Bison Ranching
In 1995 the American Bison Association (formed in 1975) and the National Buffalo Association (chartered in 1966) merged to become the National Bison Association. The NBA has more than 1,100 members in all 50 states and 10 foreign countries. The NBA is a non-profit association of producers, processors, marketers and bison enthusiasts.The vision of the NBA is a community bound by the heritage of the American Bison.
The mission of the National Bison Association is to bring together stakeholders to celebrate the heritage of American bison, to educate, and to create a sustainable future for our industry.
National Bison Association members abide by the NBA Code of Ethics, which ensure the humane and sustainable raising of the American bison.
I asked Jim Matheson, Asst. Director of the National Bison Association if raising bison was similar to cattle ranching. Yes, absolutely. So just like cattle, you know, all bison are raised on pasture for a good portion of their life. A lot of the bison you'll see in the marketplace are typically finished on a variety of forages that not only includes grass, but also some grains. Forbes, et cetera. They do well on a variety of feeds. And so, as such, they're finished on a variety of forages. And in terms of the life of the animal, we harvest them about 2 years of age. And they're largely raised on pasture. The cuts are very similar to a beef animal. The only difference really is that you have to be careful cooking it because of the leanness. Like I mentioned there, you can cook through a lot quicker than beef can because it's not insulated by the fat.