Raising Our Animals
Sloans Creek Farm Profile
Here Is A Quick Description of our farm:
Heritage Breeds – Red Poll Cattle (See www.redpollusa.org), Irish Dexter Cattle, Murray Grey Cattle (these are not technically a heritage breed but the population is low in the U.S.), St. Croix Hair Sheep (See www.stcroixsheep.org), Myotonic Meat Goats (See www.myotonicgoatregistry.org), and Red Wattle Hogs. (See www.albc-usa.org)
No Grain Fed to Our Cattle, Sheep, or Goats – They eat grass, other forage like hay or alfalfa pellets, drink clean water, have free access to salt, kelp, and DE mix, and receive all the TLC we can provide. Our term for our ruminant feeding program is “grass only” as our ruminants receive only grass and forages in their diets. Our hogs and chickens receive a grain ration as part of their diet because they are omnivores and, unlike our ruminant herbivores, they require grain to maintain optimal health. All of our hogs and chickens are pastured.
No Confinement for Our Hogs – Our hogs are pastured on soil and grass where they can root around, wallow in the mud, and compliment there grain based diet as they see fit with grass, roots, bugs, and worms. This is just as swine were intended to be raised, not confined to concrete.
No Administered Hormones -All animals will have some level of hormones due to the natural hormones produced by the animals body. However, none of our animals receive any injected or otherwise administered hormones from us.
No Subtherapeutic Antibiotics – As of 5 years ago, our animals only receive an antibiotic dose if and when they are ill. Because of our non-certified organic practices and grass fed feeding program, our animals rarely become ill, but when one does we must humanely care for the animal. If an animal that we are trying to sell has been injected with antibiotics in its life we will inform the consumer.
No Routine Chemical Dewormers – We use non-certified organic approaches such as pasture rotation and other methods for fly and parasite control. If weather or other events create a larger than normal parasite problem we will use moxidectin dewormers which do not harm earthworms or other soil microbes and do not remain in the tissues of the animal. Even though no withdrawal time is required between administration and slaughter, we implement a withdrawal period of 30 days minimum.
Non Certified Organic Family Farm – Family farms care about their animals, the environment, and the local economy. More of your money will stay local.
The Health of Our Animals Comes First – We do everything possible to keep our animals healthy to reduce the need for any medication. This includes using vaccinations. We always follow proper withdrawal times after administering vaccinations and typically do not vaccinate an animal within 3 months of slaughter. We are Beef Quality Assurance certified and vaccinations are never administered into muscles.
Here is a quick summary of why our grass only meat is different from what you get at the grocery store:
Grainless meats are usually lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol.
Grainless meats are higher in beta-carotene, vitamin e, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and omega-3 fatty acids (research shows these nutrients are important to reducing cancer, cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease).
Pastures reduce soil erosion while improving air and water quality. Properly caring for God’s Creation.
“He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and the vegetation for the labor of man, so that he may bring forth food from the earth,” Psalm 104:14
Pastures can reduce greenhouse gases and global warming.
Pastures provide habitat and forage for wildlife. (See www.eatwild.com)
Sustainable family farming. We know our animals and they rely on us, as we do on them. They enjoy our land as much as we do
Animals are raised in a peaceful, healthy manner as naturally as possible
