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