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WETHERBY LS22 5EU
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Free-Range Eggs?

 

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What is the difference between Organic Eggs, and Free-range?

You will have noticed that organic eggs cost more than non-organic, but you may not be sure why.  

There are many specific differences between the 2 systems (see table below), but in general terms organic production elements (such as egg-production) always work as part of a whole-farm system, so that it is not possible to operate a single element on its own. 

For example, consideration must be given to manure disposal, as organic standards restrict the amount of manure that can be applied to or left on the land, and also to the rotation of pasture to ensure it remains well-covered with suitable vegetation.  It  is therefore not possible to run 400 birds on a single acre of land in isolation, and call it organic, because provision must be made for moving the birds onto fresh pasture, and for utilising the excess manure on some other part of the farm. 

The table identifies important shortcomings in traditional free-range (F/R), which are resolved by organic production methods:

ASPECTS OF HUSBANDRY – in which system can the birds……

F/R

 ORG

Be de-beaked to prevent injuries from aggressive behaviour as a result of high stocking densities. (The Organic Farmers & Growers standard does permit debeaking in certain circumstances)

Y

N

Be fed on genetically-modified feedstuffs

Y

N

Be routinely dosed with drugs such as antibiotics

Y

N

Be fed with animal by-products such as bloodmeal

Y

N

Share a house with 8000 others and so be unable to freely access pasture  (our supplier’s houses contain between 600 & 1000 birds),

Y

N

Share pasture at a stocking rate of more than 400 birds/acre (in Europe, free-range birds can be stocked at 1000 birds/acre)

Y

N

Range on pasture and eat feedstuff treated with pesticides

Y

N

Be fed synthetic potentially carcinogenic yolk colourants

Y

N

Be artificially lighted in winter in excess of 16hr day-length

Y

N

Be kept continuously on the same land with no rotation (which would help to control disease and allow vegetation to regrow)

Y

N

Organic eggs cost £2.80/doz for Medium and £3.20/doz for Large.  Contact us to add some to your next delivery.  

You can also return the egg boxes to us for composting (hygiene legislation prohibits their reuse), but please don't send us plastic egg boxes from other suppliers, as we don't have the facilities to recycle them.

 

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Last modified: Juli, 2010