Local rock beast: American Bison

Local Rock Beast
The American bison is the national mammal of the United States and is native to Rock County.
It is one of the heaviest land animals in the Americas with wild bulls weighing up to 2,800 pounds and semi-domestic bulls weighing up to 3,800 pounds. 
The Lakota Native Americans called the bison “tatanka,” which means “he who owns us.”
There are other explanations for this title, but if you were to encounter a beast as large as a car that can out-maneuver a horse, run 40 mph, and jump 6 feet vertically, you would quickly figure out who the boss is.
 
History of tatanka
Tracking and hunting bison was a way of life for Native Americans who used all parts of the animal, including skins for clothing and housing, bones for tools, and meat. 
The bison was essential to many Native tribes’ existence.  Unfortunately the U.S. government and the developing railroad industry had different ideas about land ownership. As a tactic to control the Natives and take their land, the U.S. government and railroads promoted overhunting the bison.     
Before the 19th century, it was estimated that there were around 60 million bison. When the U.S. and the native tribes gathered for peace treaty talks in the mid-19th century, there were only about 400,000 bison.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were as few as 500 animals remaining.
The American bison did not go extinct thanks to the wisdom and concern of a few ranchers and conservationists. 
Some of the small herds hiding out in Yellowstone were rounded up, and farmers, ranchers and parks officials brought the bison population back to an estimated 500,000 in the 21st century. 
 
Rock beast to save America
The return of the American bison could help solve difficult problems we face today. The birth of a rare white bison in 1994 was seen as a sacred event and an answer to prayers of the Native community. 
Perhaps the American bison, a symbol of abundance and manifestation, is back to help make America more sustainable.
The Native American prophet, Black Elk, stated that when the tatanka returns, the “Sacred Hoop” of life will be mended.
From an ag-economic point of view, bison could help save both Native reservations and farms.
In the current economy, all sectors of mainstream agriculture have been hit with low prices. The cattle industry has been one of the more profitable sectors of mainstream agriculture, but is still subjected to the volatilities that main commodity markets experience.
In contrast to the up-and-down markets, bison prices have increased and held over the last 15 years.
The USDA has been tracking wholesale bison meat prices only since 2004, but the value of bison meat has increased 300 percent. In 2004 bison was $1.60 per pound. In 2011 bison went over $4 per pound and has remained there since. While a cattle producer made $174.7 (Cwt.) in 2018, the bison producer made $485.10 (Cwt.).
Demand for bison continues to grow as more of the world learns of bison meat’s health superiority to other meats.
Bison tastes much like beef, but bison has fewer calories, less fat, and more protein than beef. Bison is more nutrient-dense than other meats with higher amounts of vitamin B, selenium, iron and zinc than most meat.
Bison can help strengthen the environment.  Bison herds prefer grazing prairie pasture so rebuilding our bison populations would also require rebuilding our native prairie ecosystem.  Prairie holds up to weather extremes and improves habitat for birds and bees that help stabilize our ag environment.
 
Buffalo Days in Luverne
I would like to encourage you to eat bison in honor of Buffalo Days this weekend, May 31-June 2.
If you are visiting Luverne, I recommend buying some bison burger meat at the local grocery store, at W-2’s Quality Meats or contacting Prairie Heights Ranch north of Luverne to share the love of America’s original red meat.
Here’s to the local Rock beast, tatanka!