Reisdorfer Red Angus officially started in 2012, but our cattle roots run deep and it’s in our blood.  My Great Grandpa De Zeeuw started cows north west of Lake Benton, MN in 1950’s.  My Grandpa Koedam milked cows and ran a moderate herd of Herefords.  It was at Grandpa Koedam’s where my love for red hided cattle was nourished. Between the red Holsteins and the Herefords I had a special place in my heart for them but my passion for cattle grew as I got older. My Dad had a feedlot where we fed mainly Holsteins and as time went on my brother and I persuaded him for more color cattle instead.  Dad also had hogs and would probably say he is more of a hog man at heart, but does love seeing the calves run around and play on a sunny day. Dad would also tell anyone who asked if my brother or I preferred cattle or hogs, that we would be more willing to help a neighbor with a cattle project for the day rather than help with the hogs. 

After graduating high school in the spring of 2012 I wanted a way to get back to the farm. What we had was not big enough and I had to bring something different. In 2011, my uncle and aunt, Steve and Christina Koedam, had decided to sell the milk cows and start their own beef herd. I had helped Steve milk cows that summer and was pestering him about what cows he might want to buy and prying to see if I could run a few with them. During my early days at South Dakota State, I knew if I was going to start a cowherd and not be around for a majority of calving, it needed to be in a breed where temperament wasn’t a concern and have great mothering ability. In the winter of 2012, I got my chance and bought my first Red Angus cow from Sonstegards in Montevideo, MN. Steve and Christina started their herd that same day, too. 

Two short years after the purchase of my first cow, my brother wanted to join the adventure and also purchased a female from Sonstegards. Since then, we have been gathering females from various dispersals while trying to generate our own. Our goal in breeding cattle has been to produce cattle that are sexually correct. Females that are feminine in their design, functional in their environments, and most importantly, breeding on time every time. We prioritize the cows that do it year in and year out that have paved the way for our embryo transplant program. We will try to implant between 85-100 embryos a year giving us a more consistent and tested product to have available to our customers.  Bulls need to be sound, good footed, well structured, big testicled, and need to push down the scale. At the end of the day, we all get paid by the pound, and the more pounds that a bull can put on efficiently, puts more dollars in all of our pockets. Our bulls have gone into many different environments around the US and have held up well. We believe that great bulls derive from elite mothers—we have seen this in our own sale pen and when we select bulls for our own use.

We know we are young and the odds are against us in this business, but we are ready for it. We are passionate about raising a foundation that our families will have for years to come.  We plan to host an annual sale the first Tuesday in April every year and would love to see you there. 

God Bless, 
The Reisdorfers