Spoiler alert: they’re not the same!
Do you know your pasture-raised from your free-range? Did you think free-range and pasture-raised meant pretty much the same thing? Fear not! You’re not alone – many Aussies are in the dark about what makes pasture-raised eggs so special. You see, not all eggs are created equal.
All pasture-raised eggs are inherently free-range – put simply, free-range means hens that have access to the outdoors. Australian law states this access must be “meaningful and regular during daylight hours”, and the hens must be free to roam outside at no more than 10,000 birds per hectare. However, pasture-raised eggs are a big step forward in terms of both animal welfare and sustainability.
So what is pasture-raised?
To be called pasture-raised, eggs must be laid by hens cared for using regenerative farming methods like rotational grazing – ensuring there’s always ground cover and grazable plant species for the hens. They must also be stocked at lower numbers, so they have much more space to roam, socialise and forage for bugs and worms as nature intended.
Pasture-raised is a great farming method for animals and the land they live on, and at Yallamundi we pride ourselves on setting the bar for pasture-raised eggs. Our hens are fed the very best, locally grown grain and plant-based proteins, and we give them 13 times the nationally required standard of space – left to roam our shady olive groves at just 750 hens per hectare. At night, our hens roost in the safety of mobile caravans that are moved every week, so they always have fresh, interesting pasture to explore. And, of course, we’ve worked hard to make our whole egg production process carbon neutral, so we can create a brighter tomorrow for the farmers of the future.
At Yallamundi, we firmly believe you can taste the difference in eggs laid by the healthiest, happiest hens, and we’re proud to pave the way for sustainable, pasture-raised egg production in Australia.
