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.
PICTURESQUE PAIR: It is no wonder individuals driving by Wild Horse Creek Farms often stop and take a photo of the striking cow/calf pairs that roam the pastures.
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.
COMPLIANT CALF: Craig Bidner finds Texas Longhorn calves are just as docile in nature as their mothers. The gentleness of the breed drew him to raising them on his small farm in the Wildwood area.
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."
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