Why Buy Our Bison / Buffalo Meat? Thunder Ridge Bison

Why Buy Our Meat?

We have chosen a specifically designed nutritional plan that will benefit our customers and give our animals the highest nourishment value. I am sure that you have heard the old saying "you are what you eat".

We have a lot more to say for this summary on why to purchase our meat. So please check back within the next few days to see further information. In the meantime, look at the grasses, minerals and natural feeds that we give to our animals listed below.

BERMUDA GRASS
(Vaquero®)

This special blend of Bermuda grass increases daily gain, milk production in lactating females, hair/fur production and reproduction. Designed exclusively for improved forage production where warm season grasses are adapted, this is perfect for our specifically designed nutrition plan. A great aspect of this grass is the rapid ground cover and reduced warm season annual weed encroachment that is extremely drought tolerant.

TDN Energy - 60-68 ~ Crude Protein - 15-33%

RED RIVER CRABGRASS

Red River crabgrass is among the most palatable summer forages. Not only does it have a very competitive re-growth, it is relatively insect and disease free. Crabgrass appears to be stimulated by grazing and maintains it palatability well into maturity. Since this such high energy and crude protein levels, our animals love to graze these pastures. Crabgrass does best under rotational grazing and it fits into our nutritional plan flawlessly. Higher quality forage means higher gains. A superior grazing management can increase performance by 40%. Crabgrass managed as a double crop with ryegrass will be available 62% of the year. Growing a small grain pasture double cropped with crabgrass significantly increases forage productivity.

TDN Energy - 73 ~ Crude Protein - 25-30%

BISON RYEGRASS

Bison Rye is excellent for winter and early spring grazing. Evaluation trials and farm utilization shows Bison Rye to have an unequaled combination of winter growth and persistence for an endophyte free ryegrass. Digestibility is one of the highest of most forage crops. This grass will increase the quality of other forage crops when grown as a companion. Our Ladino Clover has flourished since we planted the Bison Rye. The animals love it and we have taken care not to have them graze it below 3 inches for continual re-growth.

TDN Energy - 63-75 ~ Crude Protein - 20-37%

ORCHARD GRASS

Orchard grass is highly productive and palatable to livestock. As a forage grass, it is highly edible and help the protein in the diet of the bison animals. This is great for shadier areas where some other grasses will not grow and maintains a high level of nitrogen. We continually rotate which pastures are grazed to promote consistent growth. This grass can be mixed with various legumes such as clover and ryegrass, which are highly beneficial to animals.

TDN Energy - 65 ~ Crude Protein - 15%

MARSHALL RYEGRASS

The adaptability of this grass to many soils and climates coupled with fast germination and prolific growing rate make this grass an important factor in our pastures. This ryegrass will benefit pastures from providing quick, short season forage, hay, erosion control, weed control, and so much more. Companion planting with other grass, legumes, and clover is favorable and requires low to medium fertilization. The energy and protein levels are essential to the overall well-being of our herd.

TDN Energy - 68 ~ Crude Protein - 20%

LADINO WHITE CLOVER

White clover as well as red clover has a creeping growth habit and helps to fill voids, which increases forage yields. White clover can increase animal performance on pasture simply due to increased nutrient density. The higher level of magnesium decreases the potential risk in grass tetany in the spring months (good thing we have lots of clover). Nitrogen is "fixed" in clovers, which is realized almost exclusively by clover plants. The overall forage quality available to animals is higher in pastures containing clover. The energy and protein levels speak for themselves.

TDN Energy - 80 ~ Crude Protein - 25%

RED CLOVER

The yield of red clover is usually higher than that of any other clover and has a longer growing season. We particularly like the fact that it is free from many disease and insect pests as well as being an excellent soil improvement crop. The excellent seedling vigor of red clover makes it one of the easiest forage legumes to establish. Both red and white clover have the same basic characteristics (at slightly different levels).

TDN Energy - 70 ~ Crude Protein - 20%

WHEAT GRASS

Wheat grass is valuable for re-vegetation because of their drought resistance and winter hardiness. Wheat improves rangelands for use by livestock as well as the wildlife and for conservation purposes. We keep a close eye on our pastures so they are not overgrazed. A sprinkler system is used during severe dry weather for a higher yield. Such a high energy level increases animal production and overall contentment when combined with our complete nutritional plan.

TDN Energy - 79 ~ Crude Protein - 11%

LITTLE BLUE STEM

Little blue stem is more efficient in absorbing nutrients and water than any other native grass. It drought resistant due to an extensive, dense root system. This is a great grass where soil is more shallow in upland sites along hillsides and ridges. Rotational grazing must be utilized so the grasses will rebound after grazing.

TDN Energy - 65 ~ Crude Protein - 12%

TALL FESCUE

Tall fescue forage is generally of high quality and digestibility as long as it is grazed and harvested at the proper stage of growth. There are many desirable attributes, such as ease of establishment, forms a dense persistent sod, and tolerant of a wide range of management regimes. This is the most reliable perennial cool-season grasses in certain regions and in drought-prone soils. When fescue is not properly managed, alkaloids can be produced in endophyte infected fescue. Not every fescue plant has the fungus that produces these alkaloids. The fungus resides in the spaces between plant cells, predominately in the stem and seed head. As the seed head develops, the fungus invades developing seeds, which provides a means for spreading. Spreading through seed is the only known means of transmission of the fungus. An uninfected plant cannot "catch" the fungus from an infected plant. We are extremely careful to cut our fescue, either by haying or bush hogging, prior to popping a seed head to ensure a top quality pasture. We also companion plant Ladino clover and Orchard grass, which improves diet quality and performance of the animals.

TDN Energy - 62 ~ Crude Protein - 13%

BISON MINERALS

We have done extensive research and worked with specialists to come up with a mineral formula that will be most beneficial to our animals.

Ingredients include:

Selenium   ~   Calcium   ~   Phosphorus   ~   Magnesium   ~   Copper   ~   Iodine   ~   Salt
Zinc   ~   Vitamin A   ~   Vitamin E   ~   Monocalcium Phosphate   ~   Manganese
Dicalcium Phosphate   ~   Dried Cane Molasses   ~   Cobalt Polysachride   ~   Soybean Oil
Magnesium Mica   ~   Manganous Oxide   ~   Calcium Carbonate   ~ Rice Hulls
Ethylene Diamine Dihydriodide   ~   Iron Oxide   ~   Zinc Oxide   ~   Copper Sulfate
Mineral Oil   ~   Sodium Selenite   ~   Wheat Middlings   ~   Vitamin E Supplement

BISON FEED

We have created a special bison feed that will give our animals the nourishment they need as well as giving our meat a top quality taste with nutritional values that each and every customer deserves. We feed our animals 1 to 2 pounds of feed daily during the winter months and during any severe drought conditions. During the summer months when we have green grass growth, we will feed them 1 to 2 pounds every other day.

Ingredients include:

Oats - Gives the meat great taste with high protein levels.

Wheat - Provides high protein levels and promotes weight gain for the animals.

Cracked & Pulverized Corn - We crack and pulverize the corn for better digestibility. This gives the meat great taste and promotes weight gain for the animals.

Soybean Meal - Gives the meat great taste, provides high protein levels, and promotes weight gain for the animals.

Alfalfa - Provides high protein levels and promotes weight gain for the animals.

Molasses - Gives the meat great taste and keeps the dust level down in the feed.

Contact Thunder Ridge Bison

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to email us at anytime.

Email: mailto:ThunderRidge55@aol.com