America's last herd of wild buffalo are in Yellowstone. When they wander outside of park limits, they are vulnerable to "hazing" - i.e., capture and slaughter - because ranchers and the Montana Department of Livestock fear that the buffalo can transmit brucellosis to cattle. But some scientists and activist groups like the Buffalo Field Campaign say that the threat of brucellosis transmission is extremely low, and the buffalo are an essential part of the plains ecosystem and need to be protected. Journalist Christopher Ketcham has written an article about the fight over the buffalo in the June Harper's magazine.
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Comments [4]
how can bison be protected from hybridization.
Montana is an urban state, believe it or not. According to www.mt.gov, agriculture, forestry and mining only account for 8% of the state's economy. Livestock comes to only $3 million in exports. The MT ranchers and farmers receive so much in federal subsidies, and their production is so low, we and our environment would greatly benefit if we just paid them to NOT do their job.
bison also don't eat corn, processed, petroleum treated corn seed. MUCH better for all of us.
[sorry, forgot that before.]
QUESTION:
now that bison meat is becoming more popular [they sell it a TJoes, Kosher Cowboys, etc] is anyone trying to get the ranchers to switch over to using bison for meat, and would a domestic herd be safer from disease transmission if it mattered at all for human consumption?
i guess the test point here would be Ted Turner's herd[s] in Montana, and his restaurant[s].
bison require less anitibiotics, and water, right? so that's better for all of us, as far as I can tell.
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