What’s the difference between a bison and a buffalo? Are bison still endangered? What’s up with their funny hump and coat? Learn the answer to these questions and more below!
The scientific name of the North American species is the bison. The original settlers of the American West called North American bison “buffalo” because they were reminiscent to Asian and African buffalo. Although it is a misnomer, the name buffalo is still commonly used today.
No. Bison are no longer considered endangered, thanks to the incredible efforts of conservationists and those within the bison industry.
Yes! For example, when comparing USDA data for beef sirloin with bison sirloin, our bison:
• Offers 45% fewer calories,
• Has 87% less fat,
• Has 100% more iron, and
• Offers high concentrations of essential vitamins and minerals.
Bison meat also has fewer calories, less fat, and more iron than pork, turkey, chicken, and salmon. Check out our comparison chart here to learn more.
Chilling our bison meat exclusively by air is a more traditional and natural method that keeps our bison meat flavourful and pure. Some processors add a saline solution via vascular flush to chill their meat more quickly, which adds water weight, alters the flavour and tenderness, and could potentially introduce pathogens to otherwise safe meat.
Male bison, or bulls, can weigh 900 kg and stand up to 1.9 m tall. Female bison, or cows, weigh up to 500 kg and stand up to of 1.5 m tall. They are the largest mammals in North America.
Yes. Bison can run up to 55 kph and are strong swimmers and high jumpers.
Bison humps are muscular and allow them to swing their heads and clear snow while foraging throughout winter. They have a shaggy coat for insulation during the winter months. Their coat is so well insulated, snow can settle on their backs without melting.
Bison primarily eat forages like grasses and bark, which promotes diversity of flora by ensuring excess grass or tree growth doesn’t restrict new plant development. Ours are also given free choice to enjoy our proprietary and all-natural vegetarian feed, created by industry experts.
Bison have one calf at a time, and ours are born between late March and June.
Bison roam instead of eating from one place, which extends the good they do across many areas. They fertilize land that would otherwise be caked with decaying grasses, and their hooves bury seeds, create pockets of much-needed moisture, and aerate the land.
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