Raised with respect. Cared for with intention. Known from birth to table.
At J&E Meats, our animals are at the heart of everything we do. We raise them, we care for them, and we honour them. Our livelihood, our health, and the food we feed our own family all begin with them — and we take that responsibility seriously.
We believe deeply in compassionate farming, ethical animal care, and transparency at every step. Our animals are born and raised right here on our farm, and we are proud to know their lineage, their environment, and their nutrition from the moment they arrive until the day they leave.
Raised Here at Home
All of our beef, lamb, and chicken begin their lives on our farm — not purchased, not shipped in. We know each animal’s full history thanks to RFID (radio-frequency identification) tracking and meticulous records that date back generations.
What this means for you:
- guaranteed traceability
- consistent, ethical care
- healthy animals → exceptional meat
- complete transparency from birth to table
We grow 100% of their feed crops here on the farm and work with accredited veterinarians and nutritionists to ensure they receive everything they need for optimal health.
Our Heard Includes
- Purebred Canadian Limousin and Black Angus bulls for superior muscling, marbling, and yield
- Hand-selected maternal cows — many born on our farm, along with their mothers and grandmothers
- Angus influence, including a purebred Black Angus bull added in 2021 to expand our offerings
What This Means
- Our cattle produce double-muscled calves
- This results in beautifully marbled beef with optimal tenderness and juiciness
- Every cut delivers exceptional flavour
- All of this contributes to premium, high-yield cuts that stand out in both quality and consistency.
Our Breeds
- Purebred Rideau Arcott
- Rideau/Charolais Cross
- Suffolk influences
These diverse breeding groups give us excellent mothering traits, strong lambing performance, and high-quality meat characteristics.
Breeding Philosophy
We operate a closed flock, meaning we never bring in outside animals (other than carefully selected, registered rams). This safeguards flock health, ensures genetic stability, and guarantees that every animal is truly born and raised on our farm.
How We Raise Them
We raise our chickens seasonally from day-old chicks in a temperature-controlled barn designed for natural airflow and abundant natural daylight.
No artificial lighting, no accelerated growth — just fresh feed, clean water, and quality care every single day.
Certified & Inspected
We are fully certified to raise chicken under the Artisanal Chicken Program through the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.
Our operation is regularly inspected, audited, and approved, ensuring we meet high standards for animal welfare, food safety, and responsible production.
What Our Animals Eat
One of the questions we’re asked most often.
We grow virtually all of our feed on the farm, and every ration is designed with input from our veterinarian and nutritionist to meet the needs of each group — mothers, calves, finishing cattle, lambs, or poultry.
Their Diet Includes
- Grass, hay, and haylage
- Cover crops like rye, peas, oats, sorghum grass
- Corn silage (entire plant chopped — a nutrient-dense forage)
- Cracked corn and corn by-products
- Distillers grains (ethanol by-product — otherwise landfill waste)
- Spent brewery grains from Sons of Kent Brewery in Chatham, ON
- Free-choice mineral & salt
- Fresh, clean, automatically supplied water
Our chickens eat a corn and soy–based ration made here on the farm using crops we grow ourselves.
Where Our Animals Live
Our animals live here on the farm — with us — year-round.
Cattle Housing
Our barns are engineered for comfort and efficiency, with two styles of open feed bunks:
- Ground bunks that mimic natural grazing
- J-bunks in our older barns to reduce feed waste
We push up feed nightly to ensure multiple fresh offerings each day.
Sheep Housing
Our sheep barn features:
- open sides with adjustable curtains
- controlled airflow
- insulated, heated lamb nursery
- electric ventilation designed for disease prevention
As a multi-species farm, we have strict biosecurity measures to protect all herds and flocks.
Chicken Housing
Our chicken barn is temperature controlled with natural airflow, automatic water, and even heat to balance temperature. We take ammonia readings weekly, to ensure our flock health.
