Can we talk Buffalo?

[Farmer Kitty]

steerrider-For a bovine buddy, are the cows going to be okay or would it be more advisable for them to think of getting 2 or 3 bison?

Your fences in the pic look to be chain link and cattle panels hooked to a wooden rail fence, correct? Is that what you would recommend or is that just a corral type area you work with them in?

Do you have any suggestions on where she should go looking for good quality info?

 

[steerrider]

That photo was one of the IRSA members in MT. No those fences were not ok.. and she ended up selling Tonka for a few reasons. One she didn't do her home work before getting Tonka. He was an only child and developed behaviour that being with a herd would have taught him NOT to do. by the time she did pasture him with another bovine she had given up. She said that yes, it solved the trouble, but.. she did end up selling him I think.
I have normal everyday woven wire fences with a string of barbed on top, just like a million other cattle people. That fence is not what keeps your bison in.
My bison always ran with my Longhorns. As a matter of fact I had one that would start tailing a cow about 3 days before she would calf and stay with her, as well as help raise the baby. I have many photos that would pull at anyones heart strings with Dawson and those LH calves.
What will keep your bison in is herd order.
My dad used to say the following and I have found it true with wild rabbits, bison and even cattle with "off" temperments, I have even used this with horses, and chickens to my benifit.
1 wild + 1 tame= 2 wild
2 tame + 1 wild = 3 tame.

Pen your animals accordingly and you will have so much less training to do you will be amazed.

 

[steerrider]

*NOTE* I do want everyone to know that many of the photos I post are photos that members of the IRSA have sent me over the years. They are not me! I live alone, and did have 2 sons that lived here. Rarly is anyone around to take photos of me. The ones I do have were all taken for magizines, or other press. My personal collection is almost nothing.
I just wanted people to know.. that the photos are from my files and I do have members permission to share anything they have sent me.
J

 

[Farmer Kitty]

With all the pics I take there are very few of me in them as I'm the one usually behind the camera! As long as you have their permission there is no problem with you posting the pics they have sent you. I know I love seeing the different pics you have shown us and this is a pic happy group!

 

[steerrider]

Yes.. everyone in the group knows I love and need photos for articles etc and Im a known photo thief.. When they post photos on our yahoo group there is a warning that I will take them for my files and use them for the promotion of riding steers. Those with websites I will link back or if I post on a message board give a link. However many don't have websites and are happy to have thier wonderful cattle shared with others.
*PS* Im an admitted photo thief LOL.. so if you have photos you want to share.. hand them over...
And also send the the link or info you want to go with it if any.

 

[Thewife]

Our intentions for the Buffalo are far from making it a pet!

Steerrider, did you ever have dogs around your Buffalo? The friend that had some, told me his hated dogs and would do anything to get them?

 

[steerrider]

I not only have dogs, but somewhere I have photos of them licking my 8 week old Toy Poodle puppies. My toy Poodles ( have one and one Standard now) used to go out and bring in the bison every night to water. In the winter I hand water, and then dump the tubs. In this way they have to be with me, get brushed etc to drink.. or be thursty untill the next watering time. I brush every hooved animal I have at every watering time in the winter when Im not traning or riding. That way I can check for cuts, check health and keep our relationship.
My cattle and bison always loved the dogs and still do. Lacey my Standard Poodle and Sari a 6mth calf are best freinds. I can bearly keep them apart long enough for Lacey (the dog) to come in and eat. When I had a sick dairy calf last year it was a toy poodle puppy that refused to leave his side. I have photos of the calf with a blanket on him in the barn and the puppy standing guard. The puppy had to be fed and watered right next to the calf. He wouldn't leave him long enough to walk across the stall.
Keep in mine also that all my animals are raised togather. Even when I bring in older animals I think the ones that grew up here tell them its ok, becuse after the first day I have no trouble. My dogs, chickens, cattle, horses, all are family and all take care of each other in a way that reminds me what God orignally entended for mankind.

 

[Thewife]

All of my critters get along good.
My dogs know when to keep the cows away from me, and when they can chase them. The cows seem to know when they should listen to the dogs and when to ignore them!
I wonder how a Buffalo would handle that?

I did have a 1/2 Brahma that they would only deal with if there were the two of them! When I got the new 1/2 Brahma, it took awhile to get the dogs to even try taking her on, while she was eating the big round bale she was not supposed to be eating just yet! So if the buffalo decided not to listen to the dogs, the dogs would know when a "team" effort is required.

 

[mjdtexan]

I talked to a guy the other day that told me he heard of some one crossing Brahma with Buffalo? That, I would like to see!(not have, just see)

If you cross bison with cattle its like crossing a horse with a donkey.. you do get viable offspring however with bison the steril gene is sex linked.. only one of the sexes breed, I beleive the bulls but don't quote me on this. This is why the Beefalo assn has taken so much time to develope thier breed. Goodnight (famous tx cattleman) kept bison and cattle and did try to interbreed with poor luck for the same reason.
Today the Bison assn requires that all bison are blood typed to make sure that they are pure bison.. no Longhorn in them before registry , while the Longhorn assn requires no such test. The reason being.. Goodnight did have some success, and the wild cattle and bison did inter breed.

J

Could you talk more about the "sex-link" thing? I bought "sex-link" chickens and they are great but I just dont understand about what that is really all about? Thanks in advance?

Sorry for the hijack

 

[wynedot55]

your sexlink hens are bred to lay lots of eggs over their lifespan.they are bred for heavy laying.