Why Highland Beef Has A Waiting List From Green Bay To Chicago | With Robin Schmahl, Century Farms Beef

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 TakeawaysHighlands 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 HighlightsRobin 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.Timestamps00:01 — 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 waitingConnect with our guest: https://www.facebook.com/CenturyFarmsGrassFedBeef/Order Highland beef at www.centuryfarmsbeef.comFollow 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: @HornsnhoovespodcastWebsite: hornsnhoovesauction.comProduction Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/