 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
On point
Biltmore Estate works with Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op to install custom cattle handling system
| By Glen Liford |
12/23/2020 |
When most people think of Biltmore Estate, they picture the massive mansion for which the property is known. The elegant home — the largest private residence in the United States — sits in the midst of a massive 8,000-acre property, much of which consists of managed forest. At its peak, the estate consisted of some 125,000 acres. Today, the home is surrounded by lush gardens and elaborate landscaping that draw millions of visitors to the Western North Carolina mountains year-round.
Many visitors don’t realize the property also contains a thriving agricultural operation that includes lamb, swine, and beef operations, along with the Biltmore vineyard.
The bounty from these endeavors end up in the seven gourmet restaurants on the property, as well as providing gourmet beef for biltmoreshop.com, the organization’s mail order business, and for sales to employees. The farming operation carries on the environmental legacy of Biltmore founder George Vanderbilt.
“The original intent of the Biltmore estate was to create a sustainable agriculture enterprise like George had seen in the countryside of France, says Biltmore Director of Agriculture Kyle Mayberry. “Those estates grew everything they needed on the property, and that’s the vision he had for this place.”
In the early days of the farm, the Biltmore ag production wasn’t specialized, explains Kyle. The venture had a large vegetable garden, a tree nursery for ornamentals and replacement stock, as well as a large “piggery,” chicken hatchery, and dairy operation. By the 1930s, Biltmore had focused its efforts on the dairy business and had a milking herd of some 1,800 Jersey cows. Their genetics were well known and desirable, and the Biltmore brand thrived throughout the region. A changing market took its toll on the dairy through the years, and the herd was dispersed and the business sold to Pet, Inc., in 1983. The dairy’s main milking barn is now home to the Biltmore Winery.
The Biltmore estate has been customers of Smoky Mountain Farmers Cooperative’s Waynesville, N.C. store for more than 20 years. This past year to 18 months or so, Biltmore staff has utilized the services of Smoky Mountain Farmers Co-op employees like David Majors, Frederick Shelton, and Crystal Greene and Faithway Alliance Customer Sales Leader Will Phillips to design and create an efficient cattleworking setup. The staff has also called on the Co-op for advice on beef and lamb rations and have worked with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Nutritionists Todd Steen and Royce Towns and Livestock Specialist Landon Backus. They use a variety of Co-op feed in their operation for specific purposes.
“We have roughly 300 black Angus mama cows,” explains Kyle. “We raise replacement females, develop bulls, and finish cattle. We keep everything. Most [producers’] relationship with their calves end at weaning. Ours is just beginning. At any point, we have 650 to 700 head of cattle.”
Biltmore Livestock Manager Eric Ellis began working with the enterprise in November 2019. He previously worked for TFC as a Production Livestock Specialist assigned to work with Sevier Farmers Cooperative. He originally started the project as he was still working at the Co-op and servicing and calling on the Biltmore account before he was hired by the organization.
The barn where the initial system is installed was one of the dairy’s historic barns. The structure was originally built in the 1930s, but it burned in the 1970s and was rebuilt to the original specifications. Restrictions due to the historical nature of the barn required the Co-op crew to be creative as they designed a working system that would be efficient and safe for both animals and workers. After taking detailed measurements, Will went to work drawing out the system on paper. The first step was to concrete the floor of the old barn.
“When we came in here, this was a dark, cramped area with very specific space limitations,” says Will. “It was designed to be a cattle working facility. We knew where we wanted the cattle to come in, and we knew where we wanted them to exit. And we had to build the system to take advantage of those existing entries and exits. We couldn’t alter the building.”
And, like with all customers, the design had to accommodate specific budget constraints, adds Will. To make the best use of funds, the design uses super heavy-duty panels and gates near the barn, while some lighter gauge pieces have been incorporated into the areas farther away in the holding pens.
“That’s the advantage to using our Metal Fabrication Plant in LaVergne,” he says. “We can make custom sizes where it’s necessary. The end result is very functional.”
The highlight of the setup includes an Arrowquip Q-Power 106 Series hydraulic cattle squeeze chute. The unit features convenient access, a full parallel squeeze that narrows from front to back, and swing-away side exit doors. Accompanying sweep panels round out the system.
“This system is much safer for the staff and the animals,” says Eric. “That was our goal when we started the project. And it truly is much more efficient. We can sort cattle from a single lane into seven different pens, and then run them through the barn to the working facility as needed. After we get started, one person can maneuver the cattle while the other guys do the vaccinating, castrating, or whatever they’re doing.”
The Biltmore staff emphasizes they work with a lot of valued vendors, but they say they value the relationship with the Co-op staff and level of service they provide.
“The biggest reason we chose Co-op for this project was their wide array of specialty,” says Kyle. “If we need an equipment specialist, they have Will. If we need a nutritionist, they have Todd and Royce. They offer us options, and it’s not ‘This is what we sell, if you don’t want it, we don’t have anything to offer you.’”
They’re justifiably pleased with the system they installed and how it works.
“My boss says we have the nicest cattle working chute in the United States,” says Kyle. “I say, ‘Well, we should. We’re Biltmore.’ We do a lot of tours around here, and we have cattlemen’s groups coming in. They always want to see our working system. If you’ve got a chute worth showing, that is a feather in our cap.”
Biltmore beef and other products can be purchased online at https://www.biltmoreshop.com and more information on Biltmore livestock you can email livestock@biltmore.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|