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Photo courtesy Blanbrook Bison Farm
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North America's Original Lean Red
Meat Has Returned
Only in the last 10 to 15 years can it be said that North American Bison have returned from the near extinction they faced in the 1890s. What was once decimated to less than 2,000 in number has, through careful breeding and nurturing, returned and flourished.
Today it is estimated that the total herd size is in the 500,000 range, about 250,000 of which are based in Canada. This of course is a far cry from the approximate 50 million animals that roamed the western ranges prior to European settlement. However, today's herd size is still substantial enough to sustain bison meat consumption to a point where it is expected to quadruple by the year 2010.
There is plenty of room for growth for this all-natural non-genetically altered lean red meat. North Americans love their red meat. In Canada, annual beef consumption per capita exceeds 60 pounds, while bison is less than 1/2 a pound. With consumer trends leaning towards more naturally raised meat, a similarity between beef and bison cuts, and stable if not lower consumer prices anticipated, bison product growth and usage is expected to be nothing less than dramatic for the foreseeable future. Source: A Brief History of Bison
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Health Benefits of Bison and
the Marketplace.
The bison market is growing
fast, but the primary consumers of bison meat continue to be gourmets, health
food enthusiasts, and natural foods enthusiasts. (With considerable overlap
between the three groups.) Another market is in Western enthusiasts and
tourists.
Gourmets and "foodies" are
interested in the uniquely sweet and rich flavor of bison and are often willing
to pay top price for the best quality products and cuts.
For health and natural foods
enthusiasts, the appeal of bison is primarily in its health benefits. Bison meat
is low in fat and cholesterol, but extremely nutrient-dense, with high levels of
iron, protein, healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, and various vitamins and minerals.
Because it is almost always naturally raised, organic, and primarily or
exclusively grass-fed, natural foods enthusiasts have also embraced bison as a
healthy, sustainable alternative to conventionally raised beef and other meats,
with their high levels of antibiotics, hormones, and chemical pesticides, and
inhumane animal handling practices.
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Nutrient
Composition
| Species |
Fat (gm) |
Protien
|
Calories (kcal) |
Cholesterol (mg) |
Iron (mg) |
Vitamin
B-12 |
| Bison |
2.42 |
28.44 |
143 |
82 |
3.42 |
2.86 |
| Beef |
8.08 |
29.89 |
201 |
86 |
2.99 |
2.64
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| Pork |
9.66 |
29.27 |
212 |
86 |
1.10 |
0.75
|
| Chicken (skinless) |
7.41 |
28.93 |
190 |
89 |
1.21
|
0.33
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| Salmon |
10.97 |
27.31 |
216 |
87 |
0.55 |
5.80
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(Per 100 grams (3.5 oz.) of cooked lean meat, trimmed of all
visible fat)
Western enthusiasts are often
interested in the experience of the West more than the bison themselves, and may
appreciate a more "hands-on" approach to marketing. Bison chuckwagon cookouts
are popular on many parks and private ranches, and also provide an opportunity
to introduce the casual consumer or tourist to the delicious taste of bison.
Hunting enthusiasts enjoy the opportunity to participate in a hunt, especially
if they get to take home the meat, hide, skull or horns, etc. afterwards.Western
enthusiasts in general are more likely than the other groups to be interested in
purchasing hides, kulls, and other by-products, whether or not they shot the
animal themselves.
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