Our Legacy

A History of Outstanding Livestock

In the late 1800s, George Washington Vanderbilt acquired more than 200 tracts of land in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. This property would become the 125,000-acre estate known as Biltmore.

Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted suggested farming the river bottoms of the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers with the chief aim of raising livestock whose manure could be used to improve the land. Mr. Vanderbilt took Olmsted’s advice and by 1889, the Biltmore Dairy was born. Between 1895 and 1897, Mr. Vanderbilt authorized his farm manager to purchase some notable animals from the Isle of Jersey in England. Between 1900 and 1902, Mr. Vanderbilt commissioned the construction of a new-state-of-the-art dairy barn, a structure that houses Biltmore’s Winery today.

In 1985, after nearly 100 years of successful operation, George Cecil, Mr. Vanderbilt’s oldest grandson, sold the dairy business to the Dairy Division of Pet, Inc. The best animals of the herd were sold, including one bull, Soldierboy Boomer Sooner of CGF, who subsequently sired what would become one of the greatest Jersey Bulls of the 1980s. After the sale of Biltmore’s dairy, the decision was made to move into beef cattle and 29 Black Angus heifers were purchased for the estate.

Biltmore’s Livestock Operations Today

Since the 1980s, Biltmore has continued to improve our world-class genetics and supply estate restaurants with high-quality beef products. Our herd sports impeccable maternal characteristics and supreme carcass genetics while our pasture-based system supports the long-term land management goals of the estate.

Besides responsible beef production, our hog program continues with the same heritage breed Berkshires raised during Mr. Vanderbilt’s time. Our pasture-based hogs are never confined to farrowing crates and enjoy a diverse diet of forage, white oak acorns, and commercial feed. Similarly, our Dorper Sheep and crosses have consistently produced tender, flavorful lamb products of exceptional quality. Aside from livestock, Biltmore produces silage from corn grown on the estate; other row crops are sold in the local grain market.

Biltmore Livestock is dedicated to preserving George Washington Vanderbilt’s legacy of outstanding livestock through modern and sustainable beef cattle, pork, and, lamb production on our 8,000-acre estate in Asheville, NC. We believe you will find our livestock to be of genetic superiority and an asset to any program. We are proud to continue our agricultural heritage and contribute to the greater mission of the Preservation of Biltmore as a working estate.

About the Biltmore Company

The Biltmore Company today is comprised of nearly 2,000 employees, 8,000 acres, and one mission to “preserve Biltmore as private, profitable, working estate”. We offer a luxury oasis from the busyness of daily life and invite our guests to relax and stay a while in the spirit of gracious hospitality inspired by George Vanderbilt himself.

We welcome more than 1 million visitors a year to America’s Largest Home® with its acres of historic gardens, two distinctive hotels, shopping, and fine and casual restaurants. Owned and operated by fifth-generation descendants of Mr. Vanderbilt, Biltmore plays an important role in the local tourism industry, and is one of the largest employers in the area.

In addition to our long-standing tradition of welcoming guests to Biltmore since 1895, the tradition of agriculture is an integral part of Biltmore’s story and success. Biltmore has always been, and always will be, a working estate. You can become a part of that history by purchasing our world class genetics. Learn more about the Biltmore Company here.

Sires

Females

Dorper Sheep

Biltmore® Grown

1 Lodge Street
Asheville, NC 28803

828-768-1956

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