As spring deepens in the rolling, wooded pastures of Owensville, Missouri, Horstmann Cattle Company comes alive—not just with the excitement of calving season, but with the quiet, vibrant arrival of Missouri’s native wildlife. Nestled within native grasses, oak woodlands, and cool spring-fed creeks, this regenerative farm is a living landscape where livestock and wildlife thrive together in harmony.
The Return of the Killdeer: Spring’s Feathered Ambassadors
One of the most charismatic signs of spring is the sharp, high-pitched call of the killdeer (Charadrius vociferus), echoing across Horstmann’s open pastures and gravel paths. These slender, long-legged birds are among the earliest nesting species to return, and their distinctive "broken-wing" act—performed to lure predators away from their camouflaged nests—is a staple of Missouri’s springtime scenery.
Killdeer favor the kind of well-managed, lightly disturbed spaces that Horstmann’s rotational grazing practices help maintain. Rather than tilling or overgrazing, Horstmann lets nature set the pace, creating ideal conditions for these ground-nesters to safely raise their young in native pastures dotted with warm-season grasses and wildflowers.
Spring’s Wild Chorus: From Bobwhite Quail to Songbird Serenades
Another iconic resident, the northern bobwhite quail, begins calling in earnest by mid-spring. The male’s shrill “bob-WHITE!” whistle carries through the morning mist, signaling not only territory but the return of another nesting season. Thanks to the farm’s mix of tall grass cover, brushy hedgerows, and diverse edge habitat, these once-declining birds are finding space to rebound.
Migratory songbirds—like the vivid Baltimore oriole, the warbling vireo, and the yellow warbler—fill the woods and fence lines with color and song. Many of these birds rely on the native vegetation for food and nesting, including saplings and flowering shrubs that flourish in Horstmann’s regenerative model. By avoiding pesticides and synthetic inputs, the farm ensures a buffet of native insects—critical for feeding hatchlings during this crucial window.
New Life on the Ground: Calves, Fawns, and More
Of course, spring wouldn’t be complete without the arrival of new calves. Horstmann’s Longhorn, Corrientes, and South Poll cattle begin calving in early spring, dotting the landscape with energetic, wobbly-legged youngsters that thrive on native forage. Because the farm uses mob grazing—short, intense bursts of grazing followed by long rest periods—the soil builds organic matter, grasses flourish, and the entire ecosystem becomes more resilient each year.
Nearby in the shade of a woodland edge, a white-tailed deer fawn may lie perfectly still, its spotted coat blending into last year’s leaves. These native herbivores often birth in the same secluded areas that are lightly grazed or temporarily rested, proving again how livestock and wildlife coexist under regenerative principles.
Wetland Wonders: Frogs, Muskrats, and Mallards
Spring rains fill the low-lying pockets of the farm, forming temporary wetlands that provide rich breeding grounds for amphibians like spring peepers and chorus frogs. Their nighttime symphony competes with the honks of passing geese and the splash of mallards in small ponds. Muskrats also become more active, swimming along the edges and diving beneath the surface to build and repair their lodges.
These wetland areas, supported by the farm’s thoughtful water management, play a critical role in attracting biodiversity while naturally filtering runoff and supporting soil health.
A Living Landscape in Motion
At Horstmann Cattle Company, spring is more than just a season—it’s a visible reminder of nature’s resilience. Every hatchling, every sprouting plant, and every emerging calf is a product of a farming system built not on extraction, but regeneration. Through low-impact, rotational grazing, native plant stewardship, and habitat conservation, the Horstmann family isn’t just raising cattle—they’re stewarding a Missouri landscape where wild and domestic life can flourish side by side.
As the days grow longer and the grasses rise, the farm becomes a living classroom, a field guide, and a sanctuary—all rolled into one. Whether you’re listening for the piercing call of the killdeer or watching a bobwhite dart across the grass, spring at Horstmann Cattle Company is a moment of wonder grounded in the quiet success of working with nature, not against it.