Facts
Bison is the proper name and Buffalo is its nickname. Today Bison/Buffalo are no longer an endangered species. In fact, between private and public herds their numbers exceed 300,000 in North America. That number is small compared to the number of Buffalo in North America in 1492 when Columbus landed. A guess is between 30 and 60 million. But between 1870 and 1885 white hunters and government soldiers wiped out the Buffalo population leaving only about 1000 that the modern herds are based on.
Each animal has a different personality, but all have a common denominator – they are wild animals. While some may eat from your hand, in seconds that passive behavior can change radically if they perceive danger. A full grown bull can weigh 1800 to 2400 pounds and a cow 900 to 1200 pounds. A newborn calf weighs about 40 pounds, half the size of a dairy calf. They eat a mixture of grasses and nowdays that is sometimes supplemented with grains. Though slow and awkward in appearance, bison can out run and easily out maneuver most horses. Their ability to pivot swiftly on either their front or back feet, adds another dimension to their agility, and they are also good swimmers.
A buffalo herd is a community; they look after each other. Rarely will they leave an animal behind nor will they go off on their own. The adult animals teach the young animals how to behave and remind them to respect the adults. Often you see yearlings looking after the babies while mom takes a break. The Buffalo was the all-purpose animal for the Native Americans. They used every part of the animal – inside and out- for food, clothing, toys, ornaments, cooking utensils, fuel and many more daily necessities. No part of the animal was wasted.
The renewed interest in Bison meat follows the movement to eat healthier and more naturally. Bison meat can replace beef in texture and taste without the high fat and calories of beef. Those with health issues like diabetes and heart condition may be able to eat the red meat of Buffalo. Since it is so lean, the meat will cook faster and can become over cooked; but cooked correctly, the meat is very tender and flavorful. Unlike beef, pork, chicken and other meats, Buffalo is not fed any hormones or antibiotics, nor given any growth enhancers.
The renewed growth of the Bison herd is quite recent, within the last 20 years. Demand is now outstripping current supply. Bison is not a commodity like poultry, pork or beef. These commodity species have been selectively bred for rapid growth. Bison were perfected by nature into a species that thrives in the ecosystem of our part of the world. We as producers do not want to tinker with that. However, this also means that it will take time for North American Bison producers to increase production to meet the demand.
Even though bison processing has reached record levels, it is still a very small industry. The 92,000 head of bison processed in North America last year doubled the level of 2005, but still represents less than one day’s processing of cattle in the U.S. It will take many years for supply and demand to close the gap. A bison that is ready for slaughter will be two to three years of age. What is needed to increase supply are for more farmer/ranchers to chose to raise these wonderful animals. The Minnesota Buffalo Association is willing to help those interested is learning about raising buffalo.
