Most people in the Highland world are focused on mini cows, pet-friendly calves, and coat colour. Robin Schmahl of Century Farms Beef in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin is doing something completely different and he's been doing it since 2000. This week Lori sits down with Robin to talk about raising 160 Highland cattle across three herds on 100 rotationally grazed acres, building a loyal customer base from Green Bay to Chicago, and why Highland beef sells itself once people taste it.

If you've been wondering what to do with your bulls, your culls, or your steers beyond the sale barn, this episode will change how you think about it.

Key Takeaways

Highlands are ready for slaughter at two and a half to three years on grass-fed, grass-finished programs — slower than commercial breeds but worth the wait.

Highland beef is higher in omega-3s, leaner than Angus, and has customers with corn allergies and stomach sensitivities specifically seeking it out.

Pricing by the cut rather than just by the quarter opens your market to more buyers.

Word of mouth and a good website are enough to build a serious beef business.

Not every bull needs to stay intact, steers can be finished for beef and are often better priced than the sale barn suggests.

Episode Highlights

Robin explains why he describes Highland beef as a "sweeter" meat — and why a chef confirmed that's an actual industry term.

The conversation covers how Century Farms handles custom cut orders, why they absorb none of the processing cost, and how they supplement cuts between animals so customers get exactly what they want.

Lori and Robin compare fly strike management — including Robin's go-to Catron spray that eliminates the problem in one application.

Plus the steer who headbutts you with his horns when you stop petting him.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & intro to Century Farms Beef
00:36 — Four generations of dairy farming and switching to Highlands
01:27 — The benefits of Highland cattle for beef production
02:17 — Registered versus unregistered and why it doesn't matter for beef
03:55 — What Highland beef actually tastes like
05:00 — Customer base: Green Bay to Chicago, word of mouth only
07:14 — Why too many bulls is a problem the Highland community needs to address
08:04 — Grass-fed, grass-finished and why it takes longer
08:53 — Herd size: 160 head across three herds, 100 acres rotational
09:58 — USDA inspection, quarters, halves and custom cuts
13:31 — Marketing: website, Facebook, and word of mouth only
15:33 — Custom cut orders and how Robin supplements between animals
17:15 — Customers with corn allergies and health reasons for choosing Highland
18:01 — Passers-by stopping to watch — and one who painted them
20:25 — Calving year-round and managing fly strike with Catron spray
25:32 — Bottle calves, hutches and when to pull a calf
31:38 — Steering bulls and why it matters for the breed
36:42 — Pricing: $4.25/lb hanging weight, $7/lb ground beef
38:37 — Why he chose middle-of-the-road pricing to grow the business
40:27 — Four generations on the farm and a fifth and sixth waiting

Connect with our guest: https://www.facebook.com/CenturyFarmsGrassFedBeef/

Order Highland beef at www.centuryfarmsbeef.com

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Website: hornsnhoovesauction.com

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What does it actually take to raise Highland and High Park cattle in Central Florida - forty-five minutes north of Orlando, in year-round humidity and heat? This week Lori sits down with Bennye of Happy Meadows Farm in Oviedo, Florida to talk about starting small and doing it right, running farm tours by appointment, and the very real reality of keeping fluffy cattle alive and comfortable in a climate that was never designed for them.

From embryo take rates to shaving belly hair to portable AC units in the barn, this episode is packed with practical knowledge for anyone raising Highlands in a warm climate or anyone who's wondered why their calves aren't shedding the way they expected.

Key Takeaways

Know your large animal vet, a backup vet, and your nearest large animal hospital before you ever need them.

Shave the belly first in heat — releasing core temp from underneath is more effective than hosing the back.

High parks tolerate Florida heat significantly better than high percentage Highlands.

Embryo take rates average around 30-50% — waiting to confirm at 60 days rather than 30 reduces false positives.

Farm tours are a great desensitisation tool for calves and make them far more pet-friendly when they go to their new homes.

Episode Highlights

Bennye explains how she keeps Highland cattle alive and thriving in Florida's brutal humidity with shade, sprinklers, fans, and portable AC.

Lori and Bennye compare embryo programs — surrogates, take rates, and why five out of thirty was a painful lesson.

The conversation covers agritourism insurance in Florida, how to prep buyers before a farm visit, and why closed-toe shoes are non-negotiable.

Plus Lori's big ass fan, and why black Highlands handle heat better than anyone expects.

Timestamps

00:53 — Getting started in 2018 with High Parks in Florida
02:42 — First calf and growing the herd
03:08 — Learning as you go and finding mentors
06:28 — What Bennye wishes she'd known from the start
11:00 — Farm tours: what they look like at Happy Meadows Farm
14:41 — Insurance, safety signs and Florida agritourism law
17:39 — How tours help socialise and desensitise calves
19:00 — Herd size, space limitations and the embryo program
25:20 — Embryo take rates and surrogate options
31:00 — Farm tours by season: why summer slows down
35:48 — Managing heat in Florida: shaving, sprinklers and shade
41:13 — Fans, portable AC and keeping calves cool overnight
48:52 — How Florida Highlands grow coat back in winter — even when it's still hot

Find Happy Meadows Farm at www.happymeadowsfarm.com
Instagram: @happy_meadows_farm

Follow us on social media so you don't miss out on any advice, auction updates, or crazy farm stories!

Find us on Facebook: Horns N Hooves Instagram: @hornsnhoovesauctionpodcast TikTok: @Hornsnhoovespodcast
Website: hornsnhoovesauction.com

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

She started in eighth grade with three heifers and a bull, went viral with 18 million views overnight, and now runs Magnolia Minis, a thriving mini and Highland cattle business in Central Illinois with close to fifty head. This week Taylor sits down with Sophia Poignant to talk about how social media changed the Highland market, why online auctions have taken over, and what it's really like to build a cattle business from scratch as a teenager.

Sophia brings a fresh, honest perspective on buying bulls, spotting scams, raising bottle calves, and why a goat named Mildred might be the best foster mom in the business.

Key Takeaways

Trust your gut with your cattle — if something looks off today, don't wait until tomorrow.

Be very cautious breeding chondro positive heifers and always research a bull's parentage and calving history before committing.

Highlands can look tiny as yearlings and still grow significantly between two and three years old.

Horn size can be a clue to actual age — watch for sellers misrepresenting how young their animals are.

If a deal looks too good to be true in the Highland market right now, it probably is a scam.

Episode Highlights

Sophia shares the moment her video hit 18 million views and how overnight virality built her business.

The story of Mildred the nanny goat who fostered a micro Highland calf for five months and wouldn't let anyone else near him.

Taylor and Sophia compare notes on the great online auction debate — private sales versus wider reach.

Plus the shower incident with a bottle-fed Angus calf that Sophia's mum did not see coming.

Timestamps

00:01 — Going viral: 18 million views and what happened next
01:31 — Starting out in eighth grade with three heifers and a bull
03:43 — Chondro genetics and sizing from the start
05:49 — Growing the herd and getting married
06:40 — Future goals: downsizing size, not numbers
09:18 — Agritourism: exploring the idea
13:39 — Hard lessons: don't second guess yourself
17:37 — How the Highland market has changed in seven years
19:13 — Private sales versus online auctions
26:15 — Mildred the goat and the micro calf she raised
33:04 — The shower, the calf and the camera roll
36:37 — The social media myth of the house cow
43:31 — Chondro bull advice and watching for age misrepresentation
47:39 — Scams: how to spot them and protect yourself

Follow Sophia at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magnolia_minis/?hl=en
TikTok: @magnolia_minis

Follow us on social media so you don't miss out on any advice, auction updates, or crazy farm stories!

Find us on

Facebook: Horns N Hooves | Instagram: @hornsnhoovesauctionpodcast | TikTok: @Hornsnhoovespodcast | Website: hornsnhoovesauction.com

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/