Top 4 Reasons That We Choose New Zealand Raised Lamb
Americans currently don’t eat nearly as much lamb as people in many other countries. In places like Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East, lamb is a staple and incredibly common. In the United States, most Americans eat on average a pound or less of lamb per year. But things seem to be changing - American lamb consumption is on the rise. This versatile, delicious and extremely nutritious meat is one that you’ll be really glad you added to your diet.
Also Read: Lamb Meat: An Often Overlooked Tasty & Nutritious Gem
Our lamb is raised on the North Island of New Zealand, in the incredibly beautiful foothills of Mount Ruapehu. The lambs are born and live their lives freely roaming the lush green landscape. These animals are raised by the Maori people native to New Zealand, and have been bred for generations for extraordinary taste and quality. The Maoris They graze on verdant green grass rich with nutrients and are never given any type of antibiotics or growth hormones.
1. The Land In New Zealand Is Practically Made For Raising Sheep
Lambs in New Zealand graze on some of the world’s most lush and nutrient rich pastures. The country enjoys a unique, subtropical climate that encourages animals and plants alike to flourish. New Zealand has some of the best conditions in the world for raising lamb, which might explain why their population of sheep outnumbers humans.
Cultural traditions in New Zealand make it the industry standard to raise meat humanely and naturally. New Zealand lamb is grass fed throughout its life, unlike American lamb which is often grain finished to encourage larger size and higher body fat percentage. New Zealand lambs are smaller in size, because they were allowed to grow and develop the way nature intended.
Also Read: What Makes New Zealand Raised Lamb Meat The Best Choice
2. Their Labeling Requirements Go Above And Beyond
The typical practice in New Zealand is to slaughter lambs at a slightly younger age, making the meat more tender with better flavor. They have stricter labeling requirements for lamb meat than the United States. For meat to qualify to be labeled as lamb, the animals must be younger than 12 months and without their adult incisors. America doesn’t have any labeling restrictions on age, so the meat you’re getting may be from older animals. With sheep, this means less desirable flavor and less tenderness.
3. Raising New Zealand Lamb Is Cost Effective
Because of their natural, humane ways of raising meat, New Zealand livestock is far less likely to experience disease. This means that farmers have to spend less money maintaining their animals. Furthermore, the abundance of green pastures make keeping sheep uncomplicated and cost effective. For these reasons, New Zealand lamb tends to be lower in price than the same meat sourced from America or other countries. This is not at all because it’s lower in quality. In fact, it’s much higher in quality - but lower in cost due to the harmony of raising animals in nature.
Also Read: Lamb: One Of The Most Ancient & Symbolic Meats We Eat
4. Animals In Their Ideal Habitat Leave Small Carbon Footprints
New Zealand lamb farming leaves behind a very small carbon footprint, which is one of the many reasons we source from there. Of course, we have to take the shipping into consideration. However, this only accounts for 5% of the carbon footprint - and the rest is so efficient that it easily offsets this energetic cost. The unique climate makes sustainable farming practices easy, and pastures are green year round. Sheep are able to forage and flourish on fields that are not adequate for cattle, and improve the soil quality of the land they graze. Like all of our meat, this lamb is hand cut by master local butchers.
Our Friendly & Knowledgeable Team Is Here To Help
At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.
Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar and seafood.
