One of our most enduring American images is that of the great American buffalo, or species Bison bison. These huge, shaggy animals once roamed from Canada to Mexico, grazing the Great Plains and mountain areas of our country. Bison were the center of life for the Plains tribes of Native Americans who found in them nearly all the food, clothing, and shelter they needed. Hunted for their furs in the 1600’s and later for their tongues, bones, and meat, it was estimated by 1893 that there were only slightly more than 300 bison left, from numbers estimated at one time to be over 60 million. The following information is about this species which is making a comeback and growing rapidly in numbers.
What is bison?
The National Bison Association encourages the name bison to differentiate the American buffalo from the Asian Water buffalo and African Cape buffalo. The American buffalo is not a true buffalo. Its scientific name is bison and it belongs to the bovine family along with domestic cattle. The bison bull is the largest animal indigenous to North America. A bull can stand taller than 6 feet at the hump and weigh more than a ton. They are strong and aggressive, and can jump as well as deer, outmaneuver horses, and break through fences that would imprison other livestock.
“Beefalo” are 3/8 bison and 5/8 domestic cattle. (The natural result of a bisondomestic bovine cross breeding is a sterile offspring. It has taken years of research to develop this breed.) The advantages of this cross are fertility and easy calving. Beefalo gain weight well on inexpensive, high-roughage feed and are very hardy.
