紐西蘭的肉類是否100%草飼？

連紐西蘭政府網頁亦說“Almost exclusively free-range grass feed production system” (https://www.nzte.govt.nz/en/buy/our-sectors/food-and-beverage/meat/)，本公司更只會說“不會100% 草飼”。
 
在夏天的紐西蘭，食草動物必定100%食草。但在冬季，很多國家包括紐西蘭亦會在青草生長慢時，不能提供足夠新鮮青草給牧場動物，必定餵飼其他食物。在紐西蘭，牧產業人仕會加額外飼料 (Silage) 和 乾草 (Hay)。紐西蘭牧產業的額外飼料是流行：Grass Silage及Brassica Crops。在紐西蘭，很多大學會研究當地牧業在冬季怎樣的成本效益增加時，亦常研究Grass Silage及Brassica Crops的運用功效。
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X11000576
 
 
Grass Silage是什麼？https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXl9OZY1eOE
 
 
Brassica Crops是什麼？http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica
在夏天開車途中常看見大片很美的Brassica。當地牧場會全支花連根一起餵。
 
 
近年紐西蘭牧業新興的飼料是Fodder Beet，亦不斷找大學來研究和進行。研究說明紐西蘭農牧產業是從不會用穀物等低價飼料來餵飼牧場動物。
The rapid expansion of FB into the dairy industry has demonstrated to me that farmers see unusual value in the crop, both as a winter feed and as a lactation supplement. New Zealand pastoral industries have never had an equivalent of the cheap feed energy source that grains are for other countries like Australia and the US, but I am now persuaded that FB may well fulfil this role. In a short time, NZ has adapted and developed agronomic expertise in FB that has enabled it to be profitably grown in most regions, and each season there are new and effective applications of feeding the crop that make use of the high energy value and potential for augmenting seasonal pasture deficits.
http://side.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/4.3-Fodder-Beet-GIBBS.pdf
 
 
大家會問“草飼肉類”有什麼好？
美國醫生Dr. Joseph Mercola，說明比起穀飼動物和比起非放養式動物，放養式草飼牧場動物 (Free Range Grass Feed)有更好營養、Omega 3和Omega 6的比例更好，同時亦可能減少吸收殘留抗生素的機會。
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/21/grass-fed-beef-dairy.aspx#!
 
 
在那裡可以買到草飼肉類？
看看Dr. Mercola訪問一個在美國飼養草飼動物已超過17年的專家Joey Jones時，Joey說美國本土的草飼肉大部份亦是從外國入口。就算有，亦不一定整個生命全食草，通常是被屠宰前90-120日前才食草。更重要的是，儘管美國農業部有100％有機標籤，但它不一定是保證肉是草飼。實際上，申請有機標籤的金錢對一般本土小牧場主是很昂貴，他們根本不會申請，但其實他們飼養出來的動物肉類，比起有有機標籤的肉好得多。在Joey看來說，一個真正的草飼肉或grass-finished肉，亦優勝於有機。
It's important to recognize that while the USDA 100% Organic label is good, it's not necessarily a guarantee that the meat has been grass-fed and finished. In fact, the organic label is costly for ranchers, and many actually raise their cattle in ways that provide superior beef compared to beef bearing the organic label. In my mind, a truly grass-fed, grass-finished product is superior to organic.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/12/21/grass-fed-beef-production.aspx
 
 
所以，Dr. Mercola建議去超市專人訂，或尋找本地有信心的小型牧場問清楚是否草飼肉。如果本土沒有有信心的小型牧場，可尋找網上牧場。
Grass-fed beef: Many grocery chains are now responding to customer demand, and will provide at least a small assortment of grass-fed meats. If your local grocer still doesn't carry any, go ahead and ask the purchasing manager to consider adding it. Some stores, like Publix, will even stock specialty items requested by a single customer. The least expensive way to obtain authentic grass-fed beef is to find a local rancher you can trust, and buy it directly from the farm. Alternatively, you can now purchase grass-fed beef from organic ranchers online, if you don't have access to a local source.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/05/21/grass-fed-beef-dairy.aspx#!