Bison Producer's Handbook part 2

Bison Producer's Handbook part 2

Bison Producer's Handbook Part 2. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. I have often day dreamed of having my own ranch someplace with a large herd of bison grazing in the distance. Unfortunately it is just that, a dream since I'm allergic to hard work but according to Dave Carter, Executive Director of the National Bison Association, a newly revised book discusses how with bison, less is more. CARTER: A lot of folks were out there thinkin' 'Gosh if I get into the bison business I've got to have perimeter fencing that looks like Fort Knox' or 'I've got to be prepared on how to handle the wildest animal around.' And the folks that helped us put this together really brought together the expertise to say as long as you take care and have good food, good water and the right mix of boys and girls together to keep each other happy, they'll stay put. The Bison Producer's Handbook is a great read for anyone is interested in learning more about the history, behaviors and production of bison. One fascinating note is that similar to horses, bison instinctively consider themselves as "prey" animals and as such will only briefly visit a watering hole to get a drink. CARTER: Because they still have some of the natural survival instincts there's some real advantages. As a "prey" animal they still recognize that predators like to hang around water holes so when the bison go down to the stream to get a drink, they take a drink and then they move up to high ground to get themselves out of that environment. That means there is much less impact on the stream banks and riparian areas. Yet another facet to bison production is something that has been catching on in the last few years, agrotourism. CARTER: The fascination with this animal, we think is one of the real marketable attributes. There is just sort of this attachment that I think all of us have with this animal whether or not we raise them or just grown up reading about history and so the opportunity for folks to come out and do farm tours or do the Bed & Breakfast and those type of things are some extra advantages that we think that are marketable. Of course there is a huge market for bison meat and quite honestly I prefer it for its low fat, high protein content and the great taste. But there is a growing market for just about 100% of the animal. CARTER: People really enjoy things that are made out of bison leather or even the pet treat market is now getting real big on bison chews and all of those things as anyone in agriculture knows is it's very important if you are going to pay the bills you've got to be able to market as much of that animal as possible and we not only have the products we can market off that animal but we also have the mystique of the animal itself that is a marketable quality. You can get a copy of the Bison Producer's Handbook through bisoncentral.com or Amazon.com. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
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