Horns N Hooves

🐄 Horns and Hooves: The Highland Cattle Podcast Are you tired of sorting through bad advice about raising Highland and Highland Cross cattle? Do you need practical, proven strategies to make smart decisions for your farm? You've come to the right place! Welcome to Horns and Hooves , the podcast dedicated to being your go-to source for all things Highland and Highland Cross cattle. Join your hosts, Lori Racicky (from Creekside Highland Haven) and Taylor Hauser (from Hausers Homestead). We started this podcast because we learned the hard way - through our own mistakes and by trusting the wrong advice. We know what it's like to feel all alone, juggling costly decisions and second-guessing every move. The good news is: You don't have to anymore! What We Cover: We dive into topics that truly matter to the everyday cattle owner, offering real stories a

Horns N Hooves is a education podcast hosted by Lori Racicky & Taylor Hauser, with 34 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Lori Racicky & Taylor Hauser hosts Horns N Hooves, a education show with 34 episodes published.

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  Episode #33

  Emus, Highland Cows & The Lamborghini Chicken | With Graeme Cowie, Cowie's Cows

  Sep 11, 202646 min

  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/ 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/

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  Episode #32

  The Hard Lessons Of Year One: A Colorado Rancher's Story With Jessica Hoyt, Hoyt Miniature Cattle Company

  Sep 4, 202646 min

  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_ 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/

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  Episode #31

  Cattle Scams, Stolen Photos & How To Protect Yourself — With Katy Cowell, BBB Midwest Plains

  Aug 28, 202647 min

  Cattle scams are getting worse, more sophisticated, and harder to spot and they're hitting both buyers and sellers. This week Lori and Taylor are joined by Katy Cowell, multimedia specialist with the Better Business Bureau Midwest Plains, to break down exactly what's happening in the Highland and mini Highland world, how to protect yourself before you send a single dollar, and what to do if you've already been hit. From fake Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of members to wire transfer fraud and AI-generated calf photos that look completely real, this episode is essential listening for anyone buying or selling livestock online. Key Takeaways Always reverse image search photos of animals before sending any money - scammers steal photos from real farms and there are two victims every time. Search any seller name plus "BBB scam" before purchasing. A free BBB business profile gives your farm an extra layer of verified credibility with buyers. If you've already sent money, call your bank immediately - wire transfers can sometimes be stopped. A Highland calf selling for $500 is a scam. Full stop. Episode Highlights Taylor shares how scammers stole photos of her children and husband and posted them as their own family and how Facebook's response was basically nothing. Katy walks through a real 2024 case from Broken Bow, Nebraska where a legitimate mini Highland farm was impersonated and multiple buyers lost money. The team breaks down the tells: fake commenting networks, groups with "adoption" in the name, pressure to send money fast, and why AI can now make a hamster look like a Highland cow. Plus how to report scams via the BBB Scam Tracker and get your own free business profile. Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome & why scams are the topic today 01:02 — How cattle scams work and who gets hurt 02:03 — BBB tips: stop, verify, reverse image search 03:16 — Facebook groups and how to tell the real ones from the scam ones 04:09 — BBB Scam Tracker: what it is and how to use it 05:17 — Taylor's story: her children's photos stolen and used by scammers 06:14 — How BBB vets complaints and protects legitimate farms 09:25 — What cattle scams look like in 2024 — the Broken Bow, Nebraska case 13:48 — How to pay safely: credit cards, wire transfers and what to avoid 16:34 — Payment red flags and what to do if you've already sent money 19:34 — The tells of a scam Facebook group 22:40 — Price is always a red flag — Highland calves don't sell for $500 25:09 — How to use the BBB Scam Tracker to research a seller 28:10 — Farm equipment auction scams: $250,000 in reported losses 33:00 — What new buyers get wrong about the mini Highland world 39:16 — Not every bull should stay a bull — the steering problem 47:19 — Where the Highland community reports scams today 48:13 — How to create a free BBB business profile for your farm Report a scam or create your free farm profile at www.bbb.org/scamtracker 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/

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  Episode #30

  The UK Farm That Reinvented Itself With Highland Cattle | With Fiona Wilson, Dumble Farm

  Aug 14, 202642 min

  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/

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  Episode #29

  Emergency Kits, Scam Warnings & Hard Truths About Cattle Safety | With Jessie & Eva, Sugar Creek Acres

  Aug 7, 202649 min

  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/

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