The Farm > animal well - being

 

At Chez Pépé Nicolas, we take the well-being of our animals very seriously, respecting their five basic needs (‘five freedoms’) as laid out by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee:

- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom from climatic and physical discomfort
- Freedom from hunger, thirst and malnutrition
- Freedom from fear and distress
- Freedom to express normal behaviour, specific to each species


To ensure this, we’ve implemented a number of practices for each species.


 

Goats

- Access to a variety of foods (grass, leaves and flowers), while respecting the animal’s satiety time
- Unlimited access to water during the day
- Unlimited access to a specific food supplement without favouring horned goats
- Access to a clean place for resting
- Access to a dry place in case of rain or thunderstorms
- Separation of injured goats in a quiet, clean place
- Daily care of injured goats
- 90% natural care (green clay, cade oil, essential oils, etc.)
- Minimal use of antibiotics
- Respecting natural rutting seasons and 100% natural procreation
- Manual milking, less milk to produce, less breast infections
- No addition of GMO or non-GMO cereals to stimulate production
- Ensuring that goats are up to date with mandatory and anti-parasitic vaccines
- Kids not separated from the mother at birth
- Little or no noise pollution
- The chance to develop in a suitable environment conducive to play (rocks, roof, barriers, etc.)




 

Cows

- Access to a patch of fresh grass twice a day
- Unlimited access to water during the day
- Unlimited access to a specific food supplement
- Respect for natural rutting
- Rapid treatment of sick animals
- 90% natural care
- Premium non-GMO supplement, enriched with minerals, for milking
- No or few bells, to avoid them carrying a heavy load
- Larger-than-normal pens before and after milking
- Udder care before and after milking
- Draining of rest areas
- Little or no noise
- Natural treatment of weeds present in the pens and ungrazed areas




Calves

- Total freedom
- Access to high-quality milk powder twice a day
- Access to a straw-covered and shaded area in case of sun or rain
- The company of other animals and humans





 

Pigs


- Semi-total freedom in accordance with health demands
- A rich diet with whey and non-GMO flour
- No stress during transport or due to nose-ringing
- Access to shelter in a clean and dry space in case of hot weather or rain
- Unlimited access to water
- Access to a muddy pond to bathe and play
- An area conducive to their development





 

Poultry

- Semi-total freedom in accordance with health demands
- GMO-free food twice a day
- Addition of anti-pecking solution to prevent poultry attacking each other
- Access to two ponds for ducks and geese
- Separation of injured birds in clean cages for treatment
- Two separate straw-covered areas for the evening for landfowl and waterfowl
- Protection from foxes or other predators
- Egg-laying areas separate from living quarters
- Shaded areas and hiding places
- No overfeeding



Rabbits

- Freedom during the day
- Locked in cages at night to prevent attack from predators
- Access to fresh food (grass/leaves from the garden) + non-GMO cereals
- Water bowls filled four or five times a day
- Hiding places
- Separation of pregnant females for better kindling
- No separation of the young at birth
- Clean cage that respects the smell of the animal


 

Horses and donkeys

- An enclosure offering semi-freedom and flat areas for sleeping
- Unlimited access to water in the enclosure
- Supplement in breads and/or extra cereals
- Rapid care in case of illness

 


Our team is on alert and present on the pasture 24 hours a day. Should there be a problem with the animals (escaping enclosures, giving birth, dying, etc.), we’re there.

Some of the animals on the site don’t belong to us, but our team care for them as if they were their own. We share some wonderful moments with our animals from early in the day, which means 4am.
The animals never cease to surprise us with their intelligence, their daily habits, their playful and cute characters, their memory and many other things.


We’re committed to taking care of their needs and ensuring their proper development in our mountain pasture.