FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We are committed to the Five Domains of Animal Welfare: an internationally recognized standard for optimal animal health and well-being. These standards provide a means of evaluating the welfare of our livestock, with a strong focus on mental well-being and positive experiences.

The Five Domains are:

• Nutrition – availability and quality of feed and water

• Environment – atmospheric and environmental conditions

• Health – presence or absence of disease and injury

• Behavior – restriction or expression of behavior

• Mental state – subjective feelings and experiences.
  

We ensure that the highest animal welfare standards are implemented and effectively verified. Livestock processing standards not only meet local requirements, but also exceed international specifications. Our world-renowned standards are properly verified and enforced by global and local inspectors and stringent third-party auditing. This not only ensures humane treatment of our livestock but also contributes to a higher quality finished product, as reducing stress has been found in studies to improve eating quality.

Yes! Our Spring Crossing cattle are grass-fed. Our livestock graze freely on vast tracts of rangeland and improved pastures. Grass fed cattle live free on pastures, enjoying wide-open grasslands and grazing in communal groups on their natural food, grass.

The cattle in our grass-fed organic program are never treated with antibiotic or hormones. The cattle in our grass-fed program may have been treated with hormones that are FDA approved as safe for people, animals, and the environment. Cattle will only be treated with antibiotics if they become ill, because our industry’s animal welfare standards oblige us to treat sick animals. However, since the cattle are raised in a natural environment and raised in a tropical to temperate climate, the incidence of illness is less than 1%. If the cattle have been treated with antibiotics and/or hormones, they are withheld to ensure the medicinal compounds are at the minimum safe levels or no longer present in the meat. We are committed to providing a safe product with stringent measures in place to ensure this.

Spring Crossing cattle are free-range, never confined to a feedlot, and roam on vast tracts of land. The amount of space available to each cow will vary depending on availability and nutritional content of the grass. Some cattle might have 40 acres or more each.