A Scotsman walks onto a 35-acre ranch near Denver with a dog boarding business, no farming background, and a soft spot for the cattle he grew up watching through his parents' kitchen window back in Scotland. Four years later, Graeme Cowie of Cowie's Cows has Highland cattle, a Holstein Highland cross, 19 emus, fainting goats, Nigerian dwarfs, rare black chickens worth more than most people's cars, ducks, two Romanian Bukovina shepherd dogs, and a waiting list for ranch visits from people flying in from across the country.

This episode is pure joy - practical, funny, and packed with things you genuinely didn't know before you pressed play.

Key Takeaways

Emus make surprisingly effective livestock guardians - they'll chase off dogs, foxes and coyotes and their middle toe can do serious damage.

People with Alpha-Gal syndrome - a tick-borne meat allergy- can eat emu because it's a ratite, not a mammal.

Fencing is always the number one regret of new livestock owners - three strand is never enough.

Ayam Cemani chickens are one of the rarest breeds in the world with an estimated global population of just 3,500 and Graeme has 30.

Bull leases are a great income stream on a small operation if you have a bull with proven temperament and conformation.

Episode Highlights

Graeme explains what happens when you let emus free range near visitors wearing jewellery and why dangly earrings are a genuine biosecurity risk.

The story of Wallace the bull, who has never met a cow he doesn't like and has been on bull lease to happy customers across Colorado.

The Ayam Cemani chicken - all black including organs, bones, and meat, described as the Lamborghini of chickens.

Plus Graeme holding up an emu egg the size of a Nerf football live on camera while Lori completely loses her mind about it.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & intro to Cowie's Cows
00:52 — How a dog boarding business led to a Highland fold
02:23 — Why Graeme chose Highlands — Scotland, his dad's paintings, a Celtic festival
03:39 — Getting started: Fiona, Wallace, and the first calves
05:19 — The Holstein Highland cross calf nobody expected
07:20 — Calving in the pasture with 12 head — what works on a small operation
08:44 — Feed costs, drought and hay going from $75 to $195 a bale
09:48 — Agritourism: how Cowie's Cows gets found nationwide
11:13 — Graduation certificates, themed visits and holiday events
13:35 — The emu deep dive: 19 emus, guardian instincts and that middle toe
15:31 — Vaccinating emus against eastern equine encephalitis — and surviving it
17:07 — Why jewellery is banned in the emu pen
18:20 — The Ayam Cemani: the Lamborghini of chickens with a worldwide population of 3,500
22:15 — Emu eggs, incubation and Colorado's humidity problem
24:08 — Fainting goats, Nigerian dwarfs, ducks and one black sheep
29:16 — Finding a vet for emus — why most won't come out
29:40 — Hoof trimming on a hydraulic squeeze chute — and Fiona's first reaction
35:26 — Fencing: the number one regret
37:04 — Electric fencing and Highland cattle — why it doesn't really work
38:14 — Calving season in Colorado: why end of September to November is the sweet spot
41:17 — ClariFly in protein tubs and fly control for the season
44:23 — Romanian Bukovina shepherd dogs and the live emu egg reveal

Book a ranch visit at www.cowiescows.com
Facebook: Cowie's Cows
Website: https://cowiescows.com/

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

She recorded this episode from the front seat of her buggy because the wifi in her house wasn't cutting it and that tells you everything you need to know about Jessica Hoyt of Hoyt Miniature Cattle Company in Collbran, Colorado. This week Lori sits down with Jessica, a fifth-generation ranching family, commercial cattle operator, homeschool mum, and mini Highland breeder, to talk about what it actually looks like to do all of this at once and do it right.

From buyer checklists and deposit philosophy to birth weight obsession and why size is the last thing that should matter in your breeding decisions, this one is packed with the kind of practical, no-fluff advice that only comes from someone who's lived every bit of it.

Key Takeaways

Send a buyer checklist weeks before pickup - not after.

Have a small pen ready, feed continuity sorted, and a vet established before the calf arrives.

Birth weight matters far more than height when choosing a bull for your chondro females.

A halter-trained animal that doesn't get consistent work will regress — you build the foundation, the buyer continues it. Keep good records - app, spreadsheet, and paper backup.

Social media creates false size expectations: most cows take their biggest growth spurt between two and three years old.

Episode Highlights

Jessica shares the hardest lesson of her first year - giving a calving heifer too much time, losing a shorty bull calf, and what she'll never do again.

The conversation covers her payment philosophy - flexible deposits, case-by-case compassion, and why a good home matters more than rigid terms.

Lori and Jessica compare notes on feed costs, drought conditions, record-keeping apps, and why not every bull should be collected.

Plus Jessica recording the whole episode from the front seat of her buggy in the Colorado heat because her wifi gave out.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & intro to Hoyt Miniature Cattle Company
03:05 — Colorado roots, fifth-generation ranching and how Highlands found her
04:22 — From 300 commercial pairs down to 100 — and why
06:39 — Working full time, homeschooling, and managing the herd
07:51 — Feed costs, drought and hay at $400 a ton
10:21 — The addiction is real - why buyers always come back for more
12:57 — Social media's false narrative and unrealistic size expectations
14:51 — What Jessica tells every buyer before pickup
16:18 — Stranger danger is real - how calves respond to new owners
18:06 — Socialisation: what breeders can do and what buyers must continue
25:44 — Horns and herd hierarchy - why even tame cows are dangerous in groups
27:11 — Sending weekly training videos to buyers before pickup
33:08 — The hardest lesson: losing a shorty bull calf in year one
36:07 — Building a local support circle - her two-mile-away neighbour pulled a calf with a baby on her back
37:48 — Size expectations vs reality: where the breed actually matures
40:45 — Birth weight over height - what people get wrong about bull selection
43:49 — Wait list, deposits and a flexible payment philosophy
47:28 — There's more than one right way - stop telling people they're wrong
49:58 — Scours, vaccinations and location-specific health challenges
52:42 — Record keeping: apps, Excel and always have a backup

Visit Hoyt Miniature Cattle Company at www.hoytminiaturecattlecompany.com
Instagram: @hoyt_miniature_cattle_company_

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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/

This week Horns N' Hooves leaves the country. Lori sits down with Fiona Wilson - Farmer Fi of Dumble Farm in East Yorkshire, England, where a dairy farming crisis became the foundation for one of the UK's most awarded Highland cattle experiences. From milking cows at age nine after her dad lost his arm in a farm accident, to building a conservation project, a Highland cow safari, cow cuddling sessions, a campsite, a vineyard tour, and their own bar - Fiona's story is one of the most remarkable reinventions in farming.

This episode is packed with perspective on what it means to use Highland cattle as genuine conservation grazers, how to train cows to cuddle complete strangers, and what British farming can teach American Highland owners about community, creativity, and thinking beyond the pasture.

Key Takeaways

Highland cattle are uniquely suited to conservation grazing - their behaviour, size, and love of standing water creates habitat that endangered ground nesting birds need.

Training cuddle cows takes up to a year of consistent routine before they trust the process.

Even the tamest Highlands are unpredictable in a herd hierarchy - stay low, stay alert.

Cow sponsorship is a brilliant income stream that connects people globally to conservation work.

Diversification saved Dumble Farm - agritourism, glamping, a bar, and a vineyard partnership all grew from one idea.

Episode Highlights

Fiona shares how TikTok videos of grooming their Highlands started a business they never planned and how an 87-year-old from Hawaii now flies over every year to visit her sponsored cow.

The story of the lady from Singapore who had never seen a cow, got a train from London to Yorkshire, and made straw angels in the cuddle pen.

How the Dumble Bus safari was built out of old farm parts with brushes on the sides so cows could scratch themselves on the way past.

Plus a goat that got into a guest's car and ate their biscuits.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & introducing Dumble Farm, East Yorkshire
00:25 — Four generations of dairy farming and losing it all
01:21 — The flooding crisis that forced a complete change of direction
01:44 — Conservation grazing and choosing Highland cattle
02:24 — TikTok, grooming videos and the business that appeared by accident
04:18 — What makes Dumble Farm's Highlands so tame
05:56 — Full pedigree registered Highlands and where they came from
07:14 — The UK's green landscape versus Nebraska's drought
08:47 — How Highlands cool off: paddling, puddles and standing water
11:30 — The Dumble Bus safari and how it was built
13:17 — Conservation for lapwing, curlew and ground nesting birds
15:17 — How Highland cattle physically create bird habitat
18:32 — What Fiona wishes she'd known getting started
20:06 — The danger of horns in a friendly herd hierarchy
22:27 — Training cuddle cows: routine, patience and a full year of practice
26:44 — Goats in the campsite car park — and inside guest cars
31:31 — Glamping, the Boozy Coo Bar and the vineyard tours
33:01 — Work-life balance when your farm is also your home
35:23 — Highland cow sponsorship and the Moo Book page
37:17 — International visitors flying in to see their sponsored cow

Book an experience or sponsor a cow at www.dumblefarm.com

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/

Cattle safety is one of those topics everyone knows matters and almost nobody talks about honestly until something serious happens. This week Lori sits down with Jessie and Eva from Sugar Creek Acres in Montpelier, Virginia, and Jessie shares the story that changed how she thinks about being in the field: a calm, bottle-raised bull she trusted with her life put a horn through her leg, and the recovery took five months.

This is not a scare story. It's a practical, honest conversation about what every Highland owner needs to think about - from emergency kits and tourniquets to never turning your back on a bull, no matter how tame.

Key Takeaways

Even the calmest bottle-raised bull can be unpredictable - no exceptions.

Always have a tourniquet, gauze and scissors accessible on your person when working cattle.

Never go out to the pasture alone - always let someone know where you are.

New mothers you don't know well are as dangerous as any bull, especially in the first hours after calving.

A halter-trained cow in a large herd can become a swarming hazard - more tame doesn't always mean more safe.

Episode Highlights

Jessie walks through the moment her bull Odie put a horn through her leg — not out of aggression, but out of protectiveness and what the five months of recovery really looked like.

Lori shares her own story of being trapped under a new mother heifer in the dark with her husband unable to get the truck door open.

The conversation covers Facebook scam groups, how to spot a fraudulent wire transfer, and which groups are actually trustworthy.

Plus Lori's 96-year-old grandpa, still farming alone, and how she found him under his pickup in 100 degree heat.

Timestamps

00:01 — Welcome & intro to Sugar Creek Acres
00:32 — How a mini donkey started it all
01:27 — Girl math: from four to 214 cattle
04:00 — What they wish they'd known getting started
05:20 — Infrastructure: barns, water, and being prepared
07:14 — Getting their first Highland, Odie, as a bottle baby
07:57 — Jessie's story: the horn injury that changed everything
10:21 — What to carry in your emergency kit at all times
18:39 — Lori's heifer incident: trapped under a cow in the dark
22:00 — When halter-trained cattle become a safety hazard
23:41 — Electric cattle prods, sticks, and staying safe in the field
25:59 — Bottle babies: why Sugar Creek Acres doesn't do them
29:45 — Herd size, downsizing and recipient cow programs
38:10 — Facebook scam groups and how to protect yourself
40:51 — Wire transfer fraud: a real story from the community
43:25 — Trusted Facebook groups for Highland buyers

Visit Sugar Creek Acres at www.sugarcreekminis.com

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/

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

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

Find us on:
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TikTok: @Hornsnhoovespodcast
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/