Why Field Harvesting Matters: A Better Way to Raise and Respect Meat

At Riffle Farms, we do things a little differently. We raise bison the way they were meant to roam — on pasture, with space, sunshine, and the herd. And when harvest day comes, we don’t send them on a stressful trailer ride to a crowded facility. We meet them in the field, on their turf, with calm and respect.

This practice is called field harvesting, and it’s not just more humane — it’s better for the meat, too.

In the pasture

Stress Shows Up on the Plate

When an animal experiences fear or prolonged stress before slaughter, their body releases cortisol and adrenaline — the classic “fight or flight” response. This can cause a rapid depletion of muscle glycogen, which is needed to produce lactic acid after death.

Here’s why that matters:Lactic acid naturally lowers the pH of the meat, making it tender, flavorful, and safe to store. If that lactic acid process doesn’t happen properly (because the glycogen is burned up in a stressful situation), the meat’s pH stays high — and that means:

• Tougher texture

• Shorter shelf life

• Off flavors

• Less marbling and poor color

This condition is known in the industry as “dark, firm, and dry” (DFD) meat, and it’s a direct result of animal stress.

Field Harvest = Calm Animal, Better Meat

By harvesting our animals right in their familiar environment, we reduce the stress response dramatically. There's no transport, no strange smells or noises, no holding pens. The animal doesn't even know what’s happening — and that's exactly how it should be.

The result?

• Cleaner-tasting meat with true pasture flavor

• Better tenderness and color

• Higher nutritional integrity, with no stress-induced hormonal shifts

• And above all, a process rooted in dignity and respect

  
  

Why It’s the Future of Ethical Meat

Field harvesting is not the easy way — it takes planning, licensing, skilled professionals, and care. But it’s the right way, and more farms are seeing that now. If we want to change how America produces meat, it starts with changing how we end the life of the animal.

At Riffle Farms, we believe you can honor the animal and nourish your family at the same time.

Come taste the difference. It’s not just meat — it’s a movement.

Grass finished bison steaks