PrimeTime_Fall_2018

FRENCH ENTREPRENEUR Continued from page 40

theory, his new farm should be able to grow good corn, too. “We put in pivots and I start- ed to grow corn. One of the good things about the South- east is that there are some years I am able to have three crops because I can harvest corn and sorghum. During winter, I plant grass so I can do haylage by mid-February, which gives me a lot of great silage,” Léger says. Once Léger had proved he could feed cattle in the South- east, he started focusing on the best way to improve the quality of the beef. Léger be- gan to research which breed of cattle would get him the best quality the fastest; his longtime friend and mentor, Bill Fielding, suggested that he consider Akaushi cattle. In 2011, he bought four bulls and turned them out with 100 of his Angus cows. Two and a half years later he had carcass results and was very pleased with the result. “With that average cow qual- ity and those bulls, the meat

Animal welfare is important to the staff at Châtel Farms. Animals are handled in a stress-free manner and health is checked regularly.

was really good. The flavor of the fats, really different,” Lé- ger says. “It was a no brainer; we had found a combination that was very good.” Always the businessman, Lé- ger began promoting Akaushi cattle, offering to buy calves from local cattleman who pur- chased Akaushi bulls. “I strongly

plant, selling higher-quality boxed beef and supplying it to our case ready and further processing facility in Thomas- ville, Ga. So that’s what we are going to try to do more and more – grow, feed and process fed cattle.” His next goal? To also pro- vide hormone-free, antibiotic- free Akaushi beef with full traceability. When Léger arrived in the United States in 2001, “trace- ability” wasn’t the common word that it is today, and as Léger sees the trends in the market evolve, he wants to be at the forefront, providing products that consumers want. FPL Food is the only process- ing plant in the United States that has a full traceability program. A DNA sample is taken from each animal. When the beef is DNA tested, Lé- ger’s program can tell exactly where it came from. 

believe in the Akaushi breed because of the

quality of meat,” he says. “When you look at what is the best animal in terms of mar- bling today, it’s Akaushi. There is no doubt about that. “I have been able to increase the percentage of fed cattle sup- ply coming into our processing

“I strongly believe in the Akaushi breed because of the quality of meat.”

Châtel Farms works hard to meet the consumer demand of 100 percent farm-raised, natural beef from farm to plant.

– François Léger

Akaushi Prime Time • Fall 2018

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