Traylor Spreading Services Inc., and Traylor Shavings Inc.
Location: Prairie Grove, Ark.
Owners: Mike and Marianna Traylor, their son Scott and his wife Leslie. Mike is the president, Scott serves as vice president, Marianna is the secretary-treasurer and Leslie is the secretary.
What is the history of the business?
The business began in 1976, when the Traylors began hauling and selling rice hulls and wheat straw for poultry house bedding. “We just took off with it,” said Mike, who has a background in trucking. As the poultry business evolved, so did the Traylors’ business. They began hauling and selling pine shavings as that became the more popular choice for poultry bedding.
What are the main products you sell and services provided?
The Traylors sell pine shavings in bags and in bulk, and rice hulls in bulk. They take bedding to the farm and distribute it using a conveyer belt from their large semi tractor trailers.
Shavings are also sold to horse ranches and dairy farms, and sold to nurseries or anybody else who needs them. In addition, they clean out poultry houses and sell the litter.
Separate equipment is used to haul litter and shavings in order to cut out disease; disinfecting shaving trucks also keeps from spreading disease among poultry farms.
The Traylors’ market covers five states – Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Shavings are also sold to horse ranches and dairy farms.
Mike and Scott say they like to support the agricultural business that puts food on the table. “We’re doing our part,” said Mike.
Story and Photo by Trish Hollenbeck
