Buffalo or Bison is a great source of protein. As you all know, eating healthy, and specifically high amounts of protein you eat so much chicken that you feel like you'll soon grow feathers, lol. Buffalo is another alternative to chicken, tuna, egg whites, beef, tofu, etc.... it adds a bit of variety to your diet. Also, it's always good to change up protein sources, because every protein source be it egg whites, chicken, tuna, etc, has a unique amino acid profile, so it's always good to vary it. If you look below at the comparision to beef, pork and chicken, you can see that buffalo is superior. It has lower amounts of fat, calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, but has higher amounts of protein and iron. So, buffalo is a good choice for anyone, but especially for those of you trying to get lean by being on The Athenian Diet.

Species	Fat	Calories	Cholesterol	Saturated Fat	Protein	Iron
Bison	2.42 g	143 kcal	82 mg	0.91 g	28.44 g	3.42 mg
Beef 90% lean	11.73 g	217 kcal	85 mg	4.63 g	26.11 g	2.71 mg
Pork	18.19 g	265 kcal	105 mg	5.15 g	23.55 g	1.51 mg
Chicken*	3.57 g	165 kcal	85 mg	1.01 g	31.02 g	1.04 mg

History

The great American bison is a truly magnificent animal. It is the largest land mammal found in North America since the end of the Ice Age. This so-called American Buffalo is a descendant of ancient animals that crossed the Bering land bridge some 300,000 years ago.

Technically they are Bison, bison (genus, species). They are not buffalo, as are the African Cape buffalo or the southeast Asian Water buffalo. They have virtually no relatives other than the Wisent, a species of this shaggy animal that lives in north-central Europe and of which there are a limited number.

Before northern Europeans settled North America, there were an estimated 30-70 million bison ranging across the continent, from Alaska to at least the northern tier of Mexican states. The oldest herd fossils remaining in the lower 48 states are more than 100,000 years old.

An important archaeological site in New Mexico, the Folsom Site, revolutionized American archaeology. It was the first time that irrefutable evidence of human tools and Ice Age animals were found together. The site proved to be a bison kill, or bison jump, where Paleo Indians killed and butchered 23 bison nearly 10,000 years ago.

Once the mighty herds stretched in numbers beyond the horizon. To the American Indians, before the arrival of Europeans, these animals provided an unending supply of food and raw material for tools, clothing and other products. Additionally, the bison were considered spiritual beings that sustained the spirit as well as physical life.

According to pioneer journals and scientific guesstimates, bison moved in herds that varied from 500-animals to more than 500,000-animals. To the early European explorers, the bison represented boundless wealth and potential for personal profit and freedom. That great wealth was almost completely wasted within a few decades by careless slaughter for fun and sport, and excessively exploitative hunting of bison for hides and tongues.

By 1889, less than 1,000 were left and those were saved by the combined efforts of William Hornaday (Director of the Bronx Zoo) and a small group of ranchers. In 1905, the American Bison Society was formed to save the bison and protect rangeland for the animals. Today, those efforts are carried on by the National Bison Association and the Canadian Bison Association. The bison herds of today number in excess of 350,000 and are growing.

Nature of the Animal

As massive and bulky as they appear, many people are under the impression that bison are slow and awkward. In reality, bison can outrun and easily out-maneuver most horses. They have the agility of a deer. And if on the run, they can easily break through seemingly adequate corrals.

Well-known and admired for their stamina, bison are lightning fast and can run for many miles. They can sprint upwards of 40-miles per hour and have the ability to jump straight up from a complete standstill. Much like a mountain goat, a bison can traverse rough, rocky terrain. At the same time, they are content on the flat prairies many call home.

Although bison are normally quite docile and may allow people to approach them, they can be unpredictable and may charge people or machines in the blink of an eye. They can pivot on their hind feet as well as their front feet and are incredibly fast.

Bison seem to thrive in many environments. They have been taken from the sub-zero termperatures of the Dakotas in mid-winter, directly to the sub-tropical climate of the Hawaiian Island of Kauai with no ill effects. Bison are raised in areas ranging from the harsh climate of Kodiak Island, Alaska to the extremely warm climates of Florida and Texas.

Bison are naturally hardy and extremely healthy. They have very few natural predators and are known to hold their own against Kodiak bears. Their biggest threat is disease transmission from other, non-native species, and parasites.

Even in ranch environments, bison have retained their natural instincts for survival. They can weather storms and help their newborn calves survive in blizzards that would kill entire herds of cattle. Bison stand face first into the winter winds as the wind blows their hair down. They don't turn their hindquarters into the wind, nor do they move with it. Their heavy winter coats provide all the protection they need from the bitter cold.

In winter both sexes are covered with a thick, woolly coat of dark-brown hair with longer and darker hair on their heads and forequarters. Bison can root through deep snow cover to get to the grass below, using their massive head like a shovel to push the snow out of the way. When necessary, they can eat snow for water or use their muzzle or hooves to break ice to reach water.

The heat of summer doesn't bother bison. After shedding their heavy coats in spring, long hair remains on the animal's head, forelegs and hump. They languish in the sun and keep their noses into the breeze. Bison love water. They have the ability to smell water from miles away, and are excellant swimmers.

Bison mature later than cattle and normally breed at two years of age. After a gestation period of 280-days, bison cows produce calves. Most calves are born in the spring as the rutting season is typically in July and August. At birth, they weigh around 40-pounds and shortly after birth calves are standing, nursing and able to keep up with their mothers and the herd.

Bison calves nurse more frequently than other ruminants and they begin to eat forage on their first day of life. They grow and develop rapidly, typically weighing about 450 pounds by their first birthday. They mature in 5-6-years, with cows weighing about 1,000-pounds and bulls weighing from 1,500 to over 2,000-pounds.

Bison are very protective and operate as a group when threatened. They face into the threat and back each other up. They are protective of their young and will position themselves between a perceived threat and their calves.

Bison are curious, intelligent, territorial, dignified, playful and tremendously strong. The nature of the animal requires they be treated with respect and caution; they are wild animals. They are not mean animals, but will not hesitate to react if they feel threatened.

Bison are adaptable, hardy, disease-resistant and majestic. They are unique animals that have survived near-extinction to rally back from the brink of disaster. They offer to us those traits that have enabled them to survive. By working with these animals, learning what makes them successful in a variety of situations and environments, we gain much from these creatures and ensure their continued presence in our future.

Most text excerpted from Bison Breeder's Handbook, 4th edition 2001, copyright 2001 National Bison Association.