# Anyone Work with Bison?



## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

Wondering if anyone here has experience with raising bison. I am interested in 100% grass fed bison as a commercial venture in the future. I have lots of experience with grass fed cattle, and I'm wondering what the main differences are (aside from bison being a little more lively...). What are fencing requirements for electric/high tensile fencing? Other important things to consider? 

My main reasons for being interested in bison are that they have better feed conversion on 100% grass diet (eating up to 1/3 less than cattle of the same size), leaner and more nutritionally dense meat, and are a rare/unique niche marketing opportunity. Plus they just look so cool out on pasture (but I know that in itself is not a reason to get livestock...)! I know that the lack of marbleing in the meat can make it difficult to cook, but bison burgers are delicious 

Thanks for any advice/tips in advance


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Here's one thread:
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/cattle/453506-buffalo.html

There's another one from 4/21/13 on the Cattle board as well.


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## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Though I personally have not raised them, I have looked into them in a serious way for several years, and still am. Fences do not need to be that high, but they must be SUPER stout. The handling system requirements are my main issue right now. I have plenty of land, could afford a fence, but handling systems need extra planning and done right are VERY expensive. 

The things about them that appeal to me, are the guaranteed no pull calving, the winter metabolic slowdown, the lack of a need for water in winter, their amazing ability to paw and feed themselves on rough land, their overall hardiness. 

The things that hold me back, is they are scary in the rut, scary at calving time, scary to handle, scary to load, scary to enter the field with.

I have heard many nasty stories about truckers injured by bison, farmers charged by bison, and such. 

Back to the handling systems: I have a friend who builds bison handling supplies for a living. He knows a lot about how strong they are, and when you compare his trailers, his chutes, his fence panels, his squeezes, you would know what I mean. He has had many prototypes severely wrecked by a bison gone nuts.

So I am torn on getting me some. Mostly due to financial needs for setup, and partly because I am simply chicken.

But I do know money is there to be made, and input costs are minimal once set up properly. They need no babying, thrive naturally, and when a cow needs to be fed high quality food in the winter to keep them warm, a bison grows a shaggy coat, and naturally slows down its metabolism when winter time comes.

I have several hundred acres of what would be excellent bison range on my farm. Just give me a couple hundred grand to set up right, and a heart like the tin man got in the wizard of oz, not this chicken heart I have currently, and I would enter the business in a heartbeat!


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

There's a buffalo farm a few miles from us, fencing is not all that fancy and I was shocked at it, actually. 
Its regular 6in posts, regular woven wire and then hot wire in front of it. Not sure how strong the hot wire is, though.

Their buffs are grass fed, bred, raised, I believe. 


Try emailing/calling buffalo farms and asking them directly. 
http://www.cibolafarms.com/


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## Bfly Farmer (Aug 8, 2006)

I would look into butchering facilities and your state's policies. The local farm here in Va has to transport to Baltimore in order to have his bison processed. Also, he has to personally do the killing at their facilitiy. I remember reading an article about dificilties finding slaughter facilities in general.


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## FarmerRob (May 25, 2009)

Wonder how much marbling you would get if you AI'd them with Wagyu?


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

A guy 40 miles south of me raises some. Takes it to a regular USDA slaughter facility that has a USDA inspector there, so he can legally sell to the public. He sells to a few restaurants that serve the tourists.
I question your feed conversion claim.
A few years back, this "rare/unique niche marketing opportunity" flooded the market to the point that The South Dakota Bison Association was selling bison burger far below beef burger. I was working at a prison then and they served a lot of it.

When Michigan had an outbreak of TB, all cattle and bison were tested for TB. The State bought special chutes to hold the buffalo. But most bison wouldn't tolerate it and would beat the equipment until they were a bloody mess. 

For much of my life, I searched for that "get rich farming". I've finally realized that if there was a much money in something, those with the money would be paying me to raise their money makers, not trying to sell me the latest version of snake oil, emu, angora goat, Highlands, Fainting goats, etc.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

there's people that can make it work and there's people that lost family trying to make it work. the neighbors had bison back in the 70's and I remember as a kid helping (ok watching) them just sort some, one decided he did not want to be in the pen anymore and charged the corral--railroad ties with ruff saw 2x8's so close together you could not climb it--he hit it and was through and gone, nothing but splinters left. out in the open they are ok but when you pen them up you need good pens.


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## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

I have helped vaccinate bison d at Ft Riley Ks and vaccinated a water buffalo herd in Panama. NO way would I ever try and keep either one. 

I have only had one horned steer and would not choose to have another. I like polled, calm cattle. 

If you do the buffalo you need to have very heavy and stout pens and chutes. The buffalo pen at Ft. Riley was 3 foot thick boulders and concrete.


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## waterbuffy (Oct 17, 2009)

I don't know anything about bison but with water buffalo it's all in how you raise them. My girls are tamer than most cattle, run in single strand electric and are milked in a regular dairy parlor. However, just like any animal, if they are never handle by people, when they need to be it will be nearly impossible.


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

waterbuffy said:


> I don't know anything about bison but with water buffalo it's all in how you raise them. My girls are tamer than most cattle, run in single strand electric and are milked in a regular dairy parlor. However, just like any animal, if they are never handle by people, when they need to be it will be nearly impossible.


That is part of what I'm wondering. I've met some really nasty jerseys and holsteins, and some super sweet scottish highlands. I know bison are not cattle, but I can't help but think that it is at least partially in the handling. If the only time they are handled is for vaccines, ear tags, preg checks, etc, then I would expect them to be aggressive and unruly. And yes they are MUCH stronger than cattle. 

I am in the very beginning stages of research, not about to jump in head first, but thinking maybe 5-10 years out as it is a big investment. 

I have used horses in the past to move and work beef cattle, and would hope to do the same if I were to start with bison. Lots of kinks to work out and lots of research to be done. I'm not looking to "get rick quick" I don't think that's possible in agriculture no matter what your venture is, but I am looking for something that will set me apart from the umpteen million farmers doing grass fed beef around here.


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## Royal.T.Yak (Apr 20, 2012)

If you want something different that's easy on fences, actually eats less than _Bos taurus_ cattle, and will stop traffic outside your place, look into the bison of Asia- _Bos grunniens_ - Tibetan yak. 

Mine are in crappy aluminum 47" field fence with a single barbed topper. We're about to upgrade to steel field fence, but they still stay in my old mini goat fence. They are slow growing but have a higher stocking rate, just depends on which is more important to you. 24 months to harvest, and they don't like or need grain of any kind. The occasional Timothy/Alfalfa hay cube is much appreciated as a treat, though!

After knowing a few people who kept American bison, the amount of fences they had to fix whenever the bull felt like taking the girls for a run was enough to make me look elsewhere. Easier if you don't keep a bull, but then you have to AI, and that can get tricky I hear.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

TroutRiver said:


> .............. (aside from bison being a little more lively...).



Bison are not "a little more lively". They are wild animals and they are going to act like wild animals. They are very big, very strong, and they know it. They are not the least bit timid.

It's not like a cow where you can tell them "****" and they go. They are just as likely to face you down as to move where you want them.

Yes, how you handle them makes a difference. If you are calm and slow, you will have better luck, but treating a wild tiger like a poodle doesn't turn him into a dog and treating a bison like a milk cow doesn't turn him into a barnyard pet.

I love bison meat. I know there is a market for it. But I suggest a lot of careful study so you know what you are getting into before you start.


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## tatanka (Aug 3, 2004)

We managed a buffalo ranch for eight years at one point we had 750 buffalo on the ranch. They are incredible, amazing animals. I have seen calves born on top of hill in a blinding snow storm in negative degree temperatures that were up and suckling their dam within minutes of birth. After suckling the dam they can keep up with the herd on the move for miles without any problems. 
The key to raising them is never trust them completely. We raised a bottle baby but we dehorned her because we didn't want to always have to be looking over our shoulder. 
Have heavy duty working equipment. Cattle equipment will do but it is not built heavy enough and near tall enough. If a buffalo cow stand and get her front leg joint over the wall she will pull herself up and over. I have seen them do this. Some bulls are just rogues and no matter how tall you build the fences and gates they will go over them. I have seen a bull stand and look at the gate...then just jump up and over with no running start and clear it. The gate was 7 foot tall. 
Buffalo cows are safe as far as walking thru the pen as long as she isn't calving or have a young calf with her. If she does she will stomp you. 
Buffalo bulls are usually safe but sometimes they will be ornery because they want to play with you. I have spent many extra hours in the tractor waiting for them to get bored and leave so I could unhitch the hay trailer and unload it. 
We worked them once a year usually in January. They had free roam of the ranch with only five strand barbed wire fences. Our taller, stronger, heavier fencing was in the working corrals and working chutes. As long as you aren't crowding them and you are feeding them they will stay in the fencing but if they get spooked ( an airplane flying low, a kite, anything in the air above them) they can and do stampede and if you do not have enough get away space for them they will go thru the fence. 
They do not need special feed just good grass hay. We live in the middle of North Dakota where the winter is brutal and our girls thrived off hay. 
We have butchered old cows and bulls. Old bulls are best ground for burger because the meat is tougher. And be prepared an old bull ground will make 600 to 800 pounds of meat. Old cows are just as tender as a young calf and make great streaks and roasts.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Raymond James said:


> I have helped vaccinate bison d at Ft Riley Ks and vaccinated a water buffalo herd in Panama. NO way would I ever try and keep either one.
> 
> I have only had one horned steer and would not choose to have another. I like polled, calm cattle.
> 
> If you do the buffalo you need to have very heavy and stout pens and chutes. The buffalo pen at Ft. Riley was 3 foot thick boulders and concrete.


There is your sign. 

I wouldn't enter pasture with bison on it in a tractor.

Remember the movie "You're gonna need a bigger boat..."

But then I am a sissy and have a whole lot of respect for range cattle.


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