In Pennsylvania, herd sizes range from small operations with fewer than 25 bison to large operations with more than 200 bison. No. In most states, bison being raised for agricultural purposes will fall under the same category as cattle, but when slaughtered, it may fall under the same regulations as exotic animals. The deworming program should be developed with a veterinarian, and should take into account climate, regional and farm parasite problems, and grazing intensity. Because bison meat has a low fat content (less than 3 percent) and a cholesterol content that is lower than that of beef, organizations such as the American Heart Association and Weight Watchers recommend bison meat as a healthy alternative (Table 1). This will allow you to keep a superior bull longer than two to three years. Bison born on your farm and transported from your farm directly to an in-state slaughter facility do not need testing or health records. All samples per100 grams (3.5 ounces) cooked meat. State and national bison associations often have booths and provide marketing information at agricultural events. It is important to build contacts with other bison producers for the sale of breeding stock. Grasses that stand up through the snow and retain a high protein percentage in the stems are best for winter pasture. In addition, know the state laws concerning liability and trespassing because your herd is likely to draw the attention of the public. Nutritional comparison of bison sirloin, beef sirloin (choice), and chicken breast with skin on. Harper, J. K., S. Cornelisse, and L. F. Kime. Bison are not domesticated animals and require different handling than cattle and other livestock. Allow for the same amount of pasture per bison as is required for cattle in your area, usually 2 to 3 acres per cow and calf in the eastern United States. Their instincts are too strong. Keep up with feeding and/or pasture management. Bison are larger, stronger, and more excitable than cattle and thus require special fencing and handling facilities. here's another cross that produced new breeds. A bison-cattle hybrid; the white face of Hereford cattle and the polled condition of Angus cattle are dominant in crosses with buffalo. Entering your postal code will help us provide news or event updates for your area. USDA inspection is required if meat is to be sold across state lines. Although Pennsylvania does not require meat inspection of slaughtered bison, many restaurants and retailers prefer USDA- or state-inspected meat. Prepared by John Hagberg, Lazy J Bison; Lynn F. Kime, senior extension associate; Juliette S. Enfield, extension educator; and Jayson K. Harper, professor of agricultural economics. Farm buildings are typically depreciated over a 20-year period. Bison require no outside shelter and they will turn to face storms and may appear to become dormant during heavy snow fall. Fences around the pasture should consist of eight high-tensile wires, three of which carry a high voltage of electricity, or equivalent fencing. Why do we need this? Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on your farm under one insurance policy. The meat is in high demand around restaurants around the world. Bison adapt to a wide range of environments, feed sources, and management systems. A. Adamik, E. E. Gantz, and J. K. Harper. Livestock: $20,000–35,000Buildings, equipment, and fencing: $35,000–40,000. Pamphlets printed by the associations or individual breeders also provide examples of how to market bison products. Ideal land for bison would have boulders, rocks, rugged areas, woods, and thickets, but the only requirements are adequate pasture and a water source. You have to let your facilities do the handling, not the cowboy. One bull can breed 10 to 15 cows. On a 100 meter-squared paved lot, you can have 234 cows and bred heifers, or about 40 head of the same cattle on a dirt lot the same size. Bison tend not to build fat stores in the same way that cattle do, so bison meat contains little marbling. Meat, heads, bones, and hides are sold to restaurants, novelty shops, and individual buyers. External parasites, including flies, louses, mites, and ticks, can be controlled with strips, baits, sprays, foggers, dust bags, and liquid products. The cells outlined in red automatically calculate your revised totals based on the changes you made to the cells outlined in green. When compared to beef it is higher in mineral content and lower in cholesterol. Many consumers prefer bison meat because it is produced without the use of hormones or antibiotics. You should vaccinate your bison herd for common cattle diseases. No. Because bison are still considered a wild animal, you should plan a strong corral-chute system appropriate for your location and expected herd size. A bull can stand taller than 6 feet at the hump and weigh more than a ton. If you are interested in raising livestock, but with a twist you can pursue bison farming. USDA ND6. After enduring beef’s punishing boom and bust cycle and experiencing first-hand the environmental toll that cattle took on his land, O’Brien made a dramatic change. You can separate the calves after weaning and sell the calves at slaughter weight. 114-115); Roe 1970; Smoliak and Peters 1955; Steklenev 1990; Verkaar et al. This type of insurance policy may be more expensive than a traditional farm owner's policy. A corral-chute system with no sharp turns or corners and with sides 7 to 8 feet high is recommended. 24, pp. Otherwise, almost no barrier can stop a hungry bison. The budgets constructed used an 85% weaning percentage and a 50-50 mix of weaned heifer and bull calves. Mature cows weigh between 1,000 and 1,500 pounds, reaching peak physical maturity at 8 to 10 years of age. When you have completed your budget, you can print the form using the green Print Form button at the bottom of the form. Commercial breeders and bison enthusiasts have since reintroduced bison to Pennsylvania. This sample budget should help ensure that all costs and receipts are included in your calculations. Bison are not domesticated animals and must be handled with caution if they get loose. For more information concerning crop insurance, contact a crop insurance agent or check the Extension Crop Insurance article. The land on which you raise the bison cannot, however, be depreciated. The breeding season begins in August and continues into October, while the calving season begins in May and continues into July. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2004. Usually, bison are only provoked if they feel their calves are being threatened. For anyone interested, here's another cross that produced new breeds. This cross is an excellent example of how new breeds of animals can be produced via hybridization (see video above). The Beefalo breed, derived from backcrossing of this hybrid to cattle, was first marketed in the 1960s. Many producers use direct-marketing methods to sell bison meat. ", Commercial Bison Production: Economic Analysis and Budget Projections, Off-Season and Accelerated Lamb Production. Because of this possibility, you must understand the regulations to follow concerning the proper handling and application of chemicals and the disposal and transport of waste. Frank Riegler, a rancher near Yellowstone, says, "You can't have livestock and buffalo. Several studies have shown cattle mtDNA to be present at high levels in herds that are phenotypically bison. Today approximately 500,000 animals with the appearance of American bison exist in North America, but most of these are bison-cattle hybrids in private herds. “Agricultural Alternatives: Understanding Agricultural Liability." European Bison Breeding With Cattle – Zubron Bison have been bred with these other species. Our Bison are humanely raised and slaughtered. Make sure you have the feed available before you have purchased your animals or adequate pasture. The resulting yarn is durable, but incredibly soft. The hybrids are known as cattaloes or beefaloes. Do not keep any one bull in the same herd for longer than three years. Domestic bulls are usually chosen as sires in the first cross, since matings of bison bulls with cows are frequently fatal to both mother and the hybrid fetus (though in backcrosses the mortality rate does decline markedly). However, the plant must be willing to thoroughly clean the plant before and after the slaughter and must have equipment to adequately handle the larger animals. By the same author: Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World, Oxford University Press (2006). They will lie down during heavy snow and let the show cover their bodies. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times. Bison adapt to a wide range of environments, feed sources, and management systems. Bison’s impact while tramping around the prairies is a bit more nuanced. There is evidence that shows this new breed of cattle is a lot easier to maintain and less costly to keep than a regular cattle … Predators are also of little concern as the herd will defend themselves. To prevent inbreeding and improve the herd, new young bulls should be brought into the herd every two or three years. USDA ND6. Because B. bison and B. taurus produce partially fertile hybrids, the 18th century French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707–1788) suggested that they should be treated as conspecific. It is especially important to have adequate levels of property, vehicle, and liability insurance. But that leanness also comes with the benefit of containing fewer calories than a meat with a higher fat content—plus, bison meat is high in protein. However, occasional cases in cattle do occur and, when they do, the outcome is usually fatal. Coverage levels range from 50 to 85 percent of your expected revenue or whole farm historic average revenue (based on your 1040-F information), whichever is lower. No. “Bison may look like cows and graze like cows, but they should be treated as if they are cattle bulls,” says Harding. Meat is another produce of bisones and is indistinguishable in flavour from cow beef. For a full herd, you may need to look at a purchase of land that is 100 acres or more. With good management, cows can reproduce every year and can begin breeding at two years of age. Although bison still have many of their wild tendencies and are only semi-domesticated, they are an agricultural alternative that may be appropriate for some small-scale and part-time farms. The Offspring of a carefully managed breeding program is called a “Hybrid” many times the offspring are infertile. Before purchasing your bison, you must understand these distinctions. Pasture raised bison produce meat which has fewer omega-6 fatty acids and offer more omega-3. USDA ND6. Cull cows that are difficult to breed and animals that are slow to recover from sickness or injury or that gain weight slowly. No. A growing number of supermarkets are also selling bison meat. The best strategy is usually to start small and grow. However, if you have a superior bull (a high-producing, dominant bull), it may be difficult to rotate new bulls into the herd. LEARN HOW TO STOP THE INVASIVE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY, Coronavirus: Information and resources for the Extension Community, Download PDF Save For Later Print Purchase Print. The Beefalo breed of cattle is a fairly new breed that was purposefully bred in order to cross the hardiness and ruggedness of Bison to the domestic temperament of the domestic cow. Many in the bison industry have theorized that three bison can be grazed for every two cattle on the same acreage as before, or an increase in stocking rates of 150% the cattle stocking rates (Peden, et.al. Studies indicate that cattle generally prefer to hang out around trees and water sources much more than bison do; other studies indicate that the presence of cattle around water sources can have an extremely negative effect on the cleanliness and biodiversity of these environments. Raising bison is similar, but not identical, to raising beef cattle. Buffalo Jones and early work developing the cattalo >>, An old (1905) report about cattalo breeding >>. According to the USDA 2012 Census of Agriculture, nearly 60,000 bison are sold annually in the United States, and the USDA Meat, Poultry, and Egg Product Inspection Directory lists about 90 bison-processing facilities nationwide. Kime, L. F., S. A. Roth, J. K. Harper. Some producers are trying artificial insemination, but natural breeding methods are safer because of the bison's unpredictable temperament and the scarcity of bison semen. Give them companionship. You cannot raise cattle if you have nothing to feed them or no pasture for them to graze on. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For more information on farm liability issues, see “ Agricultural Alternatives: Understanding Agricultural Liability .". Only a few U.S. herds have more than 1,000 animals. Yes Bison Can Breed with Other species. Watch us move our large, mixed herd of cattle and bison to fresh pasture. The National Park Service has argued that buffalo on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon should not be protected because they are part cattle (Franke 2003, p. 230). Jennings, Dana C. Kime, L. F., J. More information on the use of crop budgets can be found in " Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making.". Bison are sold to public game reserves and zoos. The industry, though, is still small. You should check with your insurance provider before purchasing your first animal as bison are considered an attractive nuisance and require a specialty insurance product. Bison are much more nervous and excitable in close quarters, which are indicators of stress. Voluntary inspection is handled under the Agriculture Marketing Act. Because they live in the open, they are less likely to infect one another. With good management, they can live as long as 30 years. This means that unless you will transport the meat across state lines, inspection is not necessary. My secret to raising Bison, is to let them be Bison. About 5 acres of land can support one or two fully grown bison. Bison spread out more evenly over pasture than cattle and can survive on marginal range that would starve cattle, though in the interest of producing the finest product, this is … Costs and returns are often difficult to estimate in budget preparation because they are numerous and variable. For more on agricultural business insurance, see “ Agricultural Alternatives: Agricultural Business Insurance ." When bison were cross-bred with domestic cattle, a hybrid dubbed the "Beefalo" was spawned. The following practices are recommended for a herd breeding program: Bison are closely related to cattle, so they are susceptible to many of the same diseases. The state's last native bison was shot in 1801. For calves up to 500 lb (226 kg), either 468 calves on a paved lot, or 78 on a dirt lot. University Park: Penn State Extension, 2011. Because bison are still considered a wild animal, you should plan a strong corral-chute system appropriate for your location and expected herd size. However, those differences are less stark than you might think. However, bison have stronger immune systems. 10093.Chicken, broilers or fryers, meat only, roasted. Bison are larger, stronger, and more excitable than cattle and thus require special fencing and handling facilities. A bison will try to kill you at a whim, and because they're such fit animals, he'll have a good chance of succeeding. Can Bison Mate with other Species – Hybrids. Bison are considered an exotic or “non-amenable" species and are under voluntary inspection. Horses should not be kept with buffalo because they can kill them. The hybrids are known as cattaloes or beefaloes. “Agricultural Alternatives: Starting or Diversifying and Agricultural Business." Bison also require different handling than cattle. If you are raising bison for your own personal enjoyment, you cannot depreciate the property. The symbol used for non-amenable species is triangular in shape, which easily distinguishes it the traditional circular USDA symbols used for meat and poultry slaughter plants (Figure 1). Raising Bison After raising this awesome and intriguing animal for over 50 years, here’s what we suggest if you have an interest in raising them: Purchase a copy of the Bison Producers Handbook published by the National (and Canadian) Bison Associations. USDA ND6. You can make changes to the interactive PDF budget file for this publication by inputting your own prices and quantities in the green outlined cells for any item. Major markets include wholesalers, restaurants, custom meat stores, and the general public through mail-order or on-farm sales. Salt, vitamins, and minerals should be added to the diet as needed. But the creatures escaped and are now causing environmental havoc in The Grand Canyon. With bison, you can’t. That's because of an agreement between federal agencies and the state of Montana to keep bison away from cattle outside the park. The meat usually is custom cut, vacuum packed, frozen, and shipped according to the buyer's specifications. The meat of bison finished on corn has a taste similar to beef, which many consumers prefer. You will also need workers' compensation insurance if you have any employees. Breeding stock is sold at consignment sales and auctions or through personal contacts. Many bison producers agree with the saying “You can get a bison to go anywhere it wants to go.”. They will circle the predator and drive it from their domain. 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