Our Animals
Our Animal Management Standards
Our idea of Free Range is animals in the open, feet on the ground, eating grass and sleeping under trees. Essentially an animal free to do as it pleases and display its natural behaviors without being confined to small pens or paddocks that are restrictive in nature
The animals we source are part of a larger management system which is now called Regenerative Agriculture. The best description we believe is given by author Charles Massey
“Regen Ag is an approach to farming that enables the landscapes to renew themselves”
Our suppliers understand that the animals are a ‘tool’ in this strategy and part of the much larger system. Read more about Regenerative Agriculture here
The animals we use are out in the open as nature intended. To keep them healthy our farmers use as many natural preventative measures as we can. By regularly moving our livestock to fresh new paddocks we minimise the transfer and cycle of worms and parasites and therefore the need for industrial chemical intervention. If animals are given preventative treatments at certain times of the year they are often organic in nature or biodynamic preparations. If synthetic medications are used they are mild in nature and used after exhausting other natural options. All animals are hormone and antibiotic free.
Our Grass Fed Beef
We are lucky in NSW as there is a lot of country suited to grass fed cattle production and as a result we purchase our cattle from farmers across the state depending on the seasons, mostly cattle are sourced from farms around Cowra in the Central West or Gunnedah in the North West, this is mainly due to the exceptional country in these areas. These farmer relationships have been developed since we started in 2008 and are based on integrity and honesty. As with our other suppliers we choose our suppliers as they have the same ethos as us and are transparent in their production methods.
We are passionate about Free Range, Grass Fed Beef for two major reasons; It offers a better quality of life for the animal, and is the most ethical and sustainable way to produce meat; and Research shows that beef from grass fed cattle is leaner and better for you, with higher omega 3-6 ratios and a long list of trace elements gained from the soil and grasses which is lacking in grain fed products.
You can read more about the benefits of Grass Fed Meat here.
Our Free Range, Pasture Fed Pigs
Our Pasture Fed, Free Range Pork is supplied by a small number of farmers carefully selected for their Ecological management styles and animal husbandry skills, plus their exceptional pigs!
They all follow similar animal management standards. At a minimum
- Pigs live outdoors on the ground and never* in small pens (*from one week old)
- Have access to clean water and wallows
- Always live in groups of similar aged pigs
- Never administered growth promotents or hormones
Our pork is truly free range. All farmers use heritage breed sows such as Saddleback, Duroc, Large Black and Berkshire bloodlines or crosses of these breeds. These ‘older style’ breeds have the instincts and mothering ability to live outside, their skin and temperament lends itself to outdoor environments. Sows farrow outside in small ‘Huts’ filled with straw and are confined for the first week when the litter is small to protect the piglets from predators and weather. After this time both pigs and sows are free to roam in their paddocks. Once the piglets are weaned from the sow they are kept in their groups with similar weight/age pigs to keep their social groups until they are ready for market
Our farmers rotate the pigs between paddocks on a regular basis, and paddocks are filled with native grasses, herbs and forbes. Pigs have available a ration of pellets which are made from local mills, generally to a recipe for the farmer themselves. The protein level varies at different stages of growth. We do not use farrowing crates, nor contain or restrict the pig’s movement in any
- Best Individual Ribbon Award - Suckling Pig Competition 2015
- Second Prize Award - Porker Pig Competition 2015
Our Pasture Fed Lambs
We have a select group of lamb suppliers that offer lambs throughout the year, mostly from the Cowra and Young regions and the New England in the north. We use mostly use 2nd cross lambs which are bred for their meat quality and high yield.
Our farmers often run their lambs with their cattle in flocks called ‘Flerds’ in regen farming these flerds graze fresh paddocks every few days and are moved often to give the paddocks long rest times for re seeding and regrowth. You can read more about Regenerative Agriculture here
We only source Dorper or 2nd cross lambs that have been finished on quality improved pastures. As a result, seasonal rains dictate where we source our lamb from. The farmers that we purchase from have been known to our family for years. We have chosen them to supply us because of their sustainable farming practices and their ethics in animal welfare.
Our Free Range Chickens
Our Free Range Chickens are accredited by Free Range Egg & Poultry Australia (FREPA). Free Range Chickens, once fully feathered (normally around 3 weeks old), can leave their sheds and access a fenced outdoor range, during daylight hours. Whilst many chickens are content with the comforts of the barn, during an average day a portion of the chickens will venture outside and will return to the barn at their leisure. All Free Range Farms provide chickens with access to large grassed range areas where birds are able to forage and exhibit their natural behavioral traits. Various conditions, including weather, can affect if and how many chickens choose to access the range and how long they stay outside. All of the chickens return to the barn at night to protect them from predators and the elements.
Our Free Range Chickens are anti-biotic free, hormone free, and are processed without the addition of chemicals.