What Makes Dexter Beef Special?

What Makes Dexter Beef Special?

Dexters are docile, dual-purpose (beef and milk), smaller-bodied cattle known for their natural ability to thrive on forage alone. That means:

• No grain-finished shortcuts

• Slower, more natural growth

• Nutrient-dense fat and muscle

Their beef is rich, tender, and perfectly portioned because they are a smaller breed of cattle.  We also genetically test our cattle for tenderness genes (yes, that is a thing!)  Any animal that doesn't meat our benchmark will be made solely into ground beef.  Anything that hits the target or above on its genetic tenderness score gets made into the full line of cuts.  So you know that you will get incredibly tender meat. But the real win? The nutritional profile.

The Health Benefits of Grass-Finished Dexter Beef

1. More Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Unlike grain-fed beef, our Dexter beef is naturally higher in omega-3s—the healthy fats that support:

• Heart health

• Brain function

• Hormone balance

• Reduced inflammation

In fact, grass-fed beef contains 2 to 5 times more omega-3s than conventional beef.

FACT: The human body cannot make omega 3 fatty acids on its own.  You have to eat it or take supplements in order to acquire this essential nutrient!

2. Packed with CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)

CLA is a naturally occurring fat with a growing list of benefits:

• May reduce body fat

• Supports metabolic and immune function

• Fights oxidative stress

Grass-fed beef has up to 3 times more CLA than grain-fed.

3. A Natural Multivitamin on Your Plate

Dexter beef from grass-finished animals delivers higher levels of:

• Vitamin A (as beta-carotene)

• Vitamin E (immune protection)

• Zinc & Iron (essential for energy + red blood cells)

• Vitamin B12 (crucial for brain and nerve function)

Plus powerful antioxidants like glutathione and superoxide dismutase, which help your body repair at the cellular level.

4. Leaner, Cleaner, More Satisfying

Grass-finished Dexter beef is:

• Lower in total fat and calories

• Naturally lean, yet still marbled and tender

• Free from antibiotics, GMOs, and synthetic inputs

It’s the kind of beef your grandparents would’ve recognized—and your body will thank you for.  Not to mention... eat our beef for a month or two, and then get beef from a high-end restaurant or high-end grocery store.  You'll notice that the beef tastes... well, bland.  Ours will win on flavor alone, every time!

Nutritional Snapshot (Per 4 oz of Cooked Dexter Ground Beef)

• ~180–200 calories

• ~22–25g protein

• ~9–12g fat

  • ~3–4g saturated

  • ~4–5g monounsaturated

  • ~50–100mg omega-3s

• ~2.5mg iron (14% DV)

• ~5mg zinc (45% DV)

• ~2.5 mcg B12 (100% DV)

• 0.25–0.5g CLA

Real Beef Raised Right

When you choose Dos Lobos Ranch beef, you're getting more than great taste. You're getting:

• A nutrient-dense protein

• A transparent, regenerative process

• A connection to real Texas land and honest food

Whether you're grilling burgers, making tacos, or simmering bone broth—we hope you taste the difference that grass, time, and care make.

Shop our Ancestral Ground Beef here.
Or come see us at the next local market—we’ll talk beef, bones, and all things nutrient-dense.

We just took a steer to the butcher this week on June 25th, 2025.  We expect to be fully-restocked on all beef cuts by mid-July!  

This blog post was curated with the help of ChatGPT.

—The Dos Lobos Ranch Team