Pasture-Raised & Pastured
What is “pasture-raised” poultry?
“Pasture-raised poultry” also refers to the production system that raises chickens directly on pasture. This model has been developed over the last twenty years. The birds receive up to 30% of their food intake from pasture forage and bugs. This is important for their health and the nutritional value of their meat and eggs. Typically, this model is found only on small farms; it doesn’t lend itself well to large commercial operations.
Why is pasture-raised chicken/turkey healthier?
When compared to commercially-raised birds, pasture-raised poultry has:
- Less total fat
- Less saturated fat
- Less cholesterol
- Fewer calories
- More vitamin A
- More omega-3 fatty acids
(Source: Pasture Perfect by Jo Robinson)
Why are pasture-raised eggs better?
The advantage to pasture-raised eggs is that the hens can eat a wide variety of the natural food of chickens — greens, grubs, insects, etc. Many people find their eggs to be much tastier, and accumulating evidence shows that the eggs from pasture-raised hens have better nutritional profiles:
- Less cholesterol
- Less overall fat
- More essential Omega 3 fatty acid
- More nutrients like vitamin A, lutein, vitamin E, and beta-carotene
(Source: Pasture Perfect by Jo Robinson)
What about “Omega-3 eggs”?
Some factory hens are fed flax seed, which also dramatically increases the amount of Omega-3 fat in the yolks of the eggs.
However, the overall nutritional value of such eggs usually is much less than those of pasture-raised hens. Factory hens live stressful, unsanitary, crowded indoor lives, eat inferior feed, and receive growth enhancers and routine antibiotics.
Our eggs have naturally high levels of Omega-3’s as a result of eating green grass and clover from our pastures.
