Compassion is paramount to us when it comes to rearing animals for the purpose of food. Ultimately, a stress-free, happy animal results in nutritious and consciously-cultivated produce. Castle Estate animals are strictly ‘free range’, translating to a free-to-roam existence, free from the confinements and oppression of feedlot farming. The animal consumes grass naturally in daily paddock grazing, with none of the antibiotics intervention synonymous with the alternative of grain-feeding. 

The Castle way also omits any long-haul travel, within the paddocks situated on site is our Abattoir. This results in less stress for the animal, with no need for suffocating trucks piled high with animals together, prior to slaughter. The overall experience for the animals is a better quality of life, freedom to roam expansive paddocks, shelter under the Castle Estate trees and sheds for winter’s cooler climes. 

Once again from our family to yours, we would like to thank you for your business, we are always grateful for your support. Thank you for choosing us.  Happy cooking,

The Castle Family.
https://castleestate.com.au/
Address: 191 Purrumbete Estate Rd, Koallah, VIC 3260
Telephone: +61 3 5594 5222
Email: info@castleestate.com.au

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The kids just love her and she still likes to keep a watchful eye on what is happening at the farm especially around dinner time (incase she is thrown a bone) She has been such a great companion and helper around the farm. From late night calving to keeping the chooks safe from foxes and helping the sheep get inline for a sheer – Sadie has done it all. Smart old girl, now she can found just lazing in the sun on the old porch waiting for the kids to come home from school. 

This is free range farm life and we love it.

To set up an account for your weekly orders, contact us.
Address: 191 Purrumbete Estate Rd, Koallah, VIC 3260
Telephone: +61 3 5594 5222
Fax: +61 3 8677 5469
Email: info@castleestate.com.au #castleestate, #meatdonebetter, #conciousfarmingfortheconciousconsumer, #freerange, #rebrand, #thebettertheylivethebettertheytaste

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Grass is the staple diet of all farm animals, it is the essence of their nutrition. To get consistency in meat we understand that many farmers use grain, this all began to power the masses and provide cheap meat – hence why 80% of consumers buy from supermarkets. Grain fed animals is all part of factory farming, the choice is yours if you choose grass fed or grain fed. We believe grass fed is best and we invite you to taste the difference for yourself. We can attest that when nature is followed the animal is healthy, happy and we can enjoy the health benefits.

WE BELIEVE YOU SHOULD ONLY EAT GRASS FED ANIMALS AS THAT IS MEAT, DONE BETTER.

To set up an account for your weekly orders, contact us.
Address: 191 Purrumbete Estate Rd, Koallah, VIC 3260
Telephone: +61 3 5594 5222
Fax: +61 3 8677 5469
Email: info@castleestate.com.au #castleestate, #meatdonebetter, #conciousfarmingfortheconciousconsumer, #freerange, #rebrand, #thebettertheylivethebettertheytaste

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VICTORIA’S kangaroo population has surged by 40 per cent since 2018, to almost 2 million today, prompting the Andrews Government to lift this year’s harvesting quota to 95,680.

The 2021 quota is well up on last year’s 57,900, which up until now only allowed kangaroos to be processed for pet food.

But as The Weekly Times reported last month, the Government has decided to lift the ban on the state’s roos being processed for human consumption and look for opportunities to export skins.

“The changes to how products generated from the kangaroo harvesting program can be used gives more options to harvesters and processors to make use of these animals and reduce waste — and create more jobs in country towns,” Victorian Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.

“While natural in the Victorian environment, overabundant populations compete with livestock for stock and feed, and damage crops and fences.”

Only trained professional shooters authorised through the harvesting program, who meet strict health and safety measures are able to supply kangaroos to abattoirs for human consumption.

Harvesters must abide by the national code of practice for the humane shooting of kangaroos and wallabies for commercial purposes.

Their vehicles and cool rooms must also be accredited through PrimeSafe.

Since October 2019, 86 harvesters and five meat processors have taken part in the pet-food-only program, with many calling for changes that allow processing for human consumption to support jobs in country communities.

Professional shooter Glenn Cole said he was delighted by the lift in quota, given last year’s quota put more than $1.25 million in harvesters pockets.

“Now we know what we’re doing and can get on with the job,” Mr Cole said.

It’s welcome news to Camperdown game meat processor Steven Castle, who for the first time can start processing Victorian roos for human consumption, rather than bringing in carcasses from interstate.

His company Castle Estate runs the only abattoir in Victoria that is registered to process kangaroos for human consumption and he intends to now focus on locally-sourced meat.

“We’ll start processing in coming weeks and don’t anticipate bringing roos in from outside Victoria (from here on),” Mr Castle said. “I’ll be branding it as Victorian Harvested Kangaroo.”

The shift to processing Victorian roos for human consumption not only delivers a clean, lean source of protein at a time of record beef prices, it adds value to a meat that up until now could only be used for pet food.

Last year shooters earned $1.25/kg (dressed weight) for roos, averaging 25kg, to pet food processors, with consumers paying $6-$7/kg for the minced meat.

In contrast prime kangaroo for human consumption ranges from $12/kg for mince, through to $22/kg for steaks.

https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victoria/victoria-increases-kangaroo-quota-as-population-surges-beyond-2-million/news-story/9aa2a702404bace344ca7be2c747f254

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• Pasture raised

• Pasture fed

• As nature intended

The traditional values of reducing waste have never been more relevant than now. When the Castle Estate (butcher and abattoir) prepares an animal as a source of food, they operate under the firm belief system that the whole animal must be utilised to minimise waste and avert frivolous farming. 

Check out our range of meat for your summer bbq here, we have weekly offers and provide home delivery direct from our farm.

If you need some more information please get in touch,

• Address: 191 Purrumbete Estate Rd, Koallah, VIC 3260
• Telephone: +61 3 5594 5222
• Fax: +61 3 8677 5469
• Email: info@castleestate.com.au

The Castle Family

https://castleestate.com.au/providore/

The post At Castle Estate we go against the grain appeared first on Castle Estate Food Co.

While feedlots help “drought-proof” Australia’s beef industry by ensuring a constant beef supply to domestic and international markets, there are growing concerns about animal welfare and its effect on the environment. Before we explore these concerns and more, let’s first define what feedlots are. 

What are Cattle Feedlots?

Feedlots are yarded areas where cattle, after being raised on pasture, are held in close confinement and fed in groups until they reach certain weights prior to being slaughtered. Here, cattle live in tightly confined spaces with hundreds if not thousands of other cows; they are fed excessive amounts of feeds and receive copious amounts of drugs (i.e., antibiotics) to keep them uncontaminated and alive. 

Although the industry is regulated and claims it follows environmental safety standards, in most cases, animals’ welfare in feedlots is mostly determined by the facility’s management. This leaves a huge gap for lapses in animal welfare and environmental concerns. 

1. Unhealthy Environments 

Feedlots are fenced-in outdoor areas where cows are crammed together to prevent them from exercising and obstructing the fattening process. The spaces are barren, lacking grass for cows to graze and trees for shade. Cattle have to stand in these small crowded areas in the ruminants of their own urine and faeces.

Feedlots can get very muddy when it rains, causing cows to become wet, cold, and dirty. When it gets hot during droughts or summer, the lots become dusty and dry. With the lack of shade coupled with excessive weight brought on by being fed increasingly heavy diets, cows often experience heat stress problems that can sometimes prove fatal. Currently, there’s no legal requirement for farmers to provide shelter to cows in feedlots.

1. Pollution

Feedlots produce huge amounts of animal waste and other pollutants that can be harmful to the environment. Feedlot waste is likely to contain cleaning agents, silage leachate, chemicals used in livestock care, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, ammonia, heavy metals, and milkhouse waste. 

This waste is often stored for a while in waste storage pits or structures before disposal on farm fields. This is where feedlot waste enters surface water, contaminating it, causing water pollution. Runoff of feedlot waste into water streams can be detrimental to fish and other aquatic life and can cause “dead zones” in coastal areas. Feedlots also cause air pollution due to ammonia, particulate matter, odour, greenhouse gases, and volatile organic compounds emissions. 

1. Artificial Diets

In natural environments, cows spend up to 12 hours grazing on grass; in a feedlot, they are fed a high-energy, high-fat diet of barley and wheat. However, the cow’s digestive system isn’t designed to continually consume corn or grain products, causing them to get sick often. As a result, they’re given a constant dose of antibiotics. Animals in feedlots are fed in this manner in order to reach the market weight requirements.

1. E. Coli Contamination

 E.coli bacteria are often found in animal waste, and since feedlots confine cows to small spaces filled with feacal matter, E. coli contamination is inevitable. Cows that are fed a high corn diet also have increased E. coli amounts in their digestive tracts. E- Coli contamination can cause illness in animals as well as humans.

1. Injury, Illness, and Early Death

Animals can suffer a wide range of injuries and illnesses in feedlots caused by the feedlot environment, dehydration, stress, unnatural diets, and transportation. The most common diseases include acidosis, botulism, bovine respiratory disease, pink eye (blight), footrot, tick fever, and feedlot bloating. 

Although most of these diseases are treatable, due to a large number of cows in the feedlot, sick cows might not  be identified early, resulting in death.

Conclusion

Confining animals in small areas where they can’t naturally graze as they should go against everything we stand for at Castle Estate. We believe animals must be free to roam and graze as nature intended- grass only, not grain-fed in lots. Grass-fed beef is also better than grain-fed beef as it has significantly lower levels of saturated fat and is higher in nutrients and antioxidants. But with 80% of all beef sold in the majority of domestic supermarkets sourced from the cattle feedlot sector, your best bet is to avoid buying meat from the supermarket. Order your weekly meat from Castle Estate.com.au.

Sources

• https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/beef-cattle/husbandry/hormonal-growth-promotants/q-and-a
• https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/livestock/cattle/hormonal-growth-promotants
• https://www.al.org.au/feedlots/
• https://futurebeef.com.au/knowledge-centre/feedlots/#:~:text=Approximately%2040%25%20of%20Australia’s%20total,to%20over%20100%20international%20markets.
• https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-are-the-animal-welfare-issues-of-feedlots/

The post Feedlot approach to farming and why it should stop. appeared first on Castle Estate Food Co.

We have options for intimate gathering or feed the neighbourhood!

Delivered from farm direct to your door from only $90, grass fed, hormone free naturally. 

We also have our weekly seasonal boxes and some deals for you click here to see them or simply just order your favourites.

Get some meat done better this australia day..

Go on put some meat on the Barby! 

Don’t forget your old account will work on the new website and if you refer a friend they get $20 voucher and so do you! 

Order Cut Off – for Australia day meat delivery Tuesday 19th Jan 9:00am
Delivery Friday Jan 22nd
Delivery Saturday Jan 23rd
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Order Cut Off – Monday 25th Jan 9:00am
Delivery Friday Jan 29th
Delivery Saturday Jan 30th
CLICK HERE TO ORDER

We would love to hear about your favourite summer recipe – please send one into us! Once again from our family to yours we would like to thank you for your business, we are always grateful for your support, thank you for choosing us. 

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