> Don't the farmers want their cattle to have high protein/muscle content versus high fat content?
Not really. Marbling is a coveted feature in beef because folks tend to think fattier food tastes better. Marbling is largely just a euphemism for fatty. For example, beef has to surpass a minimum fat threshold to qualify as USDA Prime or Kobe beef. And getting that stamp lets the farmer get a higher price - so farmers who are selling to the general market do want a higher fat content.
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> Don't the farmers want their cattle to have high protein/muscle content versus high fat content?
Not really. Marbling is a coveted feature in beef because folks tend to think fattier food tastes better. Marbling is largely just a euphemism for fatty. For example, beef has to surpass a minimum fat threshold to qualify as USDA Prime or Kobe beef. And getting that stamp lets the farmer get a higher price - so farmers who are selling to the general market do want a higher fat content.