ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information center operated by the National Center for AppropriateTechnology under a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Theseorganizations do not recommend or endorse products, companies, or individuals. ATTRA is located in theOzark Mountains at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville (P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702). ATTRAstaff members prefer to receive requests for information about sustainable agriculture via the toll-free number800-346-9140.

APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR RURAL AREAS

www.attra.ncat.org

By Lance E. GegnerNCAT Agriculture SpecialistDecember 2001

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION GUIDE

BISON PRODUCTION

Interest in raising bison as alternative live-stock has increased dramatically in recent years.Bison meat has nutritional advantages for thehealth-conscious consumer. Research (1) hasestablished that bison meat contains 25�30%more protein than beef because it has less fatmarbling. Bison is lower in calories, fat, and cho-lesterol than beef, pork, or skinless chicken (2).Bison meat is usually prepared like beef, but bi-son has a quicker cooking time and can easily beovercooked.

The American bison is a member of theBovidae family of ruminants. The misnomer�buffalo� stems from early naturalists� compari-sons of the bison to the African or Asian buffalo.The bison population was just about destroyedin the late 1800s by a government-sanctionedcampaign of extermination (intended to starvethe �Indians�), but thanks to private efforts byindividuals the animal was saved from extinc-tion. There are approximately 350,000 bison inNorth America today (3).

This publication takes a look at bison pro-duction and marketing practices. While not at-tempting to be comprehensive, it focuses on anumber of areas that potential and current bi-son producers need to consider. It also attemptsto show some of the diversity of philosophiesand practices currently being evaluated in thebison industry.

REGULATIONS FOR BISON PRODUCTION

Before considering or starting a bison opera-tion, the farmer or rancher needs to know therules and regulations in their state. Each statehas different requirements. Most state Depart-ments of Agriculture regulate bison raised intheir states, but in several states the Wildlife De-partment is in charge of regulations. It is best to

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Regulations for Bison Production ............. 1Health Issues ........................................... 2Bison Meat Inspection and Processing .... 2Getting Started ......................................... 4Marketing ................................................. 6Grass or Grain? ....................................... 7Direct Marketing ....................................... 8Pasturing Bison ........................................ 9Fencing .................................................. 11Handling and Transporting Bison ........... 11Sources of Further Information .............. 13References ............................................. 13Further Resources ................................. 14

Websites ............................................. 14Video ................................................... 16Books .................................................. 16Magazines ........................................... 16

Appendix ................................................ 17

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 2

check with your State Veterinarian for specificinformation on who to work with in your state.The State Veterinarian�s phone number and somegeneral state health requirements can be obtainedfrom your local veterinarian, or found in �Ap-pendix D� at the National Bison Association�swebsite <http://www.bisoncentral.com/nba/gtss_rules.asp>.

Transporting bison across state lines requireshealth certificates, testing, and in some cases vac-cinations. You should consult with your veteri-narian or your state veterinary office for rules andrequirements on interstate transport of bison.The health certificate must conform to the regu-lations of the state to which the bison are going.Always check with the destination�s State Vet-erinarian for the current requirements.

HHHHHEALEALEALEALEALTHTHTHTHTH I I I I ISSUESSSUESSSUESSSUESSSUES

Parasite control in bison is important. Checkwith a veterinarian who likes working with bi-son to get recommendations for a vaccinating,deworming, and health-maintenance schedulefor the bison herd. Before anyone (new or estab-lished bison producer) buys a bison, they shouldcheck out the seller�s herd and ask informedquestions. It is important to learn as much aspossible about bison (and bison diseases) beforetrying to buy them.

Outbreaks of tuberculosis in bison, deer, andelk on game ranches in Canada and the UnitedStates have raised concerns about infectious dis-eases being transmitted to conventional livestock.Bison are very disease-resistant; however, theyare susceptible to many bacterial and viral dis-eases, as well as parasites, that occur in cattle andother livestock species. Some of these diseasesare brucellosis, tuberculosis, anthrax, hemor-rhagic septicemia, malignant catarrhal fever(MCF), as well as many others (4).

Brucellosis has been eradicated in most of theUnited States except for several major sources infree-living elk and bison in the GreaterYellowstone Area and adjacent land. In a verycontroversial proposal, the National Park Servicehas set a goal of eliminating brucellosis in bisonand elk in the Yellowstone area by 2010. ThePark Service�s efforts, along with the State ofMontana�s policy of killing any bison that strayfrom the park area, have resulted in severe re-duction of the U.S. bison herd at Yellowstone.

BBBBBISONISONISONISONISON M M M M MEAEAEAEAEATTTTT I I I I INSPECTIONNSPECTIONNSPECTIONNSPECTIONNSPECTION ANDANDANDANDAND P P P P PROCESSINGROCESSINGROCESSINGROCESSINGROCESSING

Three major food-safety acts regulate the U.S.food supply. These are the Federal Food, Drug,and Cosmetic Act; the Federal Meat InspectionAct; and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.The Agriculture Marking Act of 1946 (voluntaryreimbursable inspection) allows the USDA/FoodSafety Inspection Service (FSIS) to inspect exoticanimals (5). Most of the U.S. food safety pro-grams are risk-based to ensure that the public isprotected from health risks of unsafe foods. Riskassessment is used in estimating the magnitudeof the problem faced, and in determining theappropriate risk-management response. How-ever, FSIS regulations governing the slaughterand processing of exotic animals do not requireHazard Analysis and Critical Control Point(HACCP) or a risk assessment (5).

Under the Federal Food, Drug, and CosmeticAct, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)protects consumers against impure, unsafe, andfraudulently labeled food. The FDA has inspec-tion authority over any food in interstate com-merce, unless the product is regulated by theUSDA/FSIS. The regulations require FDA in-spection of facilities and processes involved inslaughtering and processing of food. The FDArequires that all food come from an �approved

Recent publicity has increased awareness of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD, or MadDeer or Elk diseases) among the general public. CWD has occurred in several Westernstates� wild populations of deer and elk, as well as on some elk farms in at least five statesand Canada. Bison and cattle have never been reported to have CWD; however, someconsumers may have heard misinformation and be concerned about CWD crossing fromelk to bison or cattle. The bison producer will need to be aware of CWD and prepared toaddress these concerns.

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 3

source and process,� meaning that the facilitywhere the bison was slaughtered and the slaugh-ter process�not the bison itself�must be in-spected and approved. Most commonly, the ap-proved source is a licensed food establishment,a federally inspected meat plant, or a state-in-spected meat plant (6).

The USDA/FSIS is responsible for inspectionof meat, poultry, processed meats, and poultryproducts in interstate and foreign commerceunder the Federal Meat Inspection Act and thePoultry Products Inspection Act. FSIS inspectorsexamine each animal before and after slaughterfor visible defects that can affect safety and qual-ity of meat and poultry products. The Meat In-spection Act and FSIS regulations require ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of each ani-mal and daily inspection of processing facilitiesby FSIS inspectors. FDA regulations do not re-quire this intensity of inspection. FDA may in-spect facilities and processes once per year (5).

The Federal Meat Inspection Act defines spe-cifically the kinds of animals that must be slaugh-tered and processed under FSIS inspection. FSISinspection is required for all cattle, sheep, swine,goats, ratites, and equines. Many animals, in-cluding bison, are not mentioned in the MeatInspection Act. Bison are therefore �non-ame-nable� (not covered or answerable) under theFederal Meat Inspection Act and are exempt fromFSIS requirements for meat inspection for intra-state, interstate, and foreign trade (5).

However, the USDA/FSIS does have a vol-untary inspection program for producers whowish to have their bison inspected. The bisonproducer must pay for the voluntary FSIS inspec-tion. This usually costs about $40 per hour. In1991, FSIS determined that it had no legal basisto require labeling �NOT FOR SALE� on non-inspected bison as is required for beef and other�amenable� species (5). However, many meatbuyers may demand that the bison they purchasebe federally inspected, because they are familiarwith the federal requirements for other meats (5).

At present, the FSIS is considering the addi-tion of bison, elk, deer, and other species to thelist of animals requiring USDA inspection. Anynew requirements would have to be passed byCongress and signed by the president. TheUSDA�s concept paper, �Extending USDA�s In-spection Program to Non-Amenable/Exotic Spe-cies,� presented at a public meeting October 31�November 1, 2000, is available at <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oppde/nacmpi/nov2000/papers/species.htm>.

A provision of the Federal Meat InspectionAct permits states to have a cooperative agree-ment with USDA/FSIS, whereby more than halfthe states have mandatory meat inspection pro-grams that equal the federal standards. The fed-eral law limits state-inspected �amenable� ani-mals to intrastate commerce. Several states man-date inspection of bison and other non-amenablespecies under their state meat inspection acts.

To illustrate the differences among states in regulating bison inspections and sales, here�s asampling of four states� rules (from the National Bison Association�s discussion group, Novem-ber 2001).

� Kansas and Missouri both provide for state inspections. While Kansas makes bison inspec-tion mandatory and pays for it rather than charging the producer, Missouri does not requireinspection and charges $20 per bison. This means that while uninspected bison can bebrought into Missouri and sold, the same uninspected bison could not be sold in Kansas.

� Colorado State Health Department policy states that meat products sold into commercemust be from an �approved source.� This has been interpreted to mean that all meat soldinto commerce in Colorado, excepting sale of carcasses, has to be USDA-inspected.

� In Ohio, bison are considered a �voluntary� inspected species. While the Ohio Departmentof Agriculture does not require inspection of bison for private or retail sales in Ohio, thestate�s health department does require that meat sold in retail stores come from inspectedsources. Ohio provides free inspection for bison in their state-certified processing facilities,and because it is state-inspected, the bison meat can be shipped interstate.

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 4

However, because bison meat is non-amenable,�state-inspected bison meat is eligible for sale inall states, including states with state inspectionprograms� (6). However, it is important to re-member that even if federal law does not requirebison to be inspected under the Federal Meat In-spection Act, local or state health codes may pro-hibit the sale of non-inspected game meat includ-ing bison in restaurants and other markets. Fora listing of all the state officials in the Coopera-tive Meat and Poultry Inspection Programs andfor additional information about state inspectionprograms, go to <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/hrds/STATE/stateoff.htm>.

When food products are manufactured withbison as the sole meat ingredient, the product isunder the jurisdiction of FDA (7). If the buyer orconsumer wants USDA/FSIS inspection of 100%bison products, the meat for these products needsto be processed under the voluntary federal in-spection program. These 100% bison productsdo not bear the round FSIS mark of inspection;instead they bear a triangular voluntary-federal-inspection mark (5).

Bison or other non-amenable meat from anapproved source may be used in an amenable meatfood or poultry food product that bears theUSDA mark of inspection (circular mark) (7). Theapproved sources include: 1) slaughter inspec-tion under provisions of the Agricultural Mar-keting Act; 2) an approved state inspection pro-gram; or 3) a foreign inspection program undercontrol of FDA. Amendable meat food productscontain more than 3% raw meat or at least 30%fat from U.S.-inspected and passed cattle, sheep,swine, or goats; amenable poultry food productscontain at least 2% cooked U.S.-passed poultryfrom an amenable species (chickens, turkeys,ducks, geese, ratites, guineas, or squabs) with nobone or skin included. In other words, such aproduct can contain well over 90% bison meatand bear the appropriate circular FSIS inspectionlegend since the amenable meat content quali-fies for mandatory inspection. Refer to Code ofFederal Regulations, Title 9, Volume 2, Part 312,Section 312.2, and Part 381, Section 381.96 (5).

If you have questions or comments pertain-ing to the USDA or FDA regulations, contact theFDA Industry Activities Staff at (202) 205�5251;Robert Post with the USDA/FSIS Labeling andConsumer Protection Staff at (202) 205�0623; or

Arshad Hussain with the USDA/FSIS Inspection& Enforcement Standards Development Staff at(202) 720�3219.

GETTING STARTED

Before starting a bison enterprise, it is advis-able to visit as many existing bison operations aspossible, to pick up as many ideas and optionsas you can. Your bison operation will not be ex-actly like anyone else�s, but getting varied in-sights and opinions from others will help in de-signing for your particular needs.

Carol Klein, of Oakcreek Buffalo Ranch inMissouri, says that management philosophiesand practices vary widely within the bison in-dustry. She explains:

Management practices range across a broadfield: one producer may dehorn all his buffalo,feed grain, wean babies, rotational graze, useonly young bulls, and remove bulls from theherd in the fall. Another producer may run hisherd in family groups using older bulls, whichare always with the herd, naturally wean babies,not dehorn, and grass feed only. Each producershould look at these management practices anddecide for himself, which works for his own farmand philosophy. (8)

The investment in fencing is fairly substan-tial compared to some livestock enterprises.However, the stock and handling facilities arecomparable in cost to other livestock operations.Bison farming is considered a high-risk enter-prise by most banks and other agencies. A largeowner investment is usually needed to obtain aloan.

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 5

While the beginner�s investment in land,stock, and materials can be significant, the yearlymaintenance costs of an established herd can below. A producer probably needs at least 75�100head to provide a minimum return for a farmfamily. Herds in Canada average 61 head of bi-son (10). The article �A Beginner�s Primer...Tipson Bison Marketing and Management,� pub-lished in the Stockman Grass Farmer, notes thatfor social reasons, a herd of no fewer than 12 to15 animals should be established. With feweranimals there is a tendency for the individuals toescape, looking for the rest of the herd (11). Hobbyor entertainment farmers may try to raise only oneor two, but small numbers are not recommended.

The number of pasture acres required for theherd depends to some extent on the productivecapabilities of the land and the length of the graz-ing season. A good rule of thumb is to calculatehow many beef cows could efficiently be run onyour property. This will apply to bison as well,though bison will not need as much winter-supplement feed or hay as the beef animals. Ac-

cording to a Saskatchewan publication, �It is be-lieved that bison eat less because of a lower meta-bolic level, especially during the winter. How-ever, for the novice, the stocking rate should beconsidered equal to that of a beef cow. As theproducer develops experience, the stocking rateshould be adjusted� (10). In northern latitudes,additional land can be used to grow hay for win-ter stockpiling, to supplement winter pasture for-ages.

Some very detailed bison production budgetshave been published by the Saskatchewan Agri-culture and Food Ministry and by the AlbertaAgriculture, Food, and Rural Development Min-istry. It should be remembered that dollaramounts are stated in fluctuating Canadian dol-lars (about 67 cents to the U.S. dollar at the timeof this writing). The budget in the Saskatchewanpublication Bison Production � Economic and Pro-duction Information for Saskatchewan Producers canbe viewed at <http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/livestock/bison/production_information/fmb398.asp>. The Alberta budget publications

The Texas Bison Company�s website answers some frequently-asked questions for peopleinterested in bison. They recommend starting with bison calves:

Start small and start with calves! This is the best advice I got, and I�m passing it on. Iguarantee that you will have lessons to learn if you have never worked bison before, andadult bison will not be forgiving. With calves you can get in with them and they will getused to you. Maybe eat out of your hand. They will learn not to fear you and like you,and as they will end up the oldest in your herd, the others will learn from them. I woulddo this all over again. The more time you spend with them the better. However, therewill be a time when you have too many animals to go in the pasture with them, or as theygrow up they may start to challenge you. Specifically the bulls. And don�t even think ofapproaching a cow and a calf!

Besides, if you buy an adult animal, it may have been a cull, and it could�ve been due toa bad temperament: (I once bought an adult female bison and ended up with stitchesbecause I had to dive through a barbed wire fence or risk being gored). As the herdgrows and you become experienced, then you may take a risk on buying adult animals.

My herd once went through an open gate and roamed 3 miles. After I found them Ishook the range cube bucket and my head female led the herd all the way home. That�sbecause she knew me since she was a calf, and since I started out with only 3 calves. Ihad spent a LOT of time with them in the pasture. Now they are teaching the rest of theherd. Expect that at some time your herd may get out. How would you get them back!I suggest adding a gate to every side of your perimeter fencing. Even if it is a fence lineshared with your neighbor. It will make it a lot easier to get your bison back home. (9)

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 6

Bison Profit$ � Alberta 20 Cow Start-up Bison En-terprise; Bison Profit$ � Alberta 50 Cow Start-upBison Enterprise; Bison Profits � Profit PlanningTools for a 100 Cow Established Bison Enterprise; andBison Profits � Profit Planning Tools for Assessingthe Profitability of Investing in Bison Cows can beviewed at <http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/400/freedex.html#special>.

These budgets were created to aid in evalu-ating various bison enterprises. They present aworkable combination of inputs that will pro-duce a given output. This combination of inputsprobably doesn�t represent any given farm, andthe actual costs of inputs are likely different forevery farm. While there may be hundreds ofcombinations of feed, health, labor, and otherinputs, the budgets only give one combination.Different production practices, such as improvedpasture yield and quality, as well as various mar-keting opportunities, can cause the producer�sactual budget to be quite different from these.

MARKETING

Opportunities for marketing bison include:� Sale of bison meat� Live sales of males and females for breeding� Sale of bison skulls, hides, leather products,

and so on� Tourism

While some bison farmers �niche-market� di-rectly to consumers or restaurants, others sell tothe few existing wholesale marketing outlets.Still others are working with existing farm-mar-keting cooperatives. Beginning bison farmersneed to realize that bison marketing opportuni-ties are fairly new and not readily available inmany locations. One of the biggest obstacles tofarmers who want to produce bison in most ar-eas of the U.S. is this lack of an organized mar-ket. There are few established national or re-gional marketing and distribution systems; how-ever, several state or regional bison associationshave set up marketing channels or cooperatives.Direct marketing of meat and other products isan option, depending on the efforts and initia-tive of the producer. Producers taking this routewill need to develop a marketing plan. Devel-oping new niche markets for bison can take alarge amount of the producer�s time and energy,and requires good �people skills� and a businessplan.

For producers exploring the possibility offorming a marketing cooperative, the best sourceof information is USDA�s Rural Business and Co-operative Development Service (RBCDS) (12).The RBCDS helps farmers and rural residentsform cooperative businesses and improve theoperations of existing cooperatives. They pro-vide technical assistance, conduct cooperative-related research, and provide informationalproducts to promote public understanding ofcooperatives. The USDA Rural Business andCooperative Service Development website is at<http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/csdir.htm>.

Other obstacles to bison marketing, which arediminishing as the industry grows, are:

� Lack of standards for grading meat� The small size of the bison industry� Insufficient amounts of bison regularly avail-

able for marketing

Headquartered in New Rockford, NorthDakota, the North American Bison Co-operative has the nation�s first packingplant devoted solely to bison. The plantis processing more than 10,000 bison ayear; the products are sold in Europe andthe United States. The Cooperative�spolicy has been to pay their members aset price of $2.38 per pound for theirnumber-one-grade animals. However,marketing the product has been a big-ger challenge than anticipated. In Julyof 2001, they had over a year�s supply ofunsold frozen meat (all shrink-wrappedand blast-frozen, and able to be kept atleast four years). The Cooperative an-ticipates that increased sales in the fu-ture will reduce the carryover supply offrozen meat. Others see the large in-ventory as a serious problem, with co-opmembers having to either wait as longas 17 months to get their deferred cashpayments for their animals after the meatis sold, or take the meat themselves inlieu of the cash payment (13).

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 7

GGGGGRASSRASSRASSRASSRASS OROROROROR G G G G GRAINRAINRAINRAINRAIN?????

Finishing on pasture or by feeding a grainration in feedlots are both commonly practicedin the bison industry. Both these methods of fin-ishing for slaughter feature positive aspects thatcontribute to marketing strategies. Several yearsago, researchers at Colorado State Universityconducted a taste test between grass-fed andgrain-fed bison meat. Consumers in the studyshowed no preference between grass-fed andgrain-fed in terms of tenderness and juiciness,but they preferred the taste of grain-fed bison 6to 4 over grass-fed (3). Both methods will pro-duce an acceptable-quality product for consum-ers.

A study conducted by North Dakota StateUniversity showed the nutritional differences be-tween grass-fed and grain-fed bison. The grass-feed bison had Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratios of 4 to1, whereas the grain-fed bison had ratios of 21 to1 (14). Grass-fed meat can be marketed to health-conscious consumers interested in its more bal-anced ratio of Omega 6 and Omega 3. Additional

information on grass-fed meats is available at<http://eatwild.com>.

While some consumers will seek out pasture-fed bison, others prefer the more consistent grain-fed flavors and white fat familiar to beef-lovers(as compared to the variable flavor and moreyellow fat found in grass-fed bison). To get thesegrain-fed qualities, producers place young oryearling bison bulls in feedlots where they arefed a grain ration for a specific time before slaugh-tering. Grain finishing is receiving more empha-sis because of the North American BisonCooperative�s requirement (15) that their mem-bers place animals on a grain diet 100 days be-fore slaughter. Information on grain-feedingpractices and feedlot management of bison canbe found in North Dakota�s Carrington Beef andBison Production Field Days Research studies(see Further Resources) and in the Saskatchewanpublication Bison Feedlot: Economic and ProductionInformation, available at <http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/econ_farm_man/production/specializ/bisonfeedlot.pdf> (it takes a long timeto load).

Carol Klein of Oakcreek Buffalo Ranch comments:

Probably the most controversial management practice in the bison industry today is whetheror not to feed grain to bison. Following World War II, cattle producers began feeding excessgrain to beef herds. As ranchers began raising bison, many of them followed the samepractices being used to raise beef. But the animals are totally different. And even beef didnot evolve eating grain�they are grazing animals. Now, producers have to decide for them-selves whether or not it makes good sense for them to grain feed their animals. Our cow-herd has not received any grain supplements for three years. They graze on a grass andclover (and weeds!) pasture, and their condition is so good that they simply do not need anysupplemental feeding, only mineral and hay as required. To feed them grain would be thesame as over-watering a houseplant; it would be detrimental to their well being and to ourpocketbook. Feeding bulls before slaughter will speed the process of growing to slaughtersize. This will be offset by the additional cost of the grain. It will affect the fat deposits in theanimal, both in the amount and type of fat. Even with grain feeding, bison will have a morehealthy, nutritious meat that is lower in fat. The nutrition of a grass fed animal is definitelysuperior. Is the tenderness or taste better in grain fed animals? Everyone has his or her ownopinion on the subject. Unfortunately, it is one of the things we will have to decide for our-selves. Grain feeding is closely associated with feed lots, and therefore with antibiotics andgrowth hormones�and with [lowered] quality of life for the animals. At all costs, my opinionis that feedlot situations are best avoided. But I refuse to tell others how to run their farms,in hopes that they will let me operate mine as I see best. We can best influence otherproducers with our examples and success, and keep conflicts from injuring our industry. (8)

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 8

DDDDDIRECTIRECTIRECTIRECTIRECT M M M M MARKETINGARKETINGARKETINGARKETINGARKETING

Direct marketing of meat and other productsis dependent on the efforts and initiative of theproducer; developing a marketing plan is an es-sential first step. For detailed information ondirect marketing and niche markets, request theATTRA publications Direct Marketing and Alter-native Meat Marketing.

Because of the lack of organized traditionalmarkets, some bison farms market their productson the Internet. These producers must ensurethat they know and follow the rules and regula-tions for each state to which they ship bison meat.It is essential that all local, state, and federal food-inspection and health requirements are followed.

Marketing on the Internet is not easy; thereare both advantages and challenges to consider.Washington State University has a publicationand website that offer resources for farmers want-ing to market their products. Both provide in-formation on the pros and cons of Internet mar-keting, tips for success, links to other farmers�sites, resource lists for more information, and aglossary of Internet terms. The site location is<http://king.wsu.edu/Ag/internetmarketing.htm>.

Producers considering marketing over theInternet should also check out the Access Min-

nesota Main Street website. It has an ElectronicCommerce Curriculum that provides informa-tion on: electronic commerce basics; finding busi-ness information and services online; exploringE-commerce websites; creating your website;promoting your website; Minnesota case stud-ies; developing your Internet business plan; andmuch more. Check out the website at <http://www.extension.umn.edu/mainstreet> or con-tact Rae Montgomery at (612) 624-2773,<rmontgomery@extension.umn.edu>.

One of the obstacles for direct marketing ofbison is that many people only want the best cuts;marketing of the poorer cuts can be challenging.Many bison farmers offer stew meats, sausage,ground burger, or patties to help market thesecuts. But what to do with the bones and organsthat larger slaughtering plants have markets for?Well, there is an option available: the controver-sial natural diet for dogs called BARF (Bones AndRaw Food) diet. Many pet owners believe theirpets are healthier on a raw diet. Many bison farmwebsites have items included in their lists suchas stock bones, ham or leg bones, neck bone, andorgans for sale. These items are mainly for theBARF market. To learn more about BARF andfor lists of pet owners in your area who feed theirpets BARF, use a search engine such as Yahoo,or visit <http://www.onelist.com> and searchfor BARF, or visit <http://www.willowglen.com/barf.htm>.

Some producers enhance the income of theirbison enterprise by advertising and charging forbison hunts. This direct-marketing strategy canbe used to reduce the herd size by either select-ing culled breeding stock for harvest or offeringtrophy-size bulls. Some states may have specificregulations on bison hunting, so it would be bestto contact your state�s Department of Agricul-ture or Wildlife Department for specific require-ments. However, because the bison are privatelyowned animals, the producer would probably beallowed to sell the animals to the hunters beforethe hunt. The hunters would then be shootingtheir own animals, which is probably not regu-lated.

Besides the meat and hunting aspects of abison operation, making use of some of the by-products can add to the producer�s income. Someproducers have developed markets for bison by-products such as heads, robes made from hides,

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 9

skulls, leather goods, jewelry made from bonesand horns, and so on.

Another possible enterprise is tourism. The450-acre Mason family ranch, located 120 milesnorth of Omaha, Nebraska, with 150 bison cowsand calves, has attracted more than 6,000 tour-ists to take a covered-wagon tour and purchasebison sandwiches or specialized meat products(16). Reportedly, the gate admission receipts (at$4/person) and sale of sandwiches and meatproducts provide a good living for the two fami-lies who operate the ranch. More informationon tourism is available in ATTRA�s EntertainmentFarming and Agri-Tourism.

PPPPPASTURINGASTURINGASTURINGASTURINGASTURING B B B B BISONISONISONISONISON

Grazing bison in a sustainable and economi-cal way can best be accomplished through a ro-tational grazing system. These systems havebeen used extensively with cattle, and not asmuch with bison. The Saskatchewan Agricul-ture and Food Ministry�s publication Bison Pas-tures and Grazing Management, an excellent sourceof information on bison grazing, is available at<http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/livestock/bison/production_information/bisonpast.asp>.General nutrition information is available fromthe Saskatchewan Basic Nutrition of Bison at<http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/livestock/bison/herd_health/bison-nutrition.asp>.

In rotational grazing systems, animals are al-lowed to graze a limited area for a limited time,and are then moved to another pasture subdivi-sion, or �paddock.� This gives plants time togrow back without using up root reserves. Un-der rotational grazing, legumes and nativegrasses may reappear in pastures, and produc-ers often report that the plant community be-comes more diverse. Rotational grazing can beused to improve pasture, extend the grazing sea-

son, and enable the producer to provide higher-quality forage at a lower cost with fewer inputs.

The goal of rotational grazing is to tailor thepaddock size to the number of bison, so that thepasture is used as efficiently as possible, and theanimals get the quality and quantity of foragethey need for the amount of time desired. Whenfirst devising a grazing plan, make big paddocksand use long rotations. As you become more fa-miliar with the pasture plants and the herd�sgrazing habits, further subdivide these �starter�paddocks with more electric fence. It is best tomake the subdivisions temporary to take advan-tage of forage growing conditions and the bison�schanging feed requirements.

Fresh, clean water must always be available.In a rotational grazing system, the animals musthave access to a central water source from everypaddock or water must be provided to each ofthe pasture subdivisions. This can be a challengeand may be fairly expensive.

For more information on rotational grazing management, request these ATTRA publications:

� Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Ruminants on Pasture� Sustainable Pasture Management� Rotational Grazing� Introduction to Paddock Design and Fencing-Water Systems for Controlled Grazing� Nutrient Cycling in Pastures

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 10

Carol Klein of Oakcreek Buffalo Ranch sug-gests that rotational grazing is worth consider-ing both for better economics and for the well-being of the bison. She explains:

To use the land available to its fullest potentialwill without a doubt require a plan of rotationalgrazing. It will provide an estimated 40%increase in the amount of grass available. Butwhat will the buffalo think of all that control?After all they are independent, and roamthroughout their territory at will. Trust me, ifthey object too strongly, they will let you knowby rearranging the fences. The field they arebeing moved to should be better than the onethey are leaving, and they will be eager for thenew territory. So they will move readily whenneeded, and stay where they are put as long asthe grazing is good. More management andfencing are needed on the part of the producer,and labor must be available when needed. Whatsold me on the �idea� of rotational grazing wasthe better quality and quantity of grass avail-able for the animals. (8)

Lorne Klein, a Rangeland Agrologist atRegina, Saskatchewan, comments:

Bison can extract 5 to 13 percent more nutri-ents from low quality feeds than cattle can. Atfeed values above 10 percent, cattle are just asefficient as bison.

Bison�s metabolic rate decreases from summerto winter. Dry matter intake of cows is esti-mated to be 2.2 to 2.8 percent in the summer,but only 1.4 to 2.0 in winter. This allows themto successfully overwinter on stockpiled grasses.Provided there is adequate forage volume, haysupplementation is only required under extremesnow conditions.

* * * * *

Getting thin in winter is good for bison. Thereis speculation that longevity and fertility aregreatly reduced when cows are not allowed tolose weight in winter. Mature bison in goodcondition are able to lose 10 to 15 percent oftheir bodyweight from January to June.

The loss of weight in winter allows bison togain weight rapidly in June and July. A risingplane of nutrition from mid-June until breeding

in September is very important. Young femalesin their second and third winter can lose 10 to15 percent of their body weight, provided theyenter the winter in good conditions.

Bison are genetically programmed to maximizethe spring lush of pasture growth. A greenseason pasture sward of less than four inches isnot recommended. Bison spend less timegrazing in summer than beef cattle and dovirtually no nighttime grazing.

During the rut, the reduction in grazing timemay be as high as 12 percent. Therefore, thereshould be no limitation in forage quantity andquality during the rut. (17)

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 11

FFFFFENCINGENCINGENCINGENCINGENCING

Fencing�a critical factor in raising bison onpasture�varies greatly from farm to farm. Someproducers get by with strong cattle fences, whileothers build super-strong, extra-tall fences. What-ever type of exterior fence you build�woven,barbwire, high-tensile, etc.�it should be at least6 feet tall. Electric fencing works well with bi-son, as long as they are trained to know what elec-tric fences are. Barbed wire should never be usedas electric fence because of the possibility of bi-son (and humans) getting tangled in it and elec-trocuted. Fences featuring six to eight high-ten-sile wires with two to four electrified strands arebecoming popular with producers and are a goodoption to consider. A good energizer is essen-tial. A helpful publication on fencing for bison isavailable at <http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/livestock/bison/production_information/fmb398k.asp>.

However, even strong fences will not keepbison in if they get spooked. Robert Klessig, abison producer in Wisconsin, says, �Well, I�m notgoing to promote any single type of fence, but ifyou�re going to raise bison, you better make darnsure that you use high-quality materials, andbuild it well. You don�t just drive a bison back inyour pastures if they get out� (18).

HANDLING AND TRANSPORTING BISON

Bison cannot be handled like cattle. CarolKlein explained at the 2001 Missouri Bison Con-ference in Joplin that it is important for the bisonproducer, especially the new producer, to under-

stand the bison�s nature. Bison have very strongherd instincts and will react to danger as a group,first fleeing and then returning out of curiosityto see what �spooked� them. They also have astrong sense of personal self and self-preserva-tion, and will either flee or fight. Bison relate toeach other through a strict �pecking order.� Thestrongest bull will be the dominant animal in theherd, whose job it is to protect and breed, but thedominant cow will be the herd leader. Bison canoutrun a horse and turn on a dime; they are goodjumpers, kickers, and swimmers; they are strong(about four times stronger than beef cows); andthey are not tame. Klein cautions producers toremember that bison are dangerous and act ac-cordingly when handling them. She states:

Buffalo are wild animals. There is not a tame ordomesticated hair on their head. You can gaintheir trust and friendship, but you have notreally changed their basic nature�they willalways be wild. This free and independentnature is a strong part of the appeal buffalo haveto us. There is only one way to make a buffalodo anything, and that is to make him want to doit. Forget everything you know aboutcattle. These animals have a nature of theirown, and that is what you will have to knowand understand. It is that independent naturethat will affect the ways in which you manageyour herd.

Everything in life is a trade-off. As you come towin the acceptance of your animals, they willlose their fear of you. That will eliminate manyproblems of control, but will create otherproblems in their place. Their new proximity toyou will create new dangers as well. Alwaysstay safe.

Being in the middle of a buffalo herd is no placefor a person. You may think they like andaccept you. Look close at how they interact witheach other. They like each other, but they stillact very violently with their buddies. They buttand gouge at each other, and you will noticethat the receiver of that action takes the threat/danger very seriously. They avoid being trappedby any animal more dominant than they, andstay out of their space. If they make a mistake,they are promptly and harshly reminded of theirplace. If you want to be part of the herd, you

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 12

will also be in their pecking order�and theywill find out that you should be on the bottomrung. The bull will test you first, and theremay not be enough left for any others to playwith. But if you don�t want affectionate buffalojumping on your butt, then stay on your side ofthe fence. Otherwise, you will learn abouttough love. Your reaction times are not goodenough to avoid the actions of a buffalo. (8)

Colorado State University�s Temple Grandinsuggests that training bison calves will changetheir perception of a stressful, negative experi-ence to either a neutral or even a positive experi-ence. This will not make the bison tame or do-mesticated, but will simply condition them to re-spond to a particular situation in a calmer man-ner, making them easier to handle. For morespecifics on training bison calves, see Grandin�swebsite at <http://grandin.com/references/bison.calves.html>.

Handling systems have to be designed forbison and human safety. Grandin has designedhandling facilities to reduce the stress of handlingon the bison, as well as protect the people doingthe sorting. Some of her suggestions follow.

� Handling facilities must have solid seven-foot sides on all fences, chutes, gates, andpens, and must be designed so that the han-dlers can operate gates without being amongthe bison.

� Fences and chutes should have toe holds andgrab bars to provide an escape route for han-dlers.

� Fill crowd pens no more than one-third full.� Bison must be sorted single-file, not in a wide

lane. Use a round forcing pen to direct bisoninto the single-file race. Bison will move eas-ily through the round pen into single-file be-cause as they circle around they think theyare going back to where they came from.

� Bison will remain calmer if brought up indi-vidually to the solid-sided, solid-toppedsqueeze chute from the crowd pen. Bison of-ten become agitated if left waiting in a single-file chute. The bison remain calmer if left inthe crowd pen with their mates and broughtto the squeeze chute one at a time. If the bi-son have to be held standing in a single-file

chute, they must be held in separate com-partments between solid sliding gates.

For more specifics on designing a reduced-stress handling facility and to read the article,�The Calming of American Bison during Rou-tine Handling,� see Grandin�s website at<http://grandin.com/behaviour/tips/buffalo.html> and <http://grandin.com/references/bison.paper.html>.

Some additional bison-handling systems arediagrammed at the Saskatchewan Agricultureand Food website, <http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/livestock/bison/production_information/fmb398j.asp>. TheAlberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Develop-ment Ministry has a 38-minute VHS video en-titled Handling Bison Safely and Effectively (492-VT) (see Further Resources: Video for orderinginformation). The Prairie Agricultural Machin-ery Institute (PAMI) has the book The Rancher�sGuide to Elk and Bison Handling Facilities (see Fur-ther Resources: Books for ordering information).

Rounding up bison is not like rounding upcattle. Georgia Derrick, a bison producer in Wis-consin, explains, �These are wild animals, youdon�t turn your back and you don�t get into asituation you can�t get out of.� This usuallymeans having a truck handy to bail into, al-though her husband Jim drives his tractor intothe herd. Cows with calves and bulls in rut areextremely dangerous (18). In an e-mail messagesent to �Graze-l� in May 1997, Robert O.Gjerdingen of Viola, Wisconsin stated, �A Ca-nadian livestock hauler, the type of man whohas hauled every type of beast in the industry,told me that a female bison was the only critterever to lay in wait for him in a back compart-ment with the goal of ending his life on earth.Had he been a little fatter, and the vent holes inthe side of the trailer a little narrower, he wouldnot be alive today.�

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 13

management, and history. It is mainly scientificinformation; however, there is a section on view-points at the end of the proceedings that providesvarious producers� opinions on their differentmanagement styles. The Proceedings can be or-dered for $30 (checks payable to MSU ExtensionWildlife) from:

MSU Extension Wildlife Program221 Linfield HallMontana State UniversityBozeman, MT 59717

REFERENCES

1) American Bison Association. 1993. Overviewof the bison industry: Buffalo or bison? BisonBreeders Handbook. American Bison Associa-tion [now National Bison Association]. p. 20�21.

2) Burgess, Regina G. 2001. Buffalo: The come-back of the twenty-first century. AgVentures.April�May. p. 6�9.

3) Moseley, Jan. 2001. The meat solution...Theevolution of the bison industry continues. TheStockman Grass Farmer. August. p. 1, 10�11.

4) Tessaro, Stacy V. 1989. Review of the dis-eases, parasites and miscellaneous pathologi-cal conditions of the North American bison.Canadian Veterinary Journal. May. p. 416�422.

5) Personal communication. USDA/FSIS Inspec-tion & Enforcement Standards DevelopmentStaff. May 2001.

6) Mamminga, Mike. 2000. Venison inspectionrequirements. Deer Farmers� Digest. October.p. 9�10. <http://digest.deerfarmer.com/oct00.htm>. [Reprinted June 2000 in The ElkScoop, a publication of Iowa Elk BreedersAssociation.]

7) Personal communication. USDA/FSIS Label-ing and Consumer Protection Staff. May 2001.

8) Klein, Carol. 2001. Understanding BisonBehavior and Characteristics for EffectiveHerd Management. Paper presented at the2001 Missouri Bison Conference, February 10at Joplin, Missouri. 6 p.

9) Texas Bison Company. 2000. Frequentlyasked questions: I am interested in raisingbison. What do I need to know? <http://www.bisonranch.com/questions.html>. 9 p.

SSSSSOUROUROUROUROURCESCESCESCESCES OFOFOFOFOF F F F F FURURURURURTHERTHERTHERTHERTHER I I I I INFORMANFORMANFORMANFORMANFORMATIONTIONTIONTIONTION

The National Buffalo Association and theAmerican Bison Association consolidated theirmemberships on January 1, 1995, to form the Na-tional Bison Association (19). This associationprovides educational and research materials, anda communications service to farmers, ranchers,and individuals concerned with the propagationand promotion of the American bison. The yearlyGold Trophy Show and Sale is held in Januaryin Denver, Colorado, and another convention isheld each year in alternating locations through-out the U. S.

The National Bison Association publishes aquarterly magazine entitled Bison World, whichis free with membership, along with a subscrip-tion to the North American Bison Journal. Theyalso sell many excellent books on bison produc-tion. They have an Information Packet availablefor $20 plus $6 shipping that contains a wide va-riety of basic bison production and marketinginformation. The cost of membership is $150 ayear. Additional information about their orga-nization is available at <http://www.bisoncentral.com/nba>.

There are other national, state, and Canadianassociations dealing with bison. See the Appen-dix for listings of associations from The Tracker,a monthly publication from Canada that listsevents, associations, and advertisers that workwith bison (see Further Resources: Magazinesfor subscription information).

Many electronic resources are now availableto those with Internet access. Several websitesare provided in the above listing of associationsfrom The Tracker. A search engine such as Ya-hoo can also be used to locate other lists on theInternet.

Vern Anderson at North Dakota�s CarringtonResearch Extension Center (20) has informationavailable on all aspects of bison production.There is a small copying and mailing charge; con-tact the Center for details. Their website featuresthe 1997 to 2001 Beef and Bison Production FieldDays, which includes many bison research pa-pers.

The 395�page 1997 International Symposiumon Bison Ecology and Management in North AmericaProceedings, by L. Irby and J. Knight, contains in-formation on bison disease, ecology, genetics,

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 14

10) Staff. 1998. Bison Production: Economic andProduction Information for SaskatchewanProducers. Saskatchewan Agriculture andFood, Regina, Sask., Canada. p. 1, 7.

11) Gompert, Terry, Jan Jorgensen, and LarryMason. 1998. A beginner�s primer...Tips onbison marketing and management. TheStockman Grass Farmer. March. p. 7�8.

12) USDA Rural Development/CooperativeServicesStop 3250Washington, DC 20250-3250(202) 720-7558; Fax (202) 720-4641E-mail: coopinfo@rurdev.usda.govhttp://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/csdir.htm

13) Pates, Mikkel. 2001. Bison co-op to launchmore aggressive meat marketing campaign.Agweek Magazine. July 23. <http://www.agweek.com>. 11 p.

14) Anon. No date. Omega 3 Fatty Acids.<http://www.texasgrassfedveef.com/id28_m.htm>. 2 p.

15) North American Bison CooperativeRR 1, Box 162BNew Rockford, ND 58356(701) 947-2505; Fax (701) 947-2105

16) Staff. 1999. Living prairie draws tourists bythe thousands to small Nebraska ranch.Stockman Grass Farmer. March. p. 1.

17) Klein, Lorne. 2000. Bison are well-adapted forwinter grazing in cold climates. The StockmanGrass Farmer. July. p. 16.

18) Baker, Juli. 1996. Bison on grass. PastureTalk. October. p. 10�11.

19) National Bison Association4701 Marion Street, Suite 100Denver, Colorado 80216(303) 292-2833; Fax (303) 292-2564http://www.bisoncentral.com/nba

20) Vern AndersonCarrington Research Extension CenterBox 219Carrington, ND 58421-0219(701) 652-2951; Fax: (701) 652-2055http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/carringt/

FURTHER RESOURCES

WEBSITES:

The National Bison Association

http://www.bisoncentral.com/nbahttp://www.bisoncentral.com/nba/gtss_rules.aspState Veterinarians� phone number and statehealth requirements in Appendix D.

The Bison Centre of Excellence in Alberta,Canada

http://www.bisoncentre.com/resources/index.htmlFeatures over 500 articles on Bison basics,Production information for the establishedproducer, Bison research for academic interest,and Bison marketing and economics, as well asthe International Bison Conference 2000Proceedings.

Alberta Agriculture, Food, and Rural Develop-ment Ministry

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/400/492830_1.html or .pdfAlberta publication Commercial Bison Indus-try.

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/agdex/400/freedex.html#specialFour Alberta budget publications:

� Bison Profit$ � Alberta 20 Cow Start-upBison Enterprise

� Bison Profit$ � Alberta 50 Cow Start-upBison Enterprise

� Bison Profits � Profit Planning Tools for a100 Cow Established Bison Enterprise

� Bison Profits � Profit Planning Tools forAssessing the Profitability of Investing inBison Cows

Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Ministryhttp://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/bison/production_information/fmb398.aspSaskatchewan publication Bison Production �Economic and Production Information forSaskatchewan Producers.

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 15

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/bison/production_information/fmb398k.aspSaskatchewan publication section on fencing forbison.

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/bison/production_information/fmb398j.aspSaskatchewan diagrams of bison handlingsystems.

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/econ_farm_man/production/specializ/bisonfeedlot.pdfSaskatchewan publication Bison Feedlot:Economic and Production Information.

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/bison/production_information/bisonpast.aspSaskatchewan publication Bison Pastures andGrazing Management.

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/bison/herd_health/bison-nutrition.aspSaskatchewan publication Basic Nutrition ofBison.

http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/live-stock/elk_and_deer/herd_health/paratuberculosis.aspPublication Paratuberculosis/Johne�s Disease.

North Dakota State University Bison ResearchProgram

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak. edu/carringt/bison_research_program.htm1997 to 2001 Bison Research and ProductionField Day Reports.

Temple Grandin�s Websitehttp://grandin.com/references/bison.calves.htmlPublication Training American Bison (Bisonbison) Calves.

http://grandin.com/behaviour/tips/buffalo.htmlSpecifics on designing a reduced-stress han-dling facility.

http://grandin.com/references/bison.paper.htmlThe article �The Calming of American Bison(Bison bison) During Routine Handling.�

Eat Wild Websitehttp://eatwild.comInformation on grass-fed meats.

USDA/FSIShttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/OFO/hrds/STATE/stateoff.htmListing of all States Officials in the CooperativeMeat & Poultry Inspection programs.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oppde/nacmpi/nov2000/papers/species.htmUSDA�s concept paper, �Extending USDA�sInspection Program to Non-Amenable/ExoticSpecies.�

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/focusbison.htmThe USDA/Food Safety and Inspection Servicepublication Focus On Bison.

USDA Rural Business and Cooperative ServiceDevelopment

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/csdir.htm

Washington State Universityhttp://king.wsu.edu/Ag/internetmarketing.htmPublication and website providing informationon the pros and cons of Internet marketing, tipsfor success, links to other farmers� websites,resource lists for more information, and aglossary of Internet terms.

University of Minnesotahttp://www.extension.umn.edu/mainstreetAccess Minnesota Main Street website providesinformation on: electronic commerce basics;finding business information and servicesonline; exploring E-commerce websites; creatingyour website; promoting your website; Minne-sota case studies; developing your Internetbusiness plan, and much more.

Bones and Raw Food Websitehttp://www.willowglen.com/barf.htmInformation on BARF.

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 16

Yahoo! Groups Listhttp://www.onelist.comFor lists of groups of pet owners in your areawho feed their pets BARF, enter BARF into thesearch field.

Western College of Veterinary Medicine at theUniversity of Saskatchewan

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/specialstock/Excellent publication called A LiteratureReview of Disease in Bison, plus good informa-tion on Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MDF).

University of Wisconsinhttp://www.johnes.orgSite on Johne�s Disease with specific bisoninformation.

VIDEO:Handling Bison Safely and Effectively (492-VT)

Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Devel-opmentPublications Office7000 - 113 StreetEdmonton, Alberta T6H 5T6(780) 427�0391 Canadian toll-free (800) 292�5697Cost $25.00 plus $2.00 handling and $3.00 forU.S. orders.

BOOKS:Bison Breeder�s Handbook and The Buffalo Producer�sGuide to Marketing and Management

National Bison Association4701 Marion Street, Suite 100Denver, Colorado 80216(303) 292-2833; FAX (303) 292-2564http://www.bisoncentral.com/nba

The Rancher�s Guide to Elk and Bison Handling Fa-cilities.

Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute(PAMI)Box 1150, Highway 5 WestHumboldt, Saskatchewan, CANADA S0A2A0(800) 567�7264http://www.pami.ca/pamipubs/books.htm

MAGAZINES:North American Bison Journal

Tri-State Livestock News(800) 253-3656 or (605) 347-2585; Fax: (605)347-2525http://bisonjournal.comSubscription rate is $21 per year (12 issues) or$21.84 for South Dakota subscribers ($31 inCanada). They have two years of archivedissues on their website.

The Stockman Grass FarmerP.O. Box 2300Ridgeland, MS 39158-2300(800) 748-9808; FAX (601) 853-8087E-mail: sgf@StockmanGrassFarmer.comhttp://www.stockmangrassfarmer.comSubscription rate is $28 per year (12 issues).

The TrackerBox 1094Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3B2(306) 337-1540; FAX (306) 337-1531E-mail: blmclash@cableregina.comSubscription rate is $25 (U.S.) per year (11issues).

High Plains JournalHigh Plains Publishers, Inc.P.O. Box 7601500 Wyatt Earp Blvd.Dodge City, KS 67801�0760(620) 227�7171; Fax (620) 227-7173E-mail: journal@hpj.comhttp://www.hpj.comSubscription rate is $56 per year (52 issues).

The electronic version of Bison Production islocated at:HTMLhttp://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/bison.htmlPDFhttp://www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/bison.pdf

By Lance E. GegnerNCAT Agriculture Specialist

Edited by Richard EarlesFormatted by Gail M. Hardy

December 2001IP151

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 17

APPENDIX

BISON ASSOCIATIONSSource: The Tracker, October 2001, p. 10�11.

Alberta Bison AssociationSusanne Pohl, Office Manager4301-50th Street, Leduc, AB T9E 7H3Phone: 780-980-4835Fax: 780-980-7597email: vspohl@telusplanet.netwebsite: http://www.bisoncentre.com

Association Quebecoise Du BisonBruno Roy1608, du BosquetAncienne-Lorette, PQ G2E 3LIPhone: 418-877-8868Fax: 418-877-7179

BC Interior Bison AssociationDel Myers, Sec.21845 Hwy 97 SPrince George, B.C. V2N 6A3Phone: 250-330-4465Fax: 250-330-4449website: http://www.ttonka.com/bciba

Canadian Bison AssociationGavin Conacher, Executive Director#200, 1600 Pasqua Street, Box 3116Regina, SK S4P 3G7Phone: 306-522-4766Fax: 306-522-4768email: cbal@sk.sympatico.ca

Colorado Bison AssociationJohn Painter, Sec/Treas303 S. Broadway Suite B522Denver, CO 80209Phone: 505-770-7751Fax: 505-768-5561

Dakota Territory Buffalo AssociationJud SeamanP.O. Box 4104Rapid City, SD 57709Phone: 605-923-6383email: info@dakotabuffalo.comwebsite: http://www.dakotabuffalo.com

American Bison FoundationDr. Ken Throlson, President4701 Marion St.Denver, CO 80216Phone: 303-292-2833Fax: 303-292-2564

Eastern Bison AssociationDeborah Tanner, SecBox 708Brooklyn, CT 06234Phone: 877-461-7555email: ebabison@hotmailwebsite: http://www.ebabison.org

Great Plains Buffalo AssociationT. R. Hughes, Pres.P.O. Box 243Seward, NE 68434Phone: 402-643-2574Fax: 303-665-1535email: info@gpbuffalo.orgwebsite: http://www.gpbuffalo.org

Intertribal Bison CooperativeTim Wapato, Exec. Dir.1560 Concourse DriveRapid City, SD 57703Phone: 605-394-7742email: itbc@cnetis.netwebsite: http://www.intertribalbison.org

Iowa Bison AssociationTom Cink, Pres.2103 - 210th St.Wesley, IA 50483Phone: 515-679-4501Fax: 515-679-4283email: tricbisn@rconnect.comwebsite: http://www.iowabison.org

Jamestown Area Buffalo AssociationOren Krapp, Pres.P.O. Box 112Pingree, ND 58476Phone: 701-252-6853email: bison@daktel.comwebsite: http://www.buffaloblast.com

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 18

Kansas Buffalo AssociationCharlies Smies, Sec./Treas.P.O. Box 12110Wichita, KS 67277-2110Phone: 316-721-0970Phone: 888-282-4766Fax: 316-773-4720

Manitoba 1st Nation Elk/Bison AssociationHarvey Payne3411 Grant AvenueWinnipeg, MB R3R 0K8Phone: 204-832-9497

Manitoba Bison AssociationDave Giesbrecht, Pres.Box 959Teulon, MB R0C 3B0Phone: 204-886-2221Fax: 204-886-3336Ray Salmon, Sec.Phone: 204-945-2223Fax: 204-945-4327

Michigan Bison AssociationBeth O�Rourke8450 O�Rourke Rd.Vanderbilt, Ml 49795-9703Phone: 517-983-4149Fax: 517-983-2077email: double_c@voyager.netwebsite: http://www.michiganbison.com

Minnesota Buffalo AssociationDennis Tuel, Sr., Pres.Gail Griffin, Exec. Dir.Route 5 Box 2Winona, MN 55987Phone: 507-454-2828email: info@mnbison.org

Missouri Bison AssociationDeWayne Frobenius, Sec.Box 472Kimberline City, MO 65686Phone: 417-739-2281Phone: 800-365-2115Fax: 417-739-2281email: information@mobisonassoc.orgwebsite: http://www.mobisonassoc.org

Montana Bison AssociationWayne Arnold, Sec./Treas.HC 75, Box 467Brady, MT 59416Phone: 406-627-2417Fax: 406-627-2417

National Bison Association4701 Marion St. Ste 100Denver, CO 80216Phone: 303-292-2833(BUFF)Fax: 303-292-2564email: Info@bisoncentral.comwebsite: http://www.nbabison.org

National Buffalo FoundationEdwin Tuccio, Pres.547 East Main St.Riverhead, NY 11901Phone: 516-727-6644Fax: 516-369-2727email: info@bisoncentral.comwebsite: http://www.bisoncentral.com

Nebraska State Buffalo AssociationSheila Peterson, Office Mgr.P.O. Box 1137Grand Island, NE 68802Phone: 402-865-4235website: http://www.nebraskastatebuffalo.org

Northwest Bison AssociationMaureen Durheim, Sec.6510 North Division St. #280Spokane, WA 99208-3993Phone: 1-888-314-3788 (US)Phone: 1-888-314-6922 (Canada)Fax: 503-357-1352email: nwba@nwbison.orgwebsite: http://www.nwbison.org

North American Bison SocietyBoots Delano4570 N. Oraibi Pl.Tucson, AZ 85749-9386Phone: 520-749+-5654email: bison@mciworld.com

//BISON PRODUCTION PAGE 19

North Dakota Buffalo AssociationPaul Thomas, Exec. Dir.4007 State St.Bismark, ND 58503Phone: 701-223-4130email: ndbuff@ndbuffalo.orgwebsite: http://www.ndbuffalo.org

North Dakota Buffalo Foundation, Inc.National Buffalo MuseumP.O. Box 1712Jamestown, ND 58402-1712Phone: 701-252-8648Phone: 800-222-4766website: http://www.jamestownnd.com/promotiontourism.buffalomuseum.htm

Oklahoma Bison AssociationNick Anderson, Osaj BisonP.O. Box 1347Cushing, OK 74023-1347Phone: 918-225-2260Fax: 918-225-6592

Ontario Bison AssociationChristina Pyke, Sec.RR4Wolf Island, ON K0H 2Y0Phone: 613-385-1925Fax: 613-385-1926

Peace Country Bison AssociationStacey Basnett, Sec.Box 159Fairview, AB T0H 1L0Phone: 780-494-2407Fax: 780-494-2869email: snazarko@telusplanet.net

Pennsylvania Bison AssociationAnn Darrow, Sec.2708 Lincoln HighwaySchellsburg, PA 15559Phone: 814-733-4908Fax: 814-733-2323email: bisonbor@nb.netwebsite: http://www.pba.org

Saskatchewan Bison AssociationLeon Brin, Exec. Dir.Box 36011Regina, SK S4S 7H6Phone: 306-585-6304Fax: 306-585-6285email: saskbison@sk.sympatico.cawebsite: http://www.saskbison.com

South East Bison AssociationSteve Wilson4801 Greenhaven LaneGoshen, KY 40026Phone: 502-222-4451Fax: 502-222-4452

Texas Bison Association801 Wallis Ave., P.O. Box 579Santa Anna, TX 76878

Western Bison AssociationP.O. Box 60126Reno, NV 85906-0126Phone: 775-969-3497

Wisconsin Bison AssociationRebecca Ries, Sec./Treas.W2749 Gold Course RoadMount Calvary, WI 53057Phone: 920-921-8889Fax: 920-921-0306email: rr1047@thesurf.comwebsite: http://www.wibison.com

//BISON PRODUCTIONPAGE 20