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Missouri farmer finds place in livestock industry raising Texas Longhorns.

Mindy Ward, Editor, Missouri Ruralist

October 28, 2014

3 Min Read

The cattle rest under shade trees trying to keep cool amid the summer heat. As Craig Bidner climbs over the wooden split-rail fence, neither a cow nor a calf stirs.

"They are very docile in nature," he says stepping down into the pasture on the other side of the fence. "It is comforting and calming just to be around them." The quietness of the cow pasture is a far cry from the busyness of the city just beyond Bidner's property line.

Bidner grew up on a farm in central Illinois. He and his wife, Joy, moved to the St. Louis area in 1989 for work, but there was a yearning to return to his farm roots. So, the couple purchased a 90-acre tract in the Wildwood area.

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Bidner wanted livestock roaming the pastures at Wild Horse Creek Farms. "I debated over Texas Longhorn cattle or American buffalo," he says. The Texas Longhorn cattle offered the greatest resemblance to his childhood farm where he raised Hereford cattle. "And from what I read," he says, "they had an easy calving process. I work off the farm, so I needed a breed that could take care of themselves."

Creative calving

St. Louis County Planning and Zoning limits the number of animal units Bidner can house on his property. So, he started small, purchasing four top end cows. "From there, I bred them to the best bulls in the country."

It is like Christmas every year during calving season, he says. Texas Longhorns come in all different colors. "I am always excited to see what God is going to create in the next calf," Bidner says. One thing he tries to ensure is the sex of the calf.

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Bidner often uses sexed-semen. "Heifers are more marketable," he explains. "Bulls are just harder to sell, so I AI with sexed semen." Eight calves have been born on the property; six have been heifers. He retains the best heifers and sells the rest.

The market for Texas Longhorn cattle does not follow traditional beef markets. Most animals are sold by private treaty or at auctions for breeding purposes. However, Bidner says the industry is moving toward marketing its beef. "Longhorn beef is very lean," he says. The beef sold ends up in more of a niche market similar to bison. "It will be interesting to see where the market goes in the coming years," he adds.

Sharing the story

As Bidner walks down the hill toward the bottom of the pasture, a car stops at the end of his driveway. "It happens often," he notes. Drivers see the cow's horns and want a photograph. But Bidner doesn't mind. "(The horns) are impressive." From tip-to-tip, a few cows in the pasture have horns that span nearly 80 inches.

Bidner also opens his farm up for school tours. "We want them to know how our farm works," he says. "We live so close to the city that I believe it is part of our obligation to show them how we operate." He does not want others to judge the Texas Longhorn by its horns. "While it makes the cow look intimidating," Bidner adds, "they are really a great breed to have on the farm."

About the Author(s)

Mindy Ward

Editor, Missouri Ruralist

Mindy resides on a small farm just outside of Holstein, Mo, about 80 miles southwest of St. Louis.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism, she worked briefly at a public relations firm in Kansas City. Her husband’s career led the couple north to Minnesota.

There, she reported on large-scale production of corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and dairy, as well as, biofuels for The Land. After 10 years, the couple returned to Missouri and she began covering agriculture in the Show-Me State.

“In all my 15 years of writing about agriculture, I have found some of the most progressive thinkers are farmers,” she says. “They are constantly searching for ways to do more with less, improve their land and leave their legacy to the next generation.”

Mindy and her husband, Stacy, together with their daughters, Elisa and Cassidy, operate Showtime Farms in southern Warren County. The family spends a great deal of time caring for and showing Dorset, Oxford and crossbred sheep.

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