Bison FAQ
About
What is the difference between Buffalo and Bison?
The names “bison and “buffalo” have been used interchangeably for many years. However they are indeed different in diet, physical make up and usage by man. Product that is labeled as “buffalo” is commonly water buffalo, an entirely different species of animal. Meat from water buffalo is typically imported from outside North America. Great Range Bison is 100% North American Bison.
Are Bison an endangered species?
No, not only are they not endangered, they have never been on the endangered species list. In the late 1800’s there were estimated to have been less than 1,000 Bison remaining in the world. Today, there are over 400,000 in North America and the number is growing. As more consumers make bison a part of their regular diet more bison will be a part of the North American landscape.
What has led to the Return of the Bison?
Private ranchers are the reason. 90% of bison on the North American landscape are owned by private ranchers.
How are your Bison raised?
Our bison are handled as little as possible, usually once per year in early winter. Breeding takes place naturally in July through September, and no artificial insemination or embryo transfer technologies are used. Also, bison are not castrated, dehorned or branded. All of the cows and breeding bulls spend their entire lives on pasture. At about 18 months of age, they are fed mostly grass and/or alfalfa hay, with a small amount of grain. This is all in a free choice setting. Bison are not handled like cattle but are moved from pasture to pasture to graze on fresh grass. This process is called rotational grazing. In short, we allow bison to be bison as much as we can, and let them roam they way they have for thousands of years.
How old are Bison when they are harvested?
Bison are harvested at 24-30 months of age, this is in contrast to beef cows, which are harvested at 18-24 months of age.
What are your Bison fed?
Our bison are given a “Free choice” feed program that provides the animal with the choice of what it wants to eat. They feed on grass, natural weeds and forage in the open pasture. Ranchers also give them Timothy Hay or Alfalfa Hay. They are given a small amount grains just before harvest. This creates a more consistent quality and flavor of bison to consumers. Different types of grain can be given such as Winter Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, Millet or Cracked Corn. But they mostly feed on fresh open pasture for the majority of their lives.
What kind of grains are Bison fed?
They are given a very small amount grains just before harvest. This creates a more consistent quality and flavor of bison to consumers. This includes Winter Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, Millet or Cracked Corn. But they feed on fresh open pasture for the majority of their lives.
Are your Bison grain-fed or grass-fed?
Young bison are fed some grain prior to harvest so that we can produce a premier, high quality, fresh product year round. In order to be both environmentally and economically sustainable there are trade-offs. By feeding some grain to the young bison our products are consistently high quality, tender and flavorful year round.
Are your Bison fed GMO grains?
Young bison are fed a very small amount of grain prior to harvest. Some ranchers may use Non GMO grains, some may not.
Are your Bison contained or confined in small areas.
Bison are not contained or confined in small areas. We allow bison to be bison as much as we can, and let them roam the way they have for thousands of years.
Where do your Bison come from?
The bison industry in North America is primarily made up of small family ranches on the high plains of the United States and Canada. Learn More >
Is the Bison industry sustainable?
Our family-owned ranchers use different regenerative agriculture and holistic management practices to help preserve the earth’s water, soil and ecosystem by eliminating tilling or plowing of land and moving bison around in the open pasture. Learn More >
Are your bison raised without the use of antibiotics and added hormones?
Our bison are raised without the use of antibiotics and federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in bison.
Are your bison given any mRNA Vaccines?
Proper vaccinations of beef and bison are the best way to manage “No Antibiotics Ever” protocols and prevent disease in livestock. Bison receive the same vaccine products as beef cattle do because they are susceptible to the same diseases. That said this does not include new gene therapy mRNA injections. Currently, there are no mRNA products commercially available for livestock. We at Rocky Mountain Natural Meats and Great Range Premium Bison understand the concern of our customers about mRNA therapies. We are very involved in how our ranchers/partners operate. We know what they feed and how they manage disease issues. Until we started getting calls and emails from our customers, we were not aware of the stories circulating about government mandated mRNA use in livestock. For that matter, there are no government mandated vaccine requirements of any kind for any disease in beef or bison.
Thank you to those who have reached out to us. Below is a statement from the USDA Press Secretary, Marissa Perry:
“There are no mRNA vaccines currently used in beef cattle in the U.S.”
The bottom line is that we have requirements our rancher/partners have to meet to sell us Bison. These requirements include no antibiotics ever and no added hormones. We plan to add a “No mRNA products” requirement in order to be pro-active and continue to provide our customers the same high quality, safe, and delicious bison products that you have come to expect when you purchase Great Range Premium Bison.
Nutrition
What ingredients are in Great Range Premium Bison?
Great Range Premium Bison contains one ingredient and that is Bison. There is nothing added to Great Range Products and our animals are never fed growth hormones or antibiotics.
Is Bison good for you?
Bison is a highly nutrient dense food because of the proportion of protein, fat, mineral, and fatty acids to its caloric value. Bison has a high ratio of healthy fatty acids like Omega-3.
Bison has less fat, calories and cholesterol than several meat proteins; and has higher amounts of protein, iron and vitamin B-12.
Bison is an excellent source of iron for expecting mothers and has less calories and more protein than other red meats.
A 2018 study by the National Institute of Health found that consuming bison for 7 weeks resulted in reduced inflammation, lower oxidative stress, and subsequent maintenance of vascular function.
Do Great Range Premium Bison Products contain gluten?
No. Great Range Premium Bison products contain no gluten.
What meat cuts come from a Bison?
Bison produce the same cuts as cows and other cattle.
Recipes
What does Bison taste like?
Bison has a clean, hearty flavor, with a slight sweet undertone. It is not “gamey” or “grassy” as typically expected from exotic game meats.
How do you cook Bison?
Bison can be substituted for other proteins in all your favorite recipes. Bison does have a lower ratio of fat and you have to be vigilant to ensure you do not overcook it. Here at Great Range we prefer our Bison lightly seasoned and cooked to mid rare. Visit this link to learn more.
Where to Buy
Can I buy from you direct?
Today we do not sell direct to consumers.
Can I order product on line?
Yes you can order our products on line. If your local grocery or club store sells our product, just visit their website for store pick up or delivery if they offer it.
You can also order on Amazon.com. Just search for “Great Range Bison” and see if product is available in your area.
And you can order on line from:
