Outdoor Farming

Located in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, midway between the city of Quebec and the Charlevoix region, our farm is defined by its family character. We breed Mulard ducks, ideal for higher quality production. Raised outdoors according to animal welfare standards, they receive a high-quality diet, without growth hormones or antibiotics, thus meeting our values as responsible breeders, concerned about a healthy environment and the health of our customers.

Did you know ?

Small-scale duck farms reduce the carbon footprint. In addition, by favouring outdoor farming, the energy impact is reduced by natural ventilation, as is water consumption.

Diet

Diet is a key factor in ensuring the health and quality of a well-bred duck. A specific diet is given to them according to a biological framework specific to palmipedes. In addition, they naturally feed on herbs and peck at insects in our fields. Finally, we give them an all-you-can-eat cereal mix to meet their daily nutritional needs.

Foie Gras

To obtain a very good quality foie gras, we prepare a diet specific to each duck that is fed to them in a pleasant environment. Instead of feeding them a grain mixture, we give them corn (grown in Quebec), which lends a creamy taste and a pale-yellow colour to the liver. It is important to know that the fattening reflex is unique to ducks and geese and that it occurs in preparation for their long migrations. Migratory birds can double in weight in prevision for their long journey. Their esophagus is very elastic, they can swallow fish or frogs. The food is then stored in the jabot, then crushed via the gizzard and eventually stored directly in the liver. Duck liver develops according to its diet. It should be noted that during this stage, we feed the ducks individually and each one benefits from a careful observation. Also, our ducks enjoy massages, which allows us to be attentive to the proper course of their digestion. Respect for the animal’s cycle is important and in tune with our values.

A Millennial tradition and Adapted biology

Foie gras is very much present in our history, the research traces it back to 4500 years when the Egyptians observed migratory birds that went up the Nile and fed themselves to prepare for the long migration journeys. Moreover, in the age of the development of livestock, following the settling process of humans, ancient Egyptians developed the first techniques by fattening geese with figs, in order to obtain a sweet liver. Since then, the techniques have evolved and we have developed a breeding method adapted to our Alsatian traditions, one of the hotbeds of modern foie gras.