BISON AND THE RANCHERS WHO RAISE THEM:
This is a good time to get into the business because the future of bison and the whole bison industry -- from ranching to meat and by-products -- seems very bullish (pardon the pun ...). There is a strong demand for bison meat and by-products (more than the industry can supply); prices are consistently higher than for cattle and will remain so into the foreseeable future. And since the bison industry is still in its pioneer phase, the potential is still untapped.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF RAISING BISON:
The primary financial advantages of raising bison as compared to raising cattle are:
- Higher market prices, and Lower expense due to several advantages:
- Less illness, veterinary expense and death loss, due to bison's hardiness
- Efficient feed utilization
- Long reproductive life -- 3 to 4 times the life span of cattle.
- Bison will also utilize marginal range that would starve cattle, but we recommend you give them the best you have available because, remember, you want to raise a superior product.
Bison on the hoof sell for 25% to 50% higher than beef animals with the strongest demand being breeding animals at this time. The prices being paid for calves (the breeders and feeders of the future) and breeding age females indicates a confidence in the future demand for bison meat. For the past decade the demand for bison has exceeded the supply as the demand for lean meat becomes more in demand.
