diversification

Why breeding?

In 2017, I realized that a wine estate , even one with all the labels, is neither autonomous nor sustainable. This is why I wanted to diversify my activity with livestock farming in order to move towards a more virtuous agronomic model .
Reintegrating animals into the heart of a farm is essential. They consume grass or harmful insects and return as much microbiology to the soil as possible with their droppings. They recycle our waste and contribute to natural selection.

A pasture without animals is a pasture doomed to disappear .

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Mixed farming

The agronomic work on these lands is fascinating. The farm is almost self-sufficient. A rotation of crops is carried out on each plot to improve the biological activity of the soil and diversify the animals' nutrition. From April to November, they enjoy pastures and feed on grass. In winter, they are fed hay and silage, rotating between legumes and ryegrass. Animal nutrition is crucial for the quality of the meat.

Cattle

The cattle herd is made up of two noble breeds: Charolais and Salers . This allows me to offer purebreds but also crossbreeds. The Charolais has recognized beef qualities . The Salers will bring a more pronounced marbling and an intense gastronomic flavor. The crossbreeding of the two breeds proves interesting to combine these qualities but also other specific attributes, particularly for calving .

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"The grass that grows in the Morvan is not the same as that which grows in the Charolais or Bresse regions. The meat will also inevitably be different. But clearly, we care more about the well-being of a bunch of grapes than that of a cow."

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Sheep

The females are the result of a cross between two breeds : the Limousin , which has a high hardiness, and the Suffolk, whose breeding and dairy qualities, as well as their beef production, are well-known. My rams are pure Charolais with beef production qualities that allow for a mild and delicate taste. They have little fat, which contributes greatly to the delicacy of the meat . The lambs are therefore the product of half-Suffolk, half-Limousin mothers, and 100% Charolais fathers.

We refuse to work with partners who only want fillet and ribs. Where is the respect for the animal in marketing only a tiny fraction of its meat? We have the privilege of working in a short supply chain with local restaurateurs and caterers who share our values ​​and beliefs. Are you looking for quality meat for your menu?

Contact us for more information.

Contact
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Packages for individuals

We regularly offer for sale meat parcels from our farm , available in different formats and compositions depending on the seasons and cuts. The parcels are available to order directly online, in just a few clicks. Once your order is validated, you can come and collect it on the date indicated at the Château in Chaudenay. A great way to support sustainable agriculture and enjoy exceptional farm products , in a short circuit.

order

The farm
Armand Heitz

Located at the gates of Morvan, the farm consists of 40 hectares of crops and 140 hectares of meadows with a herd of 260 cows and 150 sheep.

Why breeding

In 2017, I realized that a wine estate , even with all the labels, is neither autonomous nor sustainable. This is how I wanted to diversify my activity with breeding in order to move towards a more virtuous agronomic model . Reintegrating the animal into the heart of a farm is essential. It consumes grass or harmful insects and returns as much microbiology to the soil as possible with its droppings. It recycles our waste and contributes to natural selection. A pasture without animals is a pasture doomed to disappear .

Polyculture

The agronomic work of these lands is fascinating. The farm is almost autonomous. A rotation of plantations is carried out on each plot in order to improve the biological activity of the soil and diversify animal nutrition. From April to November, they enjoy pastures and feed on grasses. In winter, hay and haylage with rotation between legumes and ryegrass. Animal nutrition is crucial for meat quality.

Cattle

The herd of cattle consists of two noble breeds: Charolais and Salers . This allows me to offer pure breeds but also crosses. Charolaise has recognized beefy qualities . The Salers will for its part provide a more marked marbling and an intense gastronomic flavor. The crossing of the two breeds proves interesting to combine these qualities but also other specific attributes, particularly for calving .

Sheep

The females come from a cross of two breeds : the Limousine , which has significant hardiness, and the Suffolk whose breeding and dairy qualities, but also beef, are recognized. My rams are pure Charolais with beefy qualities which allow them to obtain a mild and delicate taste. They have little fat, which contributes greatly to the finesse of the meat . The lambs are therefore the fruit of half Suffolk, half Limousine mothers, and 100% Charolais fathers.

“The grass that grows in Morvan is not the same as that which grows in Charolais or Bresse. The meat will also necessarily be different. But obviously, we care more about the well-being of a bunch of grapes than that of a cow. »

Animal wellbeing

At the estate, animal welfare is as important as environmental impact. I advocate reasoned and responsible breeding , as opposed to industrial breeding and its excesses. In France, 800,000 males per year are exported to Italy to be fattened there at a lower cost. The meat of females is in the minds of many buyers more tender than that of males. We have chosen to market young uncastrated males in order to avoid this deportation and this ecological aberration .

Distribution

We refuse to work with partners who only want fillet and ribs. Where is the respect for the animal in only putting a tiny part of its meat on the market? We have the privilege of working directly with local restaurateurs and caterers who share our values ​​and beliefs. We also offer boxes of different formats and pieces for individuals .