Buying bison should be simple, but the labels at the meat counter don’t always make it that way. Here are a few notes we tell our customers when they call with questions.
None of this is medical advice. When in doubt, talk to your doctor, and if a label confuses you, give us a call. We’ll help you read it.
The American Bison is what most folks in this country call buffalo. It’s the same animal, just two different names. But there are other buffalo in the world. Cape buffalo. Water buffalo. They are not the same animal as bison, and they don’t taste the same either.
Water buffalo has become a farmed product in the United States, with roughly six million head now in the country. That growth has brought a labeling problem along with it. We’ve heard the story start in Texas: a family went into a meat market, saw a package marked “buffalo,” bought it expecting bison, and brought home water buffalo. The meat tasted nothing like what they thought they were buying.
Because water buffalo is technically a buffalo, sellers can legally label it that way. They’re riding on the popularity of American Bison without making it clear what’s actually in the package.
What to do: if a label just says “buffalo,” ask. Ask if it’s American Bison. Ask where it came from. A good seller will tell you straight. When you buy from us, you’re getting pure American Bison, raised by us and our grass-finishing partners in and around Calhoun County, Alabama. No water buffalo. No beefalo. No blend.
You may be able to eat bison if you have an issue with eating beef. A lot of folks who’ve had to step away from beef and pork tell us bison still works for them.
If you have a true allergy, you may need to switch to ostrich or emu. Check with your medical advisor about what’s right for you.
We’re not your doctor, and individual results vary. But if you’re curious whether bison might work for you, we’re happy to talk through what we hear from customers in the same boat.
No. We don’t milk bison, and we don’t know anyone who does. If you ever see the video rights for sale, let us know.
The question comes up because of the recent attention on A1 versus A2 milk. A2 milk is often marketed as a healthier alternative to standard cow milk, and water buffalo is one of the animals associated with A2 production. Some of the popularity of water buffalo in this country traces back to that.
None of that applies to bison. We raise American Bison for meat. If you’ve read something about bison milk online, give us a call before you spend money on it. There’s a lot of confusing health information circulating right now, and we’d rather you ask us than guess.
Grass-finished bison is naturally leaner, higher in protein, and lower in fat and calories than equivalent cuts of beef. We have detailed nutritional information on hand for our cuts. Ask and we’ll send it over.
We’d rather you call and ask than guess at the meat counter. Reach out anytime.
Boundary Line