Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Take grassland management courses.
Use available land or buy land. Contact the local county extension office for help in evaluating the pasture soil and grass. Make sure the grassland is in the best condition before obtaining bison.
Drill a well, if fresh water is not available.
Set up fencing before obtaining bison. Install fencing designed for the special needs of bison. A male bison weighs up to two thousand pounds, reaching six feet at the shoulders with a length of around twelve feet. They use fences for rubbing or pushing against. Construct a fence that is 6 to 7 feet in height. Use wiring that has a high tensile strength. Have a containment area for working closely with a bison, as during vaccinations.
Choose the number of bison to raise based upon the amount of land that will be used. The amount of bison depends on the quantity and quality of the grass and whether the bison are fed solely grass or given grain and hay. In general it is around two acres of land per bison.
Contact your local veterinarian to make sure that they will work with bison. Bison require vaccinations.
Use calm handling methods since stress can result in unexpected panic. Use caution when working bison such as not walking behind them. Do not turn your back to them. Avoid approaching a mother bison or baby bison when they are together. They can reach a speed of 35 miles an hour.
Rotate bison between fields or provide additional food if this is not possible. Search out places to buy additional hay and or grain for times when the unexpected happens such as drought or during the winter where there is extreme weather such as a blizzard.