More than ever before, people want to know what’s in their food, where it came from, and in the case of animal products, what it ate and how was it treated during its lifetime.
You many think that grass feeding is the standard for farmed animals, and while that may be the case here in New Zealand, in many other countries it isn’t. This is an important distinction to make when selecting a supplement that is made from animal products.
All AiOra® supplements containing beef are 100% free range, grass fed and from New Zealand.
Buying grass fed isn’t just better for the animal, it’s better for you and for the environment. Here’s why…
Better for the environment.
New Zealand, with its abundance of lush green pasture and temperate climate provides the perfect environment for grazing animals. Most New Zealand farmers simply don’t bother with alternatives like grain as a staple feed as it is too expensive in comparison to grass. Meat from New Zealand farms is amongst the most efficiently produced in the world, with most farmers using a rotational grazing system. This involves regularly moving animals around different areas of the farm - allowing pasture and soils to regenerate. Carbon is also kept in the soil more efficiently instead of being released into the air.
Better for the animal.
Grass fed animals are free to express natural behaviours and graze normally rather than being restricted and confined to a feedlot, and because of New Zealand’s relatively mild climate, the animals can be housed outside year round rather then being confined in sheds or barns.
Better for you.
With New Zealand’s GMO free status no pasture or fodder crops in New Zealand are genetically modified.
And because pasture feeding is less intense (meaning fewer animal numbers per square meter) the requirement for medications, like antibiotics is reduced. In fact, New Zealand has one of the lowest rates of antimicrobial medications in the world[i] with one of the strictest control mechanisms for antibiotic use globally[ii]. All antibiotic use here must be registered and controlled by a vet and there is a mandatory stand down period prior to any animal going to the works to ensure the antibiotic is no longer in the animals’ system.
Because of the excellent nutrient profile of New Zealand pasture the nutritional profile, particularly of fatty acids, is different in New Zealand red meat, with higher levels of Omega 3 oils than in some grain fed beef products.
