At Seven Sons, we use simple definitions for pasture-raised and grass-fed: our grass-fed ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, bison, and goats) eat only grass and forage. Our pasture-raised non-ruminant animals (pigs and hens), get non-GMO supplemental food in addition to what they can forage on the pasture.
The reason for this distinction is that different species have different nutritional requirements. Ruminant animals thrive on grass and other foraged plants, whereas in the wild, pigs and chickens have always consumed diets rich with seeds, nuts, and grains.
However, it’s important to take a deeper look at what these terms mean, not just in definition but in practice. How regenerative farmers and industrial livestock operations work to get these labels is vastly different.
You can review our deep dive for a better understanding in this article.