Coffee anyone ?

[Sally PB]

I finally made an account over here! I already recognize several names.

 

[kdogg331]

Hi

 

[SageHill]

However, the logistics of slaughtering is staggering.....

OMG -- I had not thought of that. Geeze - sounds like if one wants to go that direction checking for slaughtering facilities should be checked out before even a single fence post is set.

 

[farmerjan]

Bison meat is leaner, drier, and some places have tested it to say it is higher in CLA's due to the grazing and not feeding alot of grain. Also lower in cholesterol.
Bison need extremely good fencing.. There is a "buffalo/bison" farm about 2 hrs from us... They are transitioning over to more beef cattle due to the LACK of demand for the meat in this area. The family that started this place really promoted it and they used to raise alot for the market. However, the logistics of slaughtering is staggering..... They have to travel several hundred miles away to a facility that is capable of handling the larger sized and tremendously strong and volatile animals. They will keep some of the bison since that is the trademark there... and provide some animals to other breeding farms... They have had bison/buffalo for over 30 years....
We sold them cattle heifers early this spring that were going to be bred this summer to calve next spring...

They said that the handling facilities are built like "Fort Knox".... for the bison. We saw gates and panels that the big bulls had practically bent into pretzel shapes... and they all work very "quietly" with their animals.. He said that the cattle will never be a problem. He also said that the big bulls can jump up and over 6-8 ft fences/gates with little effort.

Beefalo is not a mix of both meats... it is an actual hybrid animal...3/8 bison and 5/8 cattle genetics. There are some differences in the combinations...it is touted to be lower cholesterol as well as being lower fat. This is supposed to combine the best of both worlds... quieter, more "cattle like" animals with the benefits of the bison meat .

One other trivia fact... nearly all bison/buffalo have some cattle DNA in their blood... there have been extensive DNA tests and studies done on many of the bison in this country... I think I read that there are only 2 small herds that have been tested and not found any cattle DNA.... There have been instances of recorded crosses since late in the 1700's...nearly all are bison males crossed on cattle females.
There was also some crossing done and they called them "cattalo". It was done in some controlled form by Charlie Goodnight... cattle baron fame of the old cattle drives.... they are not as "controlled" as the beefalo breeding programs are now...

 

[kdogg331]

I finally made an account over here! I already recognize several names.

Hi!

 

[Blue Sky]

Oh that's great! I always switch to tea after a cup or two of coffee. I love both. Lately I have become a green tea drinker, but traditionally it has been Earl Grey for me. Oh, and I love Good Earth original tea.

Celestial Seasonings for me, mint, zinger, bengal and morning thunder if I need the caffeine. Speaking of buffalo ( there’s one on the mt box)- be thoughtful about raising them. I lived in a town that kept 2-6 on a twenty acre lot next to the ag college. They tended to disrespect barbed wire and were out a lot. They were sold because of the nearby interstate. Later my dad knew an artist who kept about 50 on his cattle ranch for novelty and to paint and sculpt. The buffalo round ups were rough. Cowboys and horses always got hurt and they sold their herd after a few years. (1980’s). Beefalo was an actual animal as well as blended ground meat. Ranchers on the high plains cross bred beef cattle with bison but the hybrids had health problems. Cattalo were generally 50/50 crosses although numerous percentage crosses were and are being tried. Sterility is a big problem. Probably TMI. Oh and the buffs do like politely offered glazed donuts

 

[Blue Sky]

One other trivia fact... nearly all bison/buffalo have some cattle DNA in their blood... there have been extensive DNA tests and studies done on many of the bison in this country... I think I read that there are only 2 small herds that have been tested and not found any cattle DNA.... There have been instances of recorded crosses since late in the 1700's...nearly all are bison males crossed on cattle females.
There was also some crossing done and they called them "cattalo". It was done in some controlled form by Charlie Goodnight... cattle baron fame of the old cattle drives.... they are not as "controlled" as the beefalo breeding programs are now...

I didn’t see your post til now. I forgot about Charlie Goodnight.

 

[Blue Sky]

the big bulls can jump up and over 6-8 ft fences/gates with little effort

I didn’t see this post either I have seen younger bison climb 10 ft fences. Also they can and will toss horse and cowboy around like toys.

 

[ValerieJ]

Fun place. Might have to drop in from time to time, as long as my herd of squirrels and chickens qualify me.

 

[Debbie292d]

I finally made an account over here! I already recognize several names.

Me too!