>politically correct is closed to politically dead. just do it .
>you got me interested.

Ahhh, what the hey!  Enjoy...

Dori Zook
Denver, CO


About Buffalo

Q.      What is the difference between Buffalo and Bison?
A.      There is no difference; they are the same animal. When the French fur
traders first came to America many hundreds of years ago, they saw this
"shaggy animal" and called it by the French word "ebouriffe". To the English
this sounded like "buffalo". The scientific name is really "bison", but
buffalo is a more familiar name. While we may refer to it as Bison on our
ranches we prefer to call it Buffalo in the marketplace. It is more familiar
to more people, but the names are interchangeable.

Q.      Are they on the endangered species list?
A.      No. Not only are they not extinct, but they have never been on the
endangered species list, although at the turn of the last century, there
were judged to have been less than 1,000 buffalo left. Today it is estimated
that there are over 300,000 buffalo on the North American Continent, and the
number is growing rapidly.

Q.      What happened to the buffalo?
A.      It has been estimated that when the settlers first came to this country,
there were over 60,000,000 buffalo roaming the lands, most of them on the
prairies of the western plains. During the last 50 years of the 1800's, it
was believed that if all the buffalo were killed it would be easier to round
up the Native American Indians and force them into reservations. Thus, the
largest mass killing of animals began, and by the turn of the century there
were less than 1,000 left. Thanks to Teddy Roosevelt, the Bronx Zoo, and a
few private ranchers-including Charles Goodnight-the herd was saved, and now
over 100 years later, the herd is growing and thriving.

Q.      Why do we slaughter this animal if we are trying to bring it back?
A.      Only if the industry is commercially viable will people be willing to
raise buffalo in large numbers. Otherwise, this would only be a hobby for a
few ranchers, and an object of display at a few zoos. Actually eating the
meat will assure that the herd will continue to grow and regain its
prominence on the prairie and in our diets. Furthermore, only the yearling
bulls are slaughtered for meat; all females are kept to build the herd.

Q.      Why do we call buffalo America's natural cattle?
A.      It has been on the continent for tens of thousands of years. This is its
home. Cattle were first imported to the U.S. and are not indigenous to our
country; the buffalo is.

Q.      Are buffalo becoming domesticated?
A.      Definitely not! They are a wild animal and will always remain so. They
are harder to manage when attempting to herd them, but otherwise easier than
cattle, because they need less handling. There is no need to pull calves (a
mother buffalo needs no help, nor will accept it). There is no branding (it
destroys the hides). There is no "steering" (which would result in more
fat).

Q.      Are buffalo mean?
A.      They are a wild animal. They are quick. They have horns on both males and
females, and they are unpredictable. They are naturally curious, and one
cannot know just when an animal might charge. One should always give them
much respect and a sufficient distance.

Q.      How much land is required to raise buffalo?
A.      Basically the same amount of land is needed as cattle need. This will
vary in different geographical areas. In Colorado it takes about 20 acres
per cow/calf unit. In parts of New Mexico it could be 60 to 100 acres, while
in Nebraska only 10 acres.

Q.      How fast can a buffalo run?
A.      Up to 45 miles per hour. They can run faster than a horse and can run for
a longer period of time.

Q.      How many baby buffalo does a mother produce?
A.      Only one each year, beginning when the mother is 2½ to 3 years old.
Occasionally there might be twins. The gestation period is 9 months, just
like beef cattle and humans.

Q.      How long does a buffalo cow produce?
A.      Usually for 15 to 20 years, but some to over 25 years. This is twice as
long as beef cattle.

Q.      What do buffalo eat?
A.      Because they are wild animals, buffalo graze better than cattle. They
graze on almost any kind of grass, and because they are migratory in their
habits, they roam far distances, thus not staying and destroying the grasses
in one area, as do cattle. Buffalo are very friendly to the environment.

Q.      Why are buffalo good for the environment?
A.      They eat on the move, rarely staying in one place for a long time. They
graze well; that is, they cut the grass as opposed to tearing the roots out
as cattle can do. Since they move so much, they don't destroy the pastures
with their hooves.

Q.      Are they put in feedlots?
A.      Yes, but not the same as cattle feedlots. Cattle are normally packed into
small lots and their feeding is monitored closely. If allowed, cattle will
continue feeding until they get sick or die. They are fed many artificial
chemicals in their diet to increase their weight. Some of these, such as
growth hormones, are not desirable today. In contrast, the buffalo feedlot
is an open corral with self-feeders within it. Since buffalo are wild they
know when to stop eating, and the open corral enables them to move around,
drink water and lie down.  No growth hormones or artificial stimulants are
used.

Q.      Yes, but why are they put in feedlots at all?
A.      The only reasons buffalo are put into feedlots are to be fed corn or
other grains to change the color of their fat, and to maintain a consistency
to the meat. (Grass fed animals have yellow fat that is not pleasing in the
marketplace.) They are fed for 90 to 120 days when the animals are 18 months
old and about 900 to 1,000 pounds each. Buffalo are never given hormones or
other growth stimulants. It is a truly natural meat.

Q.      At what age are the animals used for meat?
A.      Between 18 months and 30 months, depending on their weight. Optimal
weight is 1,200 pounds, which is also similar to beef cattle.

Q.      Are all the animals used for meat production?
A.      No. While in the cattle industry both males and females are consumed, in
the buffalo industry usually only the males are used. The females are kept
for breeding to increase the herd. Only cows that don't produce are
slaughtered.

Q.      Is the meat gamy tasting?
A.      Definitely not. The taste is one of the great attributes of this great
meat. Most people say it is more flavorful and a little sweeter than beef.
We say that buffalo tastes like beef wishes it did.

Q.      What are the health benefits of buffalo?
A.      Since it is a wild animal the meat is naturally leaner. It has less fat
and calories than a comparable portion of beef, chicken, or even some fish.
The meat does not marble as beef does. It also has 30% more protein than
beef.

Q.      Are there any other unique characteristics of buffalo?
A.      Buffalo meat is non-allergenic. There has never been a case of cancer
detected in this animal. Shark is the only other meat with this same claim.

Q.      Are they hard to manage?
A.      Not if you leave them alone.  We say that we can herd them anywhere they
want to go.

Q.      Do fences keep them in?
A.      No, they want to get out, but the fences are usually heavier and
stronger.  However, a 2000-pound bull can jump 6 feet from almost a
standstill.

Q.      Where can I buy buffalo meat?
A.      It is being offered in more and more restaurants each year, and many
grocery chains are beginning to carry it. Consumers should request that
their local stores carry it, because it is available to them. Everyone can
purchase all cuts of buffalo by mail order by calling 1 (800) BUY-BUFF
(289-2833), or on the Internet, http://www.NewWestFoods.com.

Q.      Is there anything else I should know about the animal?
A.      There's a lot of things:
1. They are naturally curious, but they are wild and can be mean.  We always
say as we ride among the herd, that we take our own trusty six-shooter and
that we only use five shots.  Save the last one for yourself.
2. When you see the tail of a bull sticking straight up, beware!
3. Did you know that during the great slaughter of the buffalo, many of them
were killed only for their tongues.  These were a delicacy for people back
east.  In many cases the rest of the animal was left to rot.
4. The original herds of buffalo migrated from Siberia during the ice age,
and came across the Siberian Strait when it was a landmass.
5. The current day buffalo is a descendent of the many times larger mastodon
bison of 10,000 years ago.
6. Today buffalo are raised in all 50 states.
7. There are over 300,000 buffalo today and the herd is growing at 20% per
year.  If this continues, there could be over 50,000,000 in year 2030.
8. The animal is smart enough to know that it should graze in the summer on
the high hills to get the summer breezes, and the winter to get the
protection of the trees in the valleys.  By then the grasses are tall and
can provide not only shelter but great winter feed.  Cattle, on the other
hand, go right to the great grasses - in the valley, and will stay there
until someone moves them out.
9. When cattle go to the valleys, they upset the environment for native
birds during their spring mating season.  The conclusion is that buffalo are
a natural ingredient in nature's chain and are needed to restore the
environment.

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