Bison Update Part 2

Bison Update Part 2

Bison Update. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

I have always been fascinated by the bison. If I had a ranch I would be raising bison because they are such iconic creatures and unlike a lot of other livestock are very hands off. Dave Carter, President of the National Bison Association says there are growing numbers so people choosing to raise bison.

CARTER: There are some folks out there that are doing it in terms of just restoring the animal back to the ecosystem. We have folks that are emphasizing as much on agrotourism as they are marketing the meat. We are in such an entrepreneurial business right now that people are finding a niche in so many different areas. Everything from selling the meat to selling the wool to giving folks from the city tours out on the place and letting them just have an experience of the old west.

It is important to note that only about 120 years ago the bison was almost extinct.

CARTER: The ranchers out there are really playing a huge role. About 95% of the animals today are on private land and the ranchers deserve a huge pat on the back for the tole they are playing in bringing these animals back. But we also know the conservationists for a lot of these public herds, the National Bison Range and Yellowstone and other places are playing an important role as are the tribal folks.

Wolf predation is a major issue for the cattle industry, while still a factor, it is diminished with bison.

CARTER: Not nearly to the extent that you see in the beef business, I mean bison are prey animals so they have adapted through the tens of thousands of year to interact in this environment with predators like wolves and bears and the like. That doesn’t mean that the wolves don’t win once in a while and end up getting a bison but because we haven’t domesticated these animals, they still have a lot more of that natural instinct on how to react to predators.

And if you haven’t experienced a delicious bison steak Carter has a suggestion.

CARTER: If you go on to BisonCentral.com which is our website and there’s a place on where to buy and you can click on the tab there and it’ll take you to a lot of producers that would be glad to provide you with a good thick New York steak or Ribeye or even a Sirloin, it’s a great eating experience. And when you are eating it you know that there is nothing added, it’s all natural. People want to have a good eating experience. They want to have something that’s healthy for themselves and their families and they want to know that the environment and the animal was taken care of.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network. 

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