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1. What is the difference between buffalo and bison?
Buffalo and bison are of the same species. The species most
commonly found in North America are scientifically referred to as (bison bison). The terms
buffalo and bison have been interchangeable with the species in North America for quite a few years. |
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2. Are there different types of bison?
There are three subspecies of bison, the Plains bison
and the Wood bison (found in North America) and the European wisent (found in Europe). |
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3. How did bison get to North America?
Approximately 25,000 years ago bison traveled across
the Bering Strait land bridge to North America from Asia. |
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4. What is the habitat like where you raise your herd?
We raise our herd in region of the world known as the
North American Great Plains, where bison roamed in enormous numbers centuries ago. We feel by
raising our herd in such a natural environment we greatly promote their growth by surrounding
them with the land adopted by their ancestry. |
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5. How big do bison grow to be?
When calves are born they weigh approx. 18-20 kgs (40-50 lbs), within months they reach 135-180 kgs (300-400 lbs).
Cows reach adult size in three years and weigh around 454 kgs (1000 lbs). Bulls reach adult size in six to seven
years and weigh around 680-910 kgs (1500-2000 lbs). |
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6. What do bison taste like?
Bison are naturally flavourful and tender with a sweeter and richer flavour than beef.
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7. Are there any advantages to eating bison?
Research at the University of North Dakota has shown that
bison meat is a highly nutrient food due to the proportion of protein, fat, mineral and
fatty acids to it's caloric value. A comparison of bison meat to other meats is shown: |
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| Meat |
Fat
(grams) |
Calories
(kcal) |
Cholesterol
(mg) |
| Bison |
2.42 |
143 |
82 |
| Chicken * |
7.41 |
190 |
89 |
| Beef |
9.28 |
211 |
86 |
| Pork |
9.66 |
212 |
86 |
(per
100 grams of cooked meat)
*skinless |
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8. Why did you go into bison and not expand in cattle?
Bison are much more economical to raise than cattle. You can winter
feed four to five bison to one beef cattle because of the bison's excellent metabolism. Our land
is a natural habitat for bison, they thrive in the open air prairie space.
Plains bison like to live outdoors so there is no expensive winter shelter requirements. Also their meat
is excellent health wise, it's lean, low in fat and rich in protein. |
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9. How do you handle bison?
You lead bison with oats or cakes instead of rounding them
up like cattle. They love oats and adapt easily to leading. |
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10. What kind of fence do you need for bison?
All we did in our case was add a top wire on an existing
three wire fence. This four wire fence contains our herd very well. |
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11. What do you need for handling facilities?
Handling shoots engineered especially for bison are required.
Corrals have to be built strong and at least six feet in height. Handling facilities
have to be well designed before being built. Always plan facilities in the direction the herd wants to go. |
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12. Where and how do you sell your meat?
We sell meat at the North American Bison Co-operative which
will expand in Saskatchewan in the near future. They also have plans to expand in
the province of Alberta as well. |
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