environment Ñ enabling cattle to always graze upon lush pastures and providing humane treatment through every step of the production process Ñ La Cense fulfills its commitment to providing our customers with the highest-quality and most flavorful beef available.
Q: Why is your product more expensive than conventional beef?
A: Quality and Integrity.
La Cense products are priced according to the quality and integrity of our ranching practices. By ensuring a stress-free environment Ñ enabling cattle to always graze upon lush pastures and providing humane treatment through every step of the production process Ñ La Cense fulfills its commitment to providing our customers with the highest-quality and most flavorful beef available. In doing so, and in utilizing a sophisticated process of managed rotational grazing that ensures that cattle graze only upon lush pastures each and every day, they provide a superior beef, unlike any other grass-fed beef produced in the U.S.
Q: What are the benefits of grass-fed beef?
A: La Cense Beef has set a standard for practicing traditional, yet forward thinking ranching methods that are good for the cows and good for the environment. Because La Cense cattle graze at a high altitude and are never finished on grain, La Cense Beef contains 5 times more Omega-3s and CLAs - fatty acids known for their ability to reduce the risk of heart attack by 50%, improve brain function, and fight off cancer. La Cense beef is also very high in Vitamin E and Beta Carotene, while containing 1/3 the fat of grain-fed beef. To insure high quality nutrients in the beef, La Cense Beef is free of antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones.
Q: Where can I get La Cense Beef?
A: La Cense Beef is sold online at www.lacensebeef.com or by calling 1-866-255-4985. It is also available on the menu of select restaurants. La Cense Beef is shipped straight from the La Cense Ranch to your door.
Q: This is the first time I've heard of La Cense beef, do you have many customers?
Yes, we have many customers across the country who are very happy with our product and continue to make La Cense their main source for grass-fed beef. We are a fairly new company so that is the reason, you may not have heard of us. However, although La Cense beef is new to consumers, the ranchers that run the operation are highly experienced.
How does Grass-fed beef compare?
Q: How is La Cense Beef different from conventional supermarket or mail-order beef?
A: La Cense's two main distinguishing qualities are: La Cense Beef is grass-fed, grass-finished and straight from the source.
All La Cense Beef comes from cows born and raised exclusively on our ranch. The Beef is shipped from our ranch to your door. Most conventional brands' beef does not come from one ranch, but from a consortium of ranches, often with sub-standard methods of quality control. La Cense Beef is able to administer stringent, quality control, due the fact that we oversea our all operations from beginning to end on one ranch.
All La Cense beef are grass-fed, grass finished, which offers greater health benefits to you, the cow, and the environment. Grass-fed grass-finished is the most healthy, natural, and stress-free way to raise cattle. On the other hand conventional beef producers feed their cows grains and corn, which is unnatural. Cows are ruminant animals, which means they are designed to eat grass. Eating grain causes the cows to get sick, in turn causing the animal to be given high doses of antibiotics. The introduction of even a little grain into the cattle's diet diminishes the quality of the beef, reducing both health benefits and the real beef flavor.
Q: How is the taste of La Cense Beef different from that of grain-fed beef?
A: La Cense Beef offers a truer, more genuine beef flavor. It is subtler and more sophisticated in taste than grain-fed beef and is also lighter and cleaner tasting.
Q: Why is La Cense Beef healthier than grain-fed beef?
A: Grain is not a natural component of the diet of cattle. Cattle do not digest grain well, and as a result, antibiotics must often be used to help treat health issues that arise.
Grain feeding also causes cattle to gain weight rapidly and unnaturally. As a result, grain-fed cattle are higher in fat content, calories and cholesterol than grass-fed beef.
Grass-fed beef gleans many of its health benefits from the nutrients in the grass. The grass at the La Cense Ranch is high in Omega-3 fatty acids because they act as a natural plant anti-freeze. These Omega-3s are then present in the meat and dairy products of grass-fed beef. Grass-fed beef also has higher numbers of Vitamin E, Beta-carotene, and Conjugated Linoleic Acid Ð another beneficial fatty acid, all derived from the cow's exclusively grass diet.
Q: As a grass-fed beef, is La Cense as tender as grain-fed beef?
A: Beef tenderness results from a number of factors, the primary of which is the breed of cattle and the degree of stress they experience as they are maturing. La Cense Beef is produced from select Black Angus cattle raised in a humane, stress-free environment. These cattle spend their lives grazing on the pastures of the La Cense ranch. Additionally, La Cense Beef is dry-aged for 19 days, enhancing both flavor and tenderness. As a result, La Cense Beef offers exceptional taste and tenderness.
Q: How does the fat content of grass-fed beef compare to other heart-healthy foods such as chicken?
A: In addition to being significantly lower in fat than grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef has less fat than dark-meat chicken or white-meat chicken with skin, and nearly the same amount of fat as skinless white-meat chicken breasts. This is great news for health-conscious individuals who have decided to forego the beef that they love because of health concerns.
Questions about Cooking / Preparation
Q: Does La Cense Beef need to be cooked differently from grain-fed beef?
A: La Cense Beef is lean and lightly marbled, lower in fat than grain-fed beef. Its flavor is best accentuated by cooking at a slightly lower temperature and for a briefer period of time than you would cook grain-fed beef. For example, if you prefer a medium-rare steak, cook no longer than you would cook a rare grain-fed steak.
For ideas on how to prepare La Cense Beef, please visit our recipe section. These recipes have been created by Chef Peter Hoffman, the La Cense Master Chef and owner of Savoy restaurant in New York City. Chef Hoffman has created these recipes especially for La Cense Beef, and they are sure to please even the most discerning of palates.
Q: What is the best way to defrost La Cense Beef?
A: Your shipment of La Cense Beef will arrive frozen and vacuum-packed. Individual cuts can be defrosted by placing the vacuum-packed bag in the refrigerator or by placing it directly in a bowl of cool (not warm) water.
Q: How long can I keep La Cense Beef in the freezer?
A: La Cense Beef can be kept in the freezer for up to one year.
Q: What should I do if my order is no longer frozen when I open my delivery?
A: La Cense Beef is vacuum-packed and then immediately frozen at the time of processing, and your order will be shipped as such. If your beef is no longer frozen at the time of arrival, as long as it is cool to the touch, you can either simply place the beef in your freezer or cook it that day. Please note that as La Cense Beef is vacuum-packed, its packaging will contain no air to promote bacterial growth.
Questions about Safety:
Q: What measures does La Cense Beef take to reduce the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease?
A: La Cense cattle feed on a grass-only diet and are never provided feed containing animal by-products Ñ a main source of transmission of BSE. La Cense Beef is produced from cattle born and raised on the La Cense ranch. We use a premise verification program that sources the age of calves from our herds. Our cattle are 18 months of age at the time of processing Ñ BSE is known to have an incubation period of at least three years. Additionally, La Cense Beef never processes injured or ill cattle Ñ also known as "downer" cattle. La Cense Beef does not use mechanical bone-stripping equipment (a process known as advanced meat recovery, or AMR). Our beef is hand-processed by skilled butchers. When a cow is fed it's natural diet of grass, the healthy, natural acidity levels in cow's stomachs (unlike grass-fed)
Q: Have you had any recalls on your beef?
A: La Cense Beef has never been recalled. Our cattle are born and raised on our ranch and strict grass diet. This natural lifestyle keeps their bodies working properly, so a cow rarely gets sick on the La Cense Ranch. We do not process downer cattle. La Cense ranchers oversee the harvesting process so that it is as swift, humane, and clean as possible.
Questions About Shipping La Cense Beef
Q: How is La Cense Beef prepared for shipping?
A: La Cense Beef is processed at a USDA-certified facility. It is dry-aged, hand-cut and trimmed with care, vacuum-sealed and then immediately frozen at the time of processing. Your order will be placed in a sealed, insulated container with plenty of dry ice. Since La Cense Beef is a perishable item, all orders are sent via UPS Next Day Air or 2nd Day Air to ensure that you receive the highest-quality beef.
Orders received before 12:00 noon (Mountain Time) Monday through Thursday will be processed and shipped that day. Orders received after noon on Thursday will ship the following Monday. If you are interested in Saturday delivery, please call to confirm availability. All Alaska and Hawaii orders are shipped via UPS Next Day Air; however, they generally arrive in 2 days.
Q: Can I request a specific delivery date?
A: Yes. If you phone in your order, we will be happy to help arrange for a specific delivery date. We are not able to accommodate special delivery dates for online orders at this time.
Q: Will I receive a tracking number with my order?
A: Upon purchasing La Cense Beef, you will receive two confirmation e-mails. The first confirmation will be sent upon completion of your order and will detail your purchase. You will receive a second confirmation e-mail at the time that your order is shipped, which will provide you with a UPS tracking number and shipping information.
Q: Why is cost of shipping so high?
A: Freshness and Location.
We want our products to be as fresh as possible when you receive them.
To ensure optimal quality and freshness, we send our products 2nd day air, in sturdy, Styrofoam boxes, layered with dry ice, which will keep them frozen from the time they leave our ranch to the time they reach your kitchen.
Additionally, our ranch is located in a remote part of the country. This ensures that your beef comes from a healthy, pristine, and unpolluted environment, which is one thing that sets La Cense Beef apart from other ranches. The shipping cost may be higher because of our location, but it is the location that makes our beef the highest quality straight-from-the-source grass-fed beef on the market.
Are there other shipping options?
Unfortunately, no. We have to send our products 2nd day air to ensure optimal quality and freshness.
Questions About Purchasing La Cense Beef
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: For your convenience, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
Q: Is my information confidential?
A: La Cense Beef is committed to providing you with the highest-quality products and shopping experience. With that in mind, we consider the personal information you provide to us to be confidential. This information is used to fulfill your order or personalize your shopping experience. Identifying information is not shared, rented, or sold.
In order to ensure your privacy, La Cense Beef utilizes VeriSign. The La Cense Beef Web site can securely transmit your credit card and order information for processing through VeriSign's secure online payment infrastructure.
Additionally, the www.lacensebeef.com site is tested and certified daily to pass the HACKER SAFE Security Scan. To help address concerns about hacker access to confidential data, the "live" HACKER SAFE mark appears only when a web site meets the HACKER SAFE standard.
Q: What do I do if I can't remember my login or password?
A: Please note that your e-mail address is your login name for your La Cense Beef account. If you have forgotten your password, please click on the "forgot your password?" button and we will send you an email containing your password.
Q: What is the La Cense Beef Guarantee?
A: La Cense Beef is committed to providing our customers with the highest-quality products and services. Your satisfaction means a great deal to us. Therefore, if you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason at all, we will replace the purchase or refund your money, whichever you prefer.
When you place an order with La Cense Beef, your satisfaction is always unconditionally guaranteed. If at any time you have problems with an order, please call us toll-free at 1-866-255-4985 or locally at 406-683-5900, or send an email to info@lacensebeef.com La Cense Beef customer representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mountain Time, Monday through Friday, except on major holidays.