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As a brief introduction to this very complex subject, studying this article is your
first important step in becoming a successful producer. We strongly urge you to do so,
followed by three other critically important steps. First, join the Northwest
Bison Association. Second, talk (preferably in person) with as many established
bison producers as possible. And third, read, re-read and study the book
The Buffalo Producers Guide to Marketing and Management, available from
the National Bison Association.
(Another valuable book is the
Bison
Breeder's Handbook, also available
from the National Bison Association.
You can check out their other offerings in the store on their web site.)
This is a good time to get into the business because the future of bison and the whole
bison industry -- from ranching to meat and by-products -- seems very bullish (pardon the
pun ...). There is a strong demand for bison meat and by-products (more than the industry
can supply); prices are consistently higher than for cattle and will remain so into the
foreseeable future. As in marketing any commodity, much depends on advertising and getting the buyer and
seller together. Part of the advertiser's job is educating the potential buyer to the
advantages of your product. Bison meat is considered superior to other meats (see the
related page "Why Eat Bison?"). It is
significantly higher in protein and lower in fat, cholesterol and calories than most other
meats, including poultry and some kinds of fish. Bison meat fits the dietary
recommendations of the American Heart Association and is being prescribed by physicians to
heart patients and others who must limit their cholesterol intake. It is accepted as a
'diet food' by several nationally recognized weight loss programs. And it tastes good too.
Some folks say " it tastes like beef wished it did" -- hearty, sweet and rich
with no gamey taste at all. If prepared properly, it's as tender as the most tender beef
available... tasty and tender and nearly fat free. Sounds almost too good to be true, but
there's more. No one, to date, has had an allergic reaction to bison meat, including
people who suffer from allergies to other meats. We're not sure why, but we suspect it may
be that bison are naturally raised. They are not subjected to questionable chemicals,
drugs and hormones. They are not force-fed in high density pens. These things make this
product very attractive to this nation's increasingly health-conscious population and
people are willing to pay a premium price for a superior product.
The primary financial advantages of raising bison as compared to raising cattle are: 1) Higher market prices, and 2) Lower expense due to several advantages:
Bison will also utilize marginal range that would starve cattle, but we recommend you give them the best you have available because, remember, you want to raise a superior product. Bison on the hoof sell for 25% to 50% higher than beef animals with the strongest demand being breeding animals at this time. The prices being paid for calves (the breeders and feeders of the future) and breeding age females indicates a confidence in the future demand for bison meat. For the past decade the demand for bison has exceeded the supply. As the demand for lean meat continues to grow, likewise the demand for bison will grow for years to come. The bison rancher who studies the market and advertises his product should have no
difficulty getting good prices for live bison, meat and by-products. Bred cows are
bringing $2,000 to $5,000. Slaughter bulls bring less. Calves sell for $800 to $2,500
depending on size, gender, and local demand. (See the related page covering auction results.) The price paid for Breeder Bulls is equal
to, and in some cases more than, the going price for heifers, which again speaks well for
the confidence in the future price of meat. And the end product is, of course, meat. Bison
meat prices have always exceeded beef prices by at least 50% , and that picture has been
gradually improving in recent years as public awareness and acceptance of the product has
increased.
The National Bison Association conducted several national market tests in recent years and learned the strongest markets and willingness to pay the highest prices were in the northeast and far west. As a high percentage of our health conscious population with large disposable incomes are concentrated in these two areas, it is not surprising to learn that is where the demand is. Few producers can ever expect to supply grocery stores with volume quantities of bison meat -- the supply simply is not there nor will we see it in our lifetime. Though bison meat does show up in major grocery chains from time to time in select locations, the period of availability is usually sporadic and the supply is always limited. Most producers shy away from chain store marketing and concentrate on the more lucrative specialty market. Specialty markets can include health food stores, weight watchers groups, delis, gourmet shops, restaurants, health-care professionals (such as dieticians) and direct-to-the-consumer sales. Direct, specialty marketing takes some time and imagination, but the financial rewards can be remarkable. Remember, one of the primary reasons people are turning to bison production is to get back in control of the market for their product. The benefits of being in control of your market are obvious, but it takes work. You must become a public relations specialist for your product, but this doesn't have to be as difficult as it sounds, as the 'romance' surrounding the subject works in your favor. Your local media frequently will help keep your operation, and therefore your product, before the public eye with feature articles and human interest stories about your bison. The American Heart Association, National Cancer Society and other respected health 'authorities' recommend dietary changes which bison meat fits like a glove. You need to target your market and then educate them with the facts. Once the facts are known, the product nearly sells itself. As already noted, bison meat is not expected to replace beef in the meat counters of
grocery stores, nor does bison directly compete with beef in the marketplace. We estimate
the total population of bison in this country to be 150,000 head. Approximately 25,000 are
maintained in the public sector in federal and state parks and refuges. The remaining
125,000 are under private ownership with many of those in the very small or 'hobby' herd
classification. It is estimated that no more than 25,000 bison go to slaughter annually.
This equates to about 12 million pounds of bison each year, which sounds like a lot till
you compare it with the 120,000 head of beef cattle slaughtered daily -- that's 60 million
pounds of beef available each day (5 times the yearly supply of
bison meat)!!! With our limited supplies, even under the most ideal of conditions, it is
unlikely there is ever going to be enough bison meat to go around. There is little fear of
bison meat flooding the market, and as consumer acceptance increases the demand for
breeding stock, meat will continue strong on into the foreseeable future.
Bison are a different-natured animal than cattle. People who have worked cattle for years and can predict what they're going to do find they can never predict what bison will do. The best advice we can give cattlemen converting to bison is to forget everything you know about cattle. It isn't going to apply to bison -- we guarantee that. In working bison, develop the philosophy of leading, not driving. Most experienced raisers keep their herds tame and manageable by treating them to special goodies periodically. They love treats like range cake or anything with molasses and will follow the goodie-wagon nearly anywhere if they are trained to it. Special treats (or even water) in the corral will get them used to going into the corral, making it easy to get them there when you want them there. Another important thing to remember is that bison have a very strong herding instinct. They stay in cohesive groups and it is very difficult (some say impossible) to cut individuals from the herd. Being a herd animal means you'll want to maintain several in your group for best results. One or two bison will not be happy and they will not thrive, even under the best of conditions. If there are other animals in the vicinity, they will yearn to join them. Their herd instinct is so strong they will give up their individuality as bison to leap the fence and join another species so they can be part of a 'herd.' Generally you can pasture cattle and bison side by side if there are sufficient bison to establish a herd group. Pasturing two herds of bison side by side, however, will usually result in the group ignoring the fence and becoming one herd of bison. The secret to keeping bison where you want them to stay is to give them no reason to stray. Give your bison plenty of good feed and water, salt and minerals, and they'll seldom try to break out. Once when floods took out a lot of Roy Houck's fences on the Standing Butte Ranch in South Dakota (he was NBA's founding president and maintains one of the largest bison herds in the world), his cattle scattered to the four winds. The bison stayed put. They know when they've got a good thing. Bison have been observed staying put in a pasture with a rickety fence that wouldn't hold a crippled cow. The owner said the only time they got out was when he left the gate open. On the other hand, some owners have a hard time keeping their bison confined even with
good tight strong fences. As a rule, bison are not as hard on fences as cattle. But don't
count on it. Bison get very nervous when being worked. The corral should be strong and high, with no
light Handle them slowly and gently to avoid exciting them. When excited, they are extremely dangerous to the other bison, but most importantly, also to the humans handling them. An ideal setup consists of a corral that the bison come to often for grain and/or
water. It should lead into a working chute with a gate for cutting out individuals into
one pen or another, your choice. Generally speaking, bison are easier on fences than cattle. They are not likely to 'worry' fences or concern themselves with the grass on the other side. Unless tempted by a fence of insufficient height or harassed, they usually won't attempt to jump the fence, although bison are excellent jumpers and have been known to clear a six foot fence with minimal effort. Bison usually won't attempt to jump anything higher than eyeball-height so ranchers who are upgrading an existing cattle fence generally get by with running an extra strand of wire to bring the top wire up to about five feet off the ground. The fence of choice for those who are starting from scratch is the high tensile system
known as 'New Zealand' fencing. High tensile is less expensive than barbed wire (besides,
the barbs don't deter bison) and easily adaptable to the extra height you need for bison.
High tensile is also designed for electrifying, which seems to be quite effective with
bison provided they have been trained to it and you have a powerful enough charge to get
their attention. Bison are hardy animals and seem to resist many of the illnesses that plague cattle; however, when they are maintained under close confinement, problems will erupt. All producers should be wary of parasites and maintain a control program, but this is especially important when bison are crowded or raised in areas of heavy rainfall and fast grass growth. Producers need to learn about parasite life cycles and develop a worming program that breaks that cycle. You also need to be aware of the limitations of the worming products you are using. No one product on the market will control all parasites. Find out what you want to kill and then use the product that will do the job. When possible, rotate your pastures. This is not only good range management, but it also helps to break the parasite cycle. For animal health purposes, bison are regulated the same as cattle by the states and the federal government. Bison need health certificates when they change ownership. Requirements vary from state to state, so be sure to check with the state of destination when transporting bison interstate. All states require brucellosis and TB tests, but other tests such as anaplasmosis may also be required. It is wise to quarantine new additions before turning them into your herd. A period of observation can save you a lot of grief later on. The smart buyer will also research the health history of the herd he's purchasing and learn what, if any, vaccinations the animals have had. For the most part, protecting bison from the various problems that affect cattle is a personal matter. There are many strong advocates to vaccinating with 7-way for the clostridium. Some people advocate protecting against pinkeye rather than treating the problem after it erupts -- your operating procedures will dictate the methods you ultimately adopt. We recommend you visit with established producers, preferably those raising bison under the conditions you will maintain, and then adopt the practices that apply to those conditions. Calfhood vaccination against brucellosis has become very common in recent years. The
reduced dose vaccination approved by USDA several years ago makes vaccination relatively
safe, and since many states require this, it is prudent to maintain a vaccinated herd if
selling breeding stock is to be part of your overall program. Don't Bangs vaccinate bulls.
It causes sterility and is never required by law. The gestation period is the same as for cattle -- 270-285 days (a few days over 9 months). Heifers calve at 3, a year later than cattle. They usually produce one calf; only rarely will they bear twins. The calves are cinnamon in color and weigh between 40 and 50 pounds at birth, which is why there are few calving problems with bison -- and it's a good thing too, because a bison cow is not likely to let you help her through a difficult birth. Bison will continue to produce calves well into their 20s at a rate of one per year. To protect the developing fetus, most producers advocate weaning calves in the late fall or early winter months. The calves soon learn to eat and catch up quickly with their unweaned brothers once they're turned out to graze on the new spring grass. The breeding bull should be fed 30 lbs. of hay plus 1½ lbs. digestible protein and 10 lbs. of grain daily during the breeding season, which usually begins the end of July and may continue through September. One bull will service 10-15 cows. Except in very small herds, a higher ratio of bulls will result in a lower calf crop as the bulls will spend too much energy fighting for dominance and not enough energy breeding the females. Cows should be fed well year round. They require the most feed shortly after calving,
and many advocate flushing prior to the breeding season. A cow raising a 450 lb. calf
yearly needs a year-around average of 10 lbs. of total digestible nutrients (TDN) a day:
16-18 lbs. from the time the calf is four months old to weaning, less afterward. Feed
should include at least 1 lb. roughage per 100 lbs. body weight for good digestion. Two
lbs. dry matter per 100 lbs. live-weight will meet maximum energy requirements. However,
this is only a theoretical figure, since part of a cow's diet goes either to nurse the
calf or to develop the fetus. As a rule of thumb, hay is 50% TDN and grain is 75% TDN. Hay
is usually 90% dry matter, while grain is generally considered 85% dry matter. Good silage
is 30%. Get yourself a good standard text/reference book of feed values. Morrison's
Feeds & Feeding is the traditional bible of livestock feeders. The publisher
updates the data with frequent new editions. Bison will do better than cattle on poor pasture. This doesn't mean they should be crowded onto poor pasture where they will barely survive. It means they are less picky and will eat a wider variety of browse, grasses and weeds than cattle. They require less protein in their diet to thrive and generally are more efficient feed converters than cattle. Bison will usually get by fine on marginal pasture, but they will thrive on good pasture. We suggest you visit your local county extension agent and ask for their animal unit per acre formula for cattle in your region. This is the recommended concentration of bison for your available land. Though bison can be more densely concentrated on the land, the benefits of allowing them some extra space outweigh those to be gained by crowding your herd. Poor pasture is not only cruel to the animals -- it's also financially unsound. Just as a good dairyman feeds his more productive cows the most, a good bison rancher knows it takes quality feed to make money; the more quality feed they eat, the more money you make. Underfed cows don't breed, underfed calves don't grow and underfed bulls don't produce quality meat. Bison eat essentially the same feeds as cattle. Like cattle, they prefer the finer
grasses to coarser grasses. Unlike cattle, they will eventually eat the less desirable
grasses, thus cutting down on the quantity of hay you might need to supplement feed over
the winter months. They love oats. High quality grass hay is excellent bison feed. They
will also utilize grasses, weeds and brush that cattle won't touch. Don't be tempted to
pasture them in stubble, however. It doesn't digest well and has been known to be fatal. Pasture management is vital to ranch success. A moderately-grazed pasture will produce
at least as much forage as an overgrazed one and usually much more, besides maintaining a
more vigorous stand. To the inexperienced eye, an overgrazed pasture looks as smooth and beautiful as a manicured lawn while a well-managed pasture will have a ragged look with large bunches of grass containing many stems. Overgrazing, before the animals have chewed everything down to the roots, will show weedy invasion. Identify the grasses in your pasture and learn the characteristics of each species. There are early season, mid-season, and late-season grasses. Some turn brown during dry spells and green up again when the rains come. There are three kinds of pasture forage: decreasers, increasers and invaders. Decreasers are those superior forage grasses that decrease under grazing, as animals prefer them. Increasers are those that tend to increase under grazing but are inferior in quality and quantity of yield. Invaders are weeds that invade an overgrazed pasture as decreasers and increasers are eaten off. Invader weeds are generally not palatable so bison and cattle generally avoid them although bison will eat some weeds that cattle will not. Some excellent native decreaser grasses are big and little bluestem, tall dropseed, Indian grass and needlegrass. Typical increasers are bluegrass, lovegrass and side oats grama. Note whether your grasses are warm-season or cool-season grasses. Big bluestem, a warm-season grass, should not be grazed before the middle of June, nor should it be grazed down to less than 8". Smooth bromegrass, a cool-season grass, will go semi-dormant for a time if the stem is grazed before the plant reaches the boot stage (when the head just emerges). If it is grazed at the boot stage, then regrowth is rapid. However, if it is allowed to head out before cutting or grazing then regrowth will not occur. These two examples illustrate individual grass species characteristics that must be known to get top yields. Bison, if allowed to roam their range at will, are excellent range managers. Unfortunately, few if any, private producers have the acreage for such an indulgence so we suggest you visit your agriculture extension service and library as they are excellent sources of information. Good bison herd management is not as simple as just buying some bison and turning them
into a fenced area. It takes a good deal of knowledge, work and business savvy to really
stay on top of a bison enterprise and make it pay. It's more than a job, it's a way of
life. For those who love it, the rewards are inestimable.
Joining the Northwest
Bison Association is a must if you are to keep in touch with what's going on in
the bison industry (see related page to join NWBA). And of course, if at all possible, visit a working bison farm or ranch and
talk with people who are actually raising bison. The NWBA can help you find producers in
your area and will be happy to answer your specific questions. |
And since the bison industry is still in its pioneer phase, the potential is
still untapped. 
between the planks.
Bison will not usually charge a barrier they can't see through. Solid construction of
alleys and chutes will also prevent injury and horn damage during handling. 
Moderate
grazing may produce up to 3 times as much as overgrazing. A good rule is to graze off only
half the forage. The yield and vigor varies inversely with the intensity of grazing. When
livestock gnaw the grass right down to the crowns, they destroy the root system. Bison's
eating habits more closely resemble sheep than cattle so this must be watched for.
Overgrazed pastures can lead to severe parasite problems as worm eggs will be picked up
and ingested, thus perpetuating the pest's cycle. Leaving a good growth in the fall also
promotes prompt and vigorous regrowth in the spring.