WEST BEND, Wis., May 30, 2006 — Tropical Traditions announced this week that it was taking pre-orders on its new pastured poultry chickens raised outdoors on pasture and Cocofeed(TM). Cocofeed(TM) is an organic chicken-feed ration developed by Tropical Traditions and poultry nutritionists that contains coconut pulp as well as other high-quality natural ingredients. The coconut pulp is the residue left over after coconut oil has been extracted from the coconut meat. Cocofeed(TM) contains no soybeans, the most common ingredient in other organic chicken feeds in the US. In tropical cultures, coconut pulp residue, which is high in protein and fiber, has been a traditional feed ingredient for poultry and other livestock for many generations.
In 2005 Tropical Traditions asked several pastured poultry farmers to test their Cocofeed(TM) side by side with chickens raised on soy-based organic feed. The chickens fed the Cocofeed(TM) grew out very well, although they typically took up to an extra week to reach the same weight as those fed the soy-based feeds.
Laboratory tests on the chickens raised on Cocofeed(TM) showed something very interesting in the fat and meat: the presence of lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid found in coconut oil and human breast milk, and known to have many health benefits. With the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's recently published report (April 2006) that 55% of store-bought chicken and 100% of restaurant chicken they tested had arsenic present, and growing fears of the spread of poultry diseases such as the Avian Flu virus, Tropical Traditions believes that chickens raised outdoors with access to fresh pasture, sunshine, insects and Cocofeed(TM) will provide the health-conscious consumer with a better choice for premium poultry.
Tropical Traditions pastured poultry chickens are all raised by family farmers. These farmers run diversified farms practicing sustainable agriculture. They will rotate tracts of land with crops and other animals, or let it go fallow from time to time. When a batch of chickens is raised on a piece of pasture, typically that pasture will not see chickens again for two or more years. In the interval, crops may be grown in that pasture, or it may go fallow allowing grass to grow, die, and decompose so that the soil is kept in balance and not contaminated from too much chicken manure. So with the sale of Tropical Traditions Pastured Poultry, one is supporting small-scale family farmers and by-passing the system that produces the conventional "factory chicken." The first batches of chickens are currently on the ground in Wisconsin with a group of Amish farmers, and can be pre-ordered for delivery via the Tropical Traditions website.
Contact:
Tropical Traditions
PMB 219 – 823 S. Main St.
West Bend, WI 53095
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/pastured_poultry.htm
Brian Shilhavy – President
1-866-311-2626 ex. 807
Fax: 1-866-294-8991