SUSTAINABLE
RANCHING
Durham Ranch Brings Back the Buffalo
By Staff
Writer
Most
of us, when we think of the American Buffalo conger up images
deep in our collective past of Cowboys and Indians roaming the
vast American prairies before the west was officially won over.
It is safe to say that Bison was America's first red meat before
the beef-cow came along to dominate the market and monopolize
the term "steak". Though bison were hunted to near extinction
by the turn of the twentieth century, they've made a remarkable
come back with the help and dedication of businesses like Durham
Ranch in Wyoming. Soon American Bison may be giving beef-cows
a run for their money in the red meat category as a hearty, healthy,
and delicious alternative.
Owned
and operated since the mid-1960's by the Flocchini family, the
55,000 acres which comprise Durham Ranch has sustained bison since
the late 1950's. Their ranch presently has 4,300 pure bred American
Bison with 1,750 mother cows. By using a "Time Controlled,
Planned Grazing" program they hope to increase their herd
size to 4,500.
The bison appears to be the ideal animal to raise in the harsh
Wyoming climate and those at Durham Ranch would not want to be
raising anything else. Due to their independent nature the bison
are handled as little as possible, without artificial growth stimulants
or hormones under completely natural circumstances. The Holistic
Management system used at Durham Ranch is able to grow healthy
animals and produce high quality meat while improving the quality
of the land where the buffalo graze.
The Flocchini family is dedicated to returning the land to its'
past splendor. Where history reveals to us a countryside with
tremendous grasslands of unlimited potential, the environment
is stable and balanced, wild life is visible and healthy, creeks
and springs flow, and the land is covered with a complexity of
grasses. With a commitment to this style of management, Durham
Ranch is convinced that they are in the process of making this
dream a reality, so that many generations beyond ours are able
to enjoy life as we have.
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