LET US TELL YOU WHY:
Organic Grains have not been treated with chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers: The plant has not been exposed to toxic elements that could carry into the grain. Organic grains are grown in soils rich in microbial life. Organic Grains typically have greater nutritional value. Because there is more life in the soil, the plant is better able to uptake and process soil nutrients. You don’t have to overdose the dead soil with N, P and K (and then ignore secondary and trace minerals) when you are growing organically. Healthy soils make better, safer foods. Organic Grains are grown from seed that has not been genetically modified. GMO grains have yet to pass muster on scientific scrutiny. They get by on an officious governmental catch-22 called Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Organic farming practices are better for the environment. Compost-based, biological farming is ecologically and fundamentally more sound than non-sustainable, polluting, chemical farming. You don’t have to create unhealthy nutrient runoffs when you are growing organically. You build soil, you don’t wash it away.
Read on for our handy organic guide to caring for your specific animals.
SMALL FLOCK START-UP
Ready to rock your own flock? We can help with a little chicken know-how to get you started. Of course, New Country Organics soy-free, certified organic feed is a huge part of the equation. The proverbial gateway animal, chickens are often the first real step to growing your own food and achieving healthy self-sufficiency. Chickens are a delicious source of protein, but they are also beautiful and industrious. Not to mention that the flock often become loyal members and companions of the family. If you are wondering – how do I start? How much feed is needed? How much broiler or layer is the right amount? What do I do if my chicks have sour crow? Or, what exactly do I need to start my own flock? – keep reading and explore the site. The answers are all there. The short answer is, you’ll need heat, shelter, clean bedding, water, great new Country Organics soy-free, certified organic feed, and, of course, chicks. For step-by-step, detailed instructions on how to do this yourself, click on the EGG OPERATION button. It will take you to our Chicken Care 101 – the perfect survey course for a budding flock keeper.
Feed Consumption Chart
| AGE | WK 1 | WK 2 | WK 3 | WK 4 | WK 5 | WK 6 | WK 7 | WK 8 | WK 9 | TOTAL # OF BAGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Bird | 4.2oz |
9.2oz | 13.7oz | 18.8oz | 26.1oz | 34.5oz | 38.5oz | 38.5 oz | 42.6 oz | 14.63 lbs |
| 25 Birds | 6.56 lbs. | 14.38 lbs | 21.41 lbs | 29.28 lbs | 40.78 lbs | 53.91 lbs | 60.16 lbs | 66.56 lbs | 72.66 lbs | 7.32 Bags |
| 50 Birds | 13.13 lbs | 28.75 lbs | 42.81 lbs | 58.75 lbs | 81.56 lbs | 107.81 lbs | 120.31 lbs | 133.13 lbs | 145.31 lbs | 14.63 Bags |
| 100 Birds | 26.25 lbs | 57.5 lbs | 85.63 lbs | 117.5 lbs | 163.13 lbs | 215.63 lbs | 240.63 lbs | 266.25 lbs | 290.63 lbs | 29.26 Bags |
LEARN HOW TO RUN YOUR OWN EGG OPERATION
Turkeys
THE SNOOD BROOD
Not all fowl are created equal. Not only do they command a greater presence than their chicken cousins, turkeys also have greater needs: bigger space requirements and a unique aversion to getting wet. (Turkey rain tent, anyone?)
Here’s what else your big birds need:
Space Requirements: Twice as much as chickens. 3 square feet per bird, minimum. Keep poults under a month out of the rain. Turkeys are much hardier after one month.
Nutritional Needs: Bugs. Fresh greens. Certified Organic, Soy-Free New Country Organics feed.
Predators: Rain, Coyotes, Neighbors’ Dogs, Birds of Prey.
Pests/ Parasites: Worms, mites. (Treat with cleanliness, probiotics, clean water.)
How does organic approach differ?
- No antibiotics.
- More space.
- PROBIOTICS vs. Antibiotics.
WHAT’S BEST FOR BESSIE?
There are few scenes that bring us more joy than a field of sturdy cattle grazing contently in the sunshine. The best way to keep your own cow clan in top form is by providing a healthy pasture built on healthy soil. Another secret weapon? KELP. That’s right, the slimy stuff that grows in the sea. We love kelp. And so do cows. That’s why we up the nutrition content of all of our certified organic cattle feed by incorporating Thorvin – the most nutrient-dense kelp animal supplement on the market today. Thorvin supports optimal livestock health and is 100% natural. In fact, it’s nature’s most complete source of bioavailable minerals, vitamins, and beneficial phytonutrients. Thorvin provides nutrients critical for breed back, minimizing foot rot, and reducing the incidence of pinkeye. It also helps support your animals’ reproductive, immune, and digestive functions. Thorvin even offers livestock some stress-relieving benefits! Chew on that a bit.
Here’s what else your herd is going to need:
Space Requirements: Two acres of pasture per cow. No particular shed shelter needs, but cedars as a windbreak would be nice.
Nutritional Needs: Healthy forage, and kelp for iodine. Look to your pasture to provide all nutritional needs, and use feed as necessary. Mineral supplements are advisable, free-choice, especially given that most pasture is mineral deficient. This is something to evaluate closely, as selenium deficiency affects immune system and breeding.
Predators: Coyotes. Buzzards. Neighbors’ Dogs.
Pests/Parasites: Flies. Pink eye. Intestinal parasites. (Fresh forage and probiotics help prevent all of these.)
How does organic approach differ?
- No seasonal shots.
- Preferably grazing over grain.
HAVE AN EXCELLENT EQUINE EXPERIENCE
Horses are sensitive, social creatures. They thrive with room to roam, friends, and a diet that supports gut health. We often say that your horse is a mirror of you, but your horse is also a mirror of its gastrointestinal tract. New Country Organics horse products help protect gut health by providing broad-spectrum probiotics and digestive enzymes, calcium, and other bioavailable vitamins and minerals.
If you're new to horse ownership, here are a few pointers:
Space Requirements: Two acres per horse with safe fencing to prevent entanglement.
Shelter Requirements: Your horse will have better health from hoof to tail if he has access to shelter. This can be in the form of a run-in shed, a bedded stall in a barn, etc. Trees offer excellent shade for summer months but can increase the risk of electrocution during a thunderstorm.
Nutritional Needs: Plenty of fresh water, healthy pasture forage grown from nutrient-dense soil, free choice salt and minerals, probiotics for an emphasis on hind gut fermenter health, and a feed/grain regiment if your horse has extra energy needs. Call or email our Customer Care Team if you need help building an organic, soy-free program for your equine.
Predators: Coyotes, bears, wild cats, buzzards, and those spooky stray plastic bags (your horse will see them before you do!).
Pests/Parasites: Flies, mosquitoes, ticks, intestinal parasites.
GO ORGANIC
- Organic means no insecticides, herbicides, or GMOs.
- Pesticides used in conventional farming such as dicamba, 2-4-D, glufosinate, and neonicotinoids can be harmful to your horse's digestive system (think of it like toxic sludge building-up in the hindgut). Want to learn more? Check out our blog! Spoiler alert: Non-GMO products still follow conventional farming practices and often still contain high amounts of these chemical residues. That's why we believe organic is the gold standard of agriculture.
GO SOY FREE
- Soy is high in phytoestrogens, which can create hormonal imbalances in developing and mature horses (likely making your entire herd's weight more difficult to regulate, among other possible issues). Learn more.
- Soy is high in phytic acid. Monogastric animals like horses, chickens, pigs, and humans don't produce the enzyme phytase. Without phytase, phytic acid can block uptake of vitamins and minerals.
- Soy is high in trypsin inhibitors. Trypsin is an enzyme that helps break down many different proteins. Inhibition of trypsin contributes to allergies (which manifest as hives, heaves, and miscellaneous skin "funks").
Our system is simple. Your herd's benefit is profound.
New Country Organics proudly offers three balanced horse feeds: Low Starch, Performance Horse, and Elite Competitor. We are also a dealer for fiber supplements such as Stance Equine Coolstance Copra and British Horse Feeds products Fibre-Beet and Speedi-Beet. These supplements can be combined with our feeds to meet your herd's unique gut health needs without over-energizing or over-saturating their diets with grains.
If you need help finding the right program for your horse or herd, feel free to give us a call at 888-699-7088 and ask for one of our equine specialists.
Ready to get your herd started? Visit our Equine Store now!
GO HOG WILD
The only thing happier than a pig in mud is a healthy pig in mud. While swine are notorious for eating anything and everything, it’s crucial to monitor what they consume and provide necessary nutrients for a balanced diet.
Here’s what else your piggies need:
Space Requirements: 400 square feet per pig. Swine are foragers, so give them plenty of room for free-range.
Nutritional Needs: Pigs are a monogastric animal, and process grains better than any other animal. In fact, the only thing they won’t eat is onions. Provide a high lysine diet for quicker feed-to-weight conversion.
Predators: Neighbors’ Dogs, Coyotes, Bears. (Sows will eat buzzards.)
Pests/Parasites: Intestinal parasites. (Probiotics help prevent these.)
How does organic approach differ?
- Space
- probiotics
- better grains.
Estimated Feed and Gain for Growing and Finishing Pigs
Daily gain, 44-270 pounds: 1.72 pounds per day Total feed required, 44-70 pounds: 689 pounds at 3 lbs. feed per pound of gain.
THEY’RE ALL EARS
Rabbits. They sure are cute. Unfortunately, they’re also prey animals, which means they’re constantly on alert. They even sleep with their eyes open to keep tabs on potential predators. Giving them a good life is all about providing them with protection and lots of protein.
Here’s what else your bunnies need:
Space Requirements: As much safe, contained space as you can give them.
Nutritional Needs: High protein feed, no kelp, no corn (the amount of corn growing media for the yeast used in New Country Organics Rabbit Feed is insignificant to the no corn prohibition). Trace minerals from Redmond Conditioner and salt.
Predators: Neighbors’ Dogs, Coyotes, Bears, Buzzards. (Rabbits live near the bottom of food chain, so they need extra protection.)
Pests/Parasites: The usual bunny diseases.
How does organic approach differ?
- Increased space.
- Probiotics.
THE SHEAR FACTS
With similar needs to their less-fluffy counterpart, the goat, your flock was born to live off the land. That means providing lots of room for browsing and grazing. Different types of sheep have different dietary needs, so be sure to read below for info specific to your herd.
Here’s what else your fleecy family requires:
Space Requirements: Eight of an acre per sheep for graze, minimum.
Shelter: Four square feet per sheep. Compostable bedding.
Nutritional Needs: A quart-sized portion of good quality organic sheep feed. Pasture – you want them to browse as much as possible. Browsing decreases parasitic infestation. Sheep require more protein in their diet. Dairy sheep need more carbs, and more starch for energy.
Predators: Coyotes, Buzzards, Bears, Neighbors’ Dogs.
Pests/Parasites: Barber pole worms treated by Lespediza, which is also showing great promise for coccidiosis. Probiotics to encourage a healthy gut, a healthy immune response and the ability to tolerate healthy loads of environmental passengers.
Caution: Play it safe with copper, particularly with wool sheep. Copper can be toxic to sheep. Do not feed sheep minerals made for other animals.
How does organic approach differ?
- Animal rotation is imperative for health and parasite control.
- No medical wormers.
- Probiotics.
Goats
NANNIES WITH NEEDS
Goats are good for many things. And they’re always good for a laugh. They’re funny – hysterical even. Keep your goats healthy and they’re sure to keep their heads, and tails, up. The key to goat health is good animal husbandry: rotation, probiotics, and browse vs. graze.
Here’s what else your tribe requires:
Space Requirements: Eighth of an acre per goat for browse, minimum.
Shelter: Four square feet per goat. Compostable bedding.
Nutritional Needs: A quart-sized portion of good quality organic goat feed. Pasture – you want them to browse as much as possible. Browsing decreases parasitic infestation. Goats require more copper and protein in their diet. Dairy goats need more carbs, and more starch for energy.
Predators: Coyotes, Buzzards, Bears, Neighbors’ Dogs.
Pests/Parasites: Barber pole worms treated by Lespediza, which is also showing great promise for coccidiosis. Probiotics to encourage a healthy gut, a healthy immune response and the ability to tolerate healthy loads of environmental passengers.
How does organic approach differ?
- Animal rotation is imperative for health and parasite control.
- No medical wormers.
- Probiotics.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE EARTH.
El secreto está en los suelos.
Healthy soil is alive, full of organic material and shaped with a structure friendly to roots that will invite plants to grow and thrive. A very simple formula for improving your soil is a wheelbarrow, a brick of coir, five gallons of water, and two bags of our organic compost. That’s all you need for a healthy, versatile starter soil, potting soil, raised beds, tree rootball comfort zone, etc. Coir is a renewable replacement for peat moss. The compost you use can be yours or ours, or ours. Water will re-hydrate the coir and create an open, comfortable structure for the organic matter of the compost. And by the way, Coir is pronounced just like it is spelled. But everyone says it differently. If you ask us about coir on the phone, just go for it and pronounce it like you read it. We’ll understand what you are talking about. Choir. Core. Coir. Are you bringing your soil back to health? Ready to go beyond simple and easy and tackle some soil complications? It’s time for a soil sample, testing and then some calculations to figure out how to properly balance your soil. We can help. Send us your soil sample. Simple or complicated, we want to help you achieve healthy, sustainable soil. From probiotics to worm-castings to humates to OMRI approved fertilizers and soil supplements we have the good stuff for your garden. Please let us know if you have a soil sample you would like us to analyze for you. Click Here to see the soil section of our online store.
These NPR links will help round out your knowledge of organic soil and how its microorganisms are closer to your gut than you may think:
Exploring The Invisible Universe That Lives On Us — And In Us The human micro-biome – the invisible immune system in our gut essential to heath – helps us to regulate the world we live in. Probiotics, the good microbes so to speak, are the way to increase our health and to fight off disease, allergies and asthma. Where do these micro-biomes come from? Click, listen and learn. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/01/242361826/exploring-the-invisible-universe-that-lives-on-us-and-in-us
Getting Your Microbes Analyzed Raises Big Privacy Issues
There are literally trillions of microbes in our bodies, and having them analyzed raises a few interesting privacy issues. The micro-biome of the gut and what role the microbes play a role in your health is presenting an array of ethical and questions. Bioethicists have expressed concerns about the implications of ones’ privacy in relation to reporting and revealing information about one’s health. Disclosing any kind of personal health information can lead to problems related to job discrimination or health insurance. But, to get the whole story, you’ll have to click the link and listen to what Harvard has to say. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/04/240278593/getting-your-microbes-analyzed-raises-big-privacy-issues
Gut Bacteria Know Secrets About Your Future
Make sure to read this article from NPR. We suspect that after digesting it, you will more fully appreciate the complexities and wide world of the micro-biome and the role microbes has on our DNA, health and overall make-up. http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/06/10/137084528/gut-bacteria-know-secrets-about-your-future