What does pastured mean? 

Pastured eggs, pork, chicken, beef & lamb

The definition of Pastured is just that - pigs and chickens are raised outdoors on open fields. Pasture raised defines where the animals live and that they make use of the pastures provided for them.  Pastured pork or pastured eggs are not 'grass fed', not in the truest sense of that term because pigs and chickens productive on grass alone.  Pigs and chickens are omnivores and that means that like you and me, they need a varied diet that consists of a nutritionally balanced feed that includes fibre, energy and protein along with essential vitamins and minerals.

Pigs and chickens actually have a lot in common as they are both omnivores and their ancestors were originally forest dwellers.  We need to remember that is our farm management systems.

Pigs and chooks raised on pasture do eat a lot of grass and also get a lot of their nutritional needs from the soil but the main reason for calling them pastured is to best describe how they live their lives while on farm.  Pastured farming means always having access to grazing, living in open paddocks with plenty of room, no feedlotting and no overcrowding and definitely no indoor confinement.  This means lower stocking rates rather than confined animal production.