Tori Company of the Year 2023

In 2023, the Company of the Year in Tori Municipality was awarded to Sepa Veised, a limited liability company engaged in beef cattle farming located in Elbu village. This year, the company was also recognized with the highest honor of the Estonian Farmers’ Union—the Best Farm award. The farm has been operating for seven years, led by Lisanna and Marko Hiiemäe. We asked them where they got the idea to become farmers and what type of cattle they raise.

Where did the desire to become farmers come from?

Initially, the plan was simply to move to the countryside, as raising children in a big city was not suitable for either of us. This created an opportunity to revive Marko’s father’s godmother’s farm. Since the farm also came with 20 hectares of land, we thought about what to do with it. The idea of beef farming began purely by chance. One day after work, a friend of Marko’s mentioned to him that he had pastures and that it would be good to raise beef cattle on the land. Marko immediately became interested. When he got home, we started googling and watching YouTube videos. We researched what beef cattle breeds exist and how to raise them.

The interest was so great that Marko immediately decided to pursue education in beef cattle farming. Gradually, we started talking to other breeders and made our choice. After a year of studying and networking, the first 13 Limousin heifers arrived at our farm from Germany, and we bought a bull at a local agricultural fair auction. The herd, along with our knowledge and skills, grew over time. We also added sheep, goats, and a horse. Looking back on all of this now, we jokingly refer to ourselves as YouTube farmers. Initially, running the farm was more of a hobby, and we never imagined it could grow into a business.

Your goal is to establish a purebred Wagyu herd. What does that mean?

Wagyu are divided into three classes:

• Fullblood (full-blooded — with roots tracing back to Japan),
• Purebred (bred from other breeds),
• Crossbred >50% (crosses where a cow of another breed is mated with a Wagyu bull).

All our animals are essentially fullblood, meaning they are purebred. Currently, there are around one hundred Wagyu in Estonia. Besides our herd of purebred Wagyu, you can count the others from different breeders on one hand. A large percentage of the animals chosen for our farm have very diverse genetics. This year, 14 Wagyu calves have been born on our farm, most of whom have different fathers.

Wagyu originate from Japan, and as is known, the country does not sell live animals. Only embryos and sperm can be obtained. Our Wagyu are sourced from Germany from several different farms where breeding has been practiced for many years. Some of the Wagyu are also registered with the Australian Wagyu Association. To engage in the breeding process, we conduct genomic testing (essentially measuring breeding values) and collaborate with advisors from Germany. Our goal is to reach 100 Wagyu Ammer cows in about five years. We aim to be the largest Wagyu farm in the Baltic States, and we are already working towards that.

What happens to the cattle you raise?

First and foremost, we focus on the sale of breeding animals, and those that do not qualify will be raised to provide consumers with quality meat.

Is it true that Lisanna has named all the cattle and recognizes them?

We generally name the animals as a family. Even friends have had a say in naming. So far, we have followed a convention where heifer calves are named based on the initial letter of their mother’s name, and bull calves are named after their father’s name. Lisanna indeed knows the names of the Limousins and Aberdeen-Angus by heart. Since the Wagyu only came in February of this year and most of them have complex name combinations with letters and numbers, or Japanese names, learning their names is ongoing. Some examples include GWG 2114Z, Yasufuki, Shigesuki, and Itosihhito.

In addition to farming, Marko manages Linnamäe Meat Industry and is also a board member of the Estonian Beef Cattle Breeders’ Association. How significant do you see your role in the development of the entire sector?

We believe that any contribution, innovative mindset, or ideas will hopefully advance the sector. This is a long process, and we probably won’t see the results until 10-15 years from now. Perhaps what we do and how we contribute to the sector will be positive and progressive.

How do you rate the Are region as a living environment?

We highly value Are as a living environment. It is an excellent place for us to live. It’s quiet here—you don’t hear car noise or city commotion when you wake up in the morning. The natural environment is beautiful—there’s plenty of air and space. You can fully experience the change of seasons here.

The children can be kids, growing up amidst nature and animals. They have plenty of room to play and run around. We can engage in what we love, which is raising animals. Are is a nice community where everyone knows each other. Almost everything necessary is available: a primary school, a library, a leisure center, children’s playgrounds, a beautiful park, etc. We appreciate all of this even more having lived in various big cities.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSh9ABlTnUc&t=24s