bi bi bison

1. avg weight

2. height

3. lemgth

4. speed

5. lifepsan

6. what are the defense mechanism for both males and females

7. environment they like?

8. ideal diet and gain?

9. bison population history

   1. current US population

      1. dispersal amongst National parks?

      2. conservation herds?

      3. private ranches?

10. 3 purposes of bison

11. size comparisons

    1. small farm?

    2. medium farm?

    3. large farm

12. how many were processed at USDA plants in a year

13. industry setup

1. 1000-2200 lbs

2. 5-6.5 ft

3. 7-12 ft

4. 40 mph

5. 12-20+

6. 2 ft curved horns

7. hardy! in both cold in heat

8. total grass diet w/ 2 lbs of gain per day

9. lots… then hunted to only 300 and now increased

   1. 200k - 500k

      1. 5400

      2. 20,500 herds?

      3. 420,000

10. breeding stock, hobby or exhibition animals, and red meat

11. size

    1. 25-100 = small

    2. 100-250 = medium

    3. 100s to 1000s = large

12. ~57k

13. single producer OR segmented w/ cow-calf and feedlots

1. 2 legal acts that require FSIS to inspect animals/slaughter houses

   1. what does their logo look like

2. What is excluded from these acts

   1. term for included vs exluded

3. what act allowed for inspection of amenable species

   1. what mark does it bear

   2. is this process free

   3. setups for this to occur?

   4. who may nonamenable species also be subject to

1. FMIA (Federal meat inspection act) + PPIA (poultry products inspection act)

   1. circular logos

2. lots of alternate ag species and game species!

   1. amenable livestock/poultry = FSIS inspection required

   2. nonamendable (ex. bison) do not have mandatory inspections — no tax dollars go to their inspection

3. Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946

   1. FSIS can have voluntary inspection service of nonamenable species

   2. needs a triangular USDA inspection - indicates exotics

   3. no! farmers pay certified USDA FSIS inspector hourly

   4. USDA federally inspected plant w/ approval to process “exotic” animals or USDA and FSIS has granted special provisions to allow on-farm

      harvesting if farms have a separate area in which to present the live animal(s) to a licensed vet or USDA inspector, before being killed, followed by fast transport to a USDA-inspected plant.

   5. US Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA (Food, drug, cosmetic act) —- Facilites must comply with FDA and FSIS

      1. varies by local and state laws

1. what is buffalo cheese made out (mozzarella)

2. water buffalo and bison relation

3. bison milk product availability

4. what organization is trying to stricken labeling of buffalo/bison products

1. buffalo cheese = water buffalo! not bison (which are often called buffalo)

2. no relation at all!

3. bison not milked - not domesticated but trainable

4. national buffalo association

housing

1. land needed per animal

2. requirements for fencing and chute systems

4 aspects of a health program

feeding

1. what animal is it similar to

2. average diet

   1. winter diet

1. >= 2-3 acres per animal

2. strong fencing w/ corral chute system that is 7-8 ft in height and an appropriate squeeze chute

good record keeping, vx, deworming, + observation

feeding

1. similar to beef cattle

2. pasture w/ rotational grazing

   1. provide supplemental feed in winter, 11-13% protein, salt, + minerals

1. when do they reach puberty

2. breeding season

   1. bull to cow ratio

   2. how often to change bulls

3. gestation

4. calving period

   1. weight of calf

5. weaning

   1. why are many bulls not castrated?

6. feeding/finsihing cycle of bulls

   1. diet at feedlot

   2. ADG?

   3. processing wt (live)

   4. dressing weight %?

1. 2 years

2. fall (aug - oct)

   1. 1:10-15

   2. 1-2 yrs (since calves wont be mature till 2 seasons/years

3. 9 months (275-285 days)

4. summer (april-july)

   1. 40-50 lbs

5. 8-9 months

   1. bulls often slaughtered before breeding age

6. bulls —> pasture or drylot w/ roughage —> finishing/feedlot —> processing

   1. 10 lb alfalfa + 7-10 lb corn per day —-

   2. ADG = 2-3 lbs

   3. live wt = 1000-1100 lbs

   4. dressing wt = 620 (~62%)