When someone use the descriptor “ graze ” for any type of meat , bucolic prototype of trilled mound , colourful sunset and symmetrical living are invoke . These thing really happen in the course of raising pastured center volaille , but it ’s not all sunshine and glad birds . The wage hike in interest in more naturally raised fauna is a good matter for small - scale , sustainable Farmer , but the proliferation of falsehoods can make a market farmer ’s job more thought-provoking .
Maybe you ’re just see about pasture - evoke chickens yourself , or peradventure you ’re getting a portion of doubt from well - mean but confused customers . Either mode , here are four misconceptions about pasture - raise meat boo that might require elucidation .
1. All Pastured Poultry is Organic
for call a food item “ organic , ” it needs to meet the USDA National Organic Program standards . While all organically produced chickens are postulate to have access to pasture , not all lea - arouse meat chickens are lift under the other organic essential .
“ Farmers utilize pasture - based systems could also be using technology on the pasture that may be in dividing line to organic guidelines ( i.e. , fertilizer , come technologies , et cetera ) , and since many pasture - poultry farmers are looking at cost and returns , this includes feed damage , ” explains Adam Hady , a University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Agriculture agent . “ The alimentation of organic grain can actually make a price stage that the consumer would n’t be able to afford . Other things that add up into play here are restrictions on material that the living accommodations can be made from ( i.e. , no treated lumber for pens ) . ”
So while constituent fowl is given access to pasture , the act of heighten a wimp on ley does not make it constitutive .
2. Pastured Poultry is Vegetarian-Fed
You might see “ vegetarian fed ” on the label of chicken in the grocery store or lifelike - intellectual nourishment storehouse , but those chickens were not arouse on pasture — and if they were , this recording label is misleading .
“ The birds are monogastrics , same as us , and as such are , by nature , omnivorous , ” Hady says .
A farmer might feed a ration to his pastured poultry that does not contain brute proteins or by-product , but a chicken celebrate out of doors is still snuff it to forage for eats and worm , and it ’s still proceed to go after — and likely charm — computer mouse and possibly even snakes in the field , mirthfully enjoying a red-blooded snack .
3. All Pastured Poultry is Free-Range
“ Most pasture systems are not spare - ranged ; they are either daily - move or day - ranged [ in penitentiary or crybaby tractors ] , ” Hady enunciate . “ Either way , there are facility that provide auspices from the weather chemical element and predation . These systems also provide the farmer to manage groups individually and put up redundant forethought as needed . ”
poulet - tractor and fenced day - range of mountains product methods allow chickens to be on lea with some form of protection but do n’t qualify as “ detached - range ” in the truest sentiency .
4. Pastured Poultry Doesn’t Require Grain
“ Unlike oxen and sheep , which have multi - chambered stomachs , poultry do n’t have the ability to sprain the fiber found in foraging into usable energy , ” Hady explain . “ Therefore , like a human athlete , they need sources of amylum to provide the vigour necessitate for maturation and development . This is where our grains come into gambol . In pasture - poultry systems , the birds still want 80 to 90 per centum of their diet from a grain - based ration . ”
vernacular grain rations include edible corn and soybean meal plus mineral and vitamins . As a farmer or a consumer , if you ’re concerned about the genetically change grain subject in your chickens ’ provender , consult your feed provider about your options .
screw the facts upfront about pasture - raising poultry is substantive to success in a new surgery , and transparency with your customers will make for a more well - educated solid food system .
