Sitting Bull College, Bison/Tatanka Care and Culture Workshop

Transcription

1 Because of what I learned in Yellowstone, the management focus of our Iowa herd had to be entirely different than seen in today s public and private herds. Tall Grass Bison started in 1976 with 3 animals and now has 5 family groups and 400 bison on 1000 acres. This concept of social order herds can be applied to all private and public herd managers. Economic and philosophical considerations of both go hand-inhand. To us, raising buffalo means a lot more than the buzz and social contact folks get at the sale barn. Our definition and application of holistic is decidedly different than what others refer to. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 1

2 It would have been counter productive for bison to be any other than environmentally compatible if they were to flourish as a species. Knowing that bison have the same extended social families as humans, allows us to become connected to life on our planet. But with knowledge comes conscience and this means we have no other choice than to be more respectful of the animals we eat. Also, it is a given that nature is most efficient and thus we cannot exclude any herd animals from being a part of nature s efficiency. We can use this knowledge of social order, which is the key to nature s efficiency, and apply it to private enterprise. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 2

3 This can be applied to any livestock operation, whether cattle, pigs or sheep. Without language developing and without extended family bonding these private herd dehorned cows are about as lonely and untrusting as one can expect. It is not a life any animal should have to endure. With support systems in place and without the fear of being left behind, getting a drink is a lot more orderly. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 3

4 What one sees in Yellowstone, extensive animal use without riparian damage, can be duplicated in private herds infused with social structure. A hike up Yellowstone s Hayden Valley reveals environmental compatibility, with large animals in large numbers, at the water s edge without degradation. Whiteman is so blind! He thinks of bison as multiples of individuals, not as extended family herds. In fact, they have the same infrastructure requirements as functioning corporations and cities. It was much less destructive for indigenous people to remove a whole family than cripple the efficiencies of multiple families. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 4

5 Herd animal management applies to ALL herd animals. Note the space between the groups of cattle. It is because these groups are families. Fear is not the same thing as wild and function is not dependent on this fear. While there are very tangible economic benefits, there are additional, more esoteric values to having social order herds on the land. Just as there are other than economic reasons for most of us that raise bison rather than cattle. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 5

6 Research was conducted on small mammal populations in our pastures with buffalo grazing compared to similar neighboring pastures that had cattle. It was found that the population significantly increased, double and triple, for the pastures with buffalo. It might be partly due to the increased overwintering capability, as well as survivability of young. Also, the species of mouse that predominated was different. Bringing the bison back to the land is perhaps returning the flora and fauna back to what was historically there. Prairie birds also benefit from the wool as nesting material, similar to the wool increasing the ability of the mice to keep young warm. The wool also gives the birds purchase, as can be seen here with Brownheaded cowbirds in Yellowstone. Birds can hang on to the wool, unlike the slick coats of cattle. We see the same thing on our farm. Here, a Starling perches on the nose of one of our buffalo. You won t see this with cattle. They don t have the wool for the birds to grip. Also our buffalo have learned from each other the benefits of this relationship with the birds. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 6

7 These birds perform a valuable function. Rather than rely on insecticides to reduce the fly population, we take advantage of the birds. Flies can be a problem in our herd, such as causing further damage to already injured eyes. The birds get a free meal and the bison get a free insect grooming. On occasion there can be more of a problem with flies than the birds can handle. So we help them out with Diatomaceous Earth (DE). This fine powder has microscopic barbs that get into the breathing apparatus of flies. It can also kill internal parasites if eaten. Our buffalo, like this big bull, like to wallow in it. However, the females and young ones tend not to wallow as much as bulls. But because they are a family and like to stay near each other, they can still benefit from the cloud of DE dust these bulls create. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 7

8 Another advantage to herd animals with family social order preferring to stay together is that they move and graze together. This lawn mower path creates an edge effect between tall and short grass. Any edge effects result in increased diversity. More insects, more birds, and more mammals can use the area. Also the disturbance that moving bison create is concentrated. So insects, birds, and mammals, instead of small eddies of disturbance, now have a flood to contend with the aftermath of the whole herd. This makes them vulnerable, which in turn means a good chance at a meal for a predator. So now raptors, swallows, and small carnivores are willing to follow the herd, giving them a shot at a food source not normally worth going after. We have seen this in Yellowstone with coyotes following elk and bison herds, as well as at our Iowa farm. Historical accounts tell of 10,000 wolves following the huge herds of buffalo on the Plains. Most of these wolves were not all after bison themselves rather the mice they disturbed. One will only get this in herds with family social order. Whether it is in Yellowstone Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 8

9 or our herd in Iowa. Herd animals with family social order can utilize more plants than dysfunctional animals. Omnivores, such as humans and bears, can eat flesh instinctively but need training to eat vegetation. Herbivores, such as bison and cattle can eat grass with no training, but need instruction to select herbs. Thus, any herd animals that are weaned or are part of herds without social structure should more aptly be called Grassivores. Not only do they learn from each other what to eat and when, they also are more able to experiment and try new foods. They can use the family s existing knowledge and apply it to new foods that become available to them. Would you want to be at a buffet table with infinite choices, but only know how eat the bread and water? Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 9

10 During the fall, it is hard to find locust pods because our buffalo have learned to eat them, as can be seen by the seeds in their cow pies. This can be a valuable source of protein and fat in the fall when it is needed. Some seeds even require passing through a digestive system to become viable. So even if native prairies were restored, a functional herd is necessary to know how to use it. A dysfunctional herd would only pick out the grass, what they instinctively know to eat, and leave the rest. Ultimately this animal has inadequate uptake of nutrients. This translates into the nutrition from mineral rich herbs not being available to us when we eat these animals. It should make no difference whether it is Yellowstone s wild herds or private producers domesticated herds. Both can graze with the same efficiency as long as we allow them to develop the same herd structure as their ancestors. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 10

11 With bison having extended families as the cornerstone of their species success, to suddenly take this away in the last 150 years means that most of today s public and private herds are composed of dysfunctional individuals. Chronic stress is inherent in all of these animals. Indigenous peoples preference for front quarters from nutritionally dense mature animals is no longer an option with the tight muscles (tough meat) associated with chronically stressed animals. While people know varied diet grazing means more nutrition, it is not the only factor. We at Tall Grass Bison also specifically choose mature animals for our active customers. We are able to do so because our family social order herd does not have the stress common in other herds. The USDA has it backwards. Why would we place flavor so low on our scale of what is important, especially when we realize flavor equals nutrition? Perhaps the bias towards tenderness was created because that was the only characteristic available once the commercial ag industry dumbed down our food to the point where it is tasteless. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 11

12 However, we do not mean to imply one segment of a herd is better than another. All age groups have equal importance and uses. We market primarily to prime aged active adults that need the energy and power of aged meat from mature animals. However, for the young and old, palatability may be more critical than nutrition. Therefore, they prefer a younger animal with more digestible tender meat. The beauty of it is each segment of a functional family group provides for each segment of the human population. Along with what the bison can do for the land and for us, we feel we can give back to the land by being good stewards. We are restoring the productivity and fertility of the land lost through previous farming practices. This includes adding a lot of organic matter, in the form of hay, from other lands. One could argue that we are mining our neighbor s fields to improve ours. Each winter we unroll big bales of hay. Whenever possible, we look for prairie hay to feed our buffalo. The deep roots of native prairie bring up a lot of minerals. After adding organic material for 20 years on some of the pastures, our fields are the first to green and the last to dry up each summer. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 12

13 This is one of our pastures after the Spring thaw. The buffalo have done their part in processing the hay into fertilizer, waiting to go back into the soil. The closer pond seen in this photo is a settling pond, high above the main pond. This ensures clean water before going into the larger water shed below. Harrowing helps the process of returning the nutrients to the soil and allows the sun to reach the tender new grass formerly covered by cow pies. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 13

14 Bison keep nutrients on the land. They prefer resting on hilltops, unlike cattle that stay lower in drainages seeking shade. This means what the bison have eaten lower down is deposited up above where it does not wash away. If you will notice, there are three forms of fertilizer in this picture. We have already talked about two, bison and hay. The geese too are part of the picture. These geese come to our place to rest after an early breakfast of corn in our neighbor s fields. So just as the bison process hay, the geese give us the products of their meals of corn. We ll take whatever we can get. They are of course attracted to the 35 farm ponds we have. We keep our creeks running clear. Unlike what we see in ponds across the country. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 14

15 While our buffalo still go into the water, you do not see the riparian damage so common in dysfunctional herds. Note the path on top of the dam with grass on either side of it. If cattle or dysfunctional bison were using this pasture, stress and pecking order would mean degradation of the bank. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 15

16 But we still have problems from farming practices by previous owners. Our impoundments stop head cuts such as this one. It may not be natural, but these dams allow for plant restoration below that duplicate non-gullying swales. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 16

17 We provide alternative water sources for wintertime needs. Clean water and healthy riparian area attract those birds that thrive on it. Add to that the grassland birds coexisting with the buffalo. Biodiversity begets more biodiversity. Some regular visitors to the farm. Benefits of Biodiversity Ecological - e.g insect pollination. Resistance to catastrophe Food and drink Intellectual value Leisure, cultural and aesthetic value Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 17

18 Reasons We Burn Just as with natural and human-ignited fires in the past, prescribed burning today accomplishes many important ecological functions and landowner objectives. Increase Vegetative Diversity Improve Wildlife and Grazing Control Pest Problems Being a working farm we also need to fence. So rather than use toxic treated posts or steel posts, we look to more sustainable options. We prefer Osage Orange hedge posts that grow naturally on our farm and can last years in the ground. We enjoy the fruits of our labors and feel good about the land. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 18

19 We enjoy sharing the farm with those that visit, such as our customers Students from the Community colleges and State Universities Conservation groups such as the Iowa Naturalist Society. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 19

20 And media that want to document the innovative methods we use and implement. An interesting side note with the lower photo. While the herd does not normally react to groups coming out into the herd, the posture of the filmmaker was unusual. The bull group seen in front of the cameraman split off from the herd and came over to check him out. They were filling their role of herd protectors. Indigenous peoples raised animals not for food efficiency but rather to tide them over in times of scarcity. Somehow civilized people became far enough removed from nature they no longer could compare natural and domestic food systems. And without understanding herd social order, they had no way to either duplicate wild herd efficiency or incorporate this management philosophy into their domestic herds. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 20

21 Symptom management at its zenith. If every herd animal species developed with social order and depended on this for its very survival as a species, then it means all herd animals lacking this order has stress inherent within this animal. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 21

22 None of our bison have ever been given a shot, nor needed it. The only handling comes when we load out satellite herds for sale. All butcher animals are field slaughtered. Our bulls are selected by matriarchal families so there is no expense of trailering in outside breeding animals. Our decision to no longer grain feed animals came not so much from healthy meat concerns but more from the fact that the grain we fed meant breakdown of social structure. Dunbar stated that in the Indian country it was not considered right to make free gifts to common Indians, which encouraged begging and angered the chiefs, whose authority rested mainly on their people looking to them for occasional distributions of gifts. John Dunbar, Indian Agent 1844 Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 22

23 Social herds mean fertile lands because the animals of these herds recycle the nutrients of a lot more species of plants. They also eat coarser vegetation and browse which recycles the nutrients of these plants faster. Because our herds move en mass to high ground for rest, a higher percentage of nutrients are deposited on the tops of hills. Field slaughter means a shot behind the ear Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 23

24 Difference is similar to soldiers being shot while at war and the survivors, still believing they have ways to react. Compare this to a concentration camp where death is constant and everyone knows there is no hope of escape. Herds behind fences have to be handled differently than animals in the wild. The herd will push non-accepted animals to the perimeter. Also scout bulls go to far ends of pastures. An animal moving from a herd means the herd accepts that animal being gone. They will not panic. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 24

25 We always have three pickups and a loader tractor ready. If we shoot an animal that is in sight of the herd, we position a pickup between the animal and herd. After shooting, two trucks align themselves at an angle to each other so that the loader tractor comes into the opening to load it into the bed of one of the pickups. Lime is spread on any blood. Once out of the field, the animal is again hoisted and bled. On our farm, many people have offered to pay for just shooting a buffalo. Most want to see if their muzzle loader, pistol or bow will do the job. When I explain what it means to kill an animal, enthusiasm wanes. I have yet to have any of these guys hang around for a course in respect for what they propose to kill Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 25

26 The story told to us was that the bull on the left was killed in a subsequent hunt. The main herd bull, the one on the right, soon after broke out of the pasture and took three younger bulls to safety. They made it 12 miles. When the ranch manager tried to herd them back, the big bull would not allow the younger bulls to return. They ended up shooting their head bull. For this bull to leave the main herd unprotected meant he was desperate to keep the younger males alive. Bull groups isolate themselves from the hectic day care center activities of the matriarchal components. Thus, they move easily to different pastures well away from the main herd. We put these groups in holding pastures, then shoot them one at a time. All we have to do is use curiosity to separate one out from the others. We open a gate they have never been through. First one through wins the prize so to speak. Sounds kind of morbid but that s how it works. Indians Native American hunts focused on satellite groups. They killed the group as a whole, with surrounds, impoundments, and buffalo jumps. The varied ages of these satellite groups best met the nutritional needs of the tribe. Construction of corrals is a major expense with bison herds. If one understands bison s need for individual space, ranchers can construct something that is a lot more humane and less stressful for these animals. The cost of injuries, death or stress related weight loss is minimized. Sadly, very few facilities are designed with the same logic to get people to move, under their control, to where we want them. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 26

27 Recipe for disaster. This corral is no different that any public bison corral that I have seen. Bison are forced ahead, which goes against their very nature. Would we want to be pushed into an obvious dead end alley? The coming video shows a bunch of govt. morons that say and listen to the correct words but carry out a plan of action entirely different. As the video progresses take a look at all those hot shot wands and one guy poking the front of an animal with a sand wand while another person shocks the rear end of the same animal. Of course, the design of all government corrals necessitates the kind of shock and awe treatment seen in this video. This assortment of folks represents Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, DOL, APHIS and the Yellowstone seasoned bison corralling team. The one that says we will be taking it slow is the head of Yellowstone s team. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 27

28 No working corral should have more than five animals in it at one time. Yellowstone tried to save money by combining the sorting and working area. There are no holding pens away from the action to place the stressed animals seen in the pictures. The abuse doesn t stop with injuries and death inside the walls of this corral. Bulls outside the corral end up getting shot (not shown) because they chase the guys on horses. The bulls stay around trying to protect the matriarchal components and get cantankerous when the guys try to chase them away. The corral workers do not understand why the bulls hang around. They just think the bulls are mean. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 28

29 Notice the concerted effort of this bison family to stay away from the sides of the bridge. To duplicate the behaviors needs seen in Yellowstone s bison we give our animals 24 foot wide alleys, 80 foot turn-arounds at each end and a 40 foot tub. In two days, we loaded 10 trailers with 100 animals in 2 ½ hours. No more than three to five bison were moved from the sorting areas and through the working corrals at any time. None had previously been worked in corrals. There were no injuries, such as gorings, peeled off hides, or broken horns. Not well shown but there are circle turn arounds at each end of the working facilities. These turn arounds are the key to TGB s corrals. That and psychological avenues of escape for the bison. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 29

30 Note the turn arounds at each end. Thus one can bring animals in from either end and the buffalo then can work their way back through the facility on their own accord. They feel they are in control and make the choices we want them to. The shorter the confining tunnel, the less anxiety the corralled animals will have. There always has to be an out (cavern) built in for them for a corral to be successful. Think of the movies where the chased person runs down an alley only to find a wall at the other end. He runs back looking for an unlocked door. Then there appears an open doorway. Relief is in the mind of the fleeing person, the same as in the mind of a buffalo. The only thing is our corral has a trap (40 diameter tub) past this door. Why not make this 24 feet wide? There would be a lot more flexibility of use. And when used as an alleyway, bison would still use only the middle three feet. Like the bridge sequence in Yellowstone, however, bison feel they have the space to allow the freedom of travel. No herd would freely go through a 4 foot wide alley. Why do we want to employ more people to force animals ahead when the bison can move on their own accord? Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 30

31 It is just a bunch of bigger and smaller boxes and circles placed in such a way as to give an animal decision making control over his or her life. One can take animals either way with these 19 foot gates. And the double sliding doors at either end allow for the flexibility of holding animals in one side while moving animals through the other. The two load out doors and two load out chutes beyond (with gates between the alleyways) means any animal that goes down or is turned the wrong way can be let into the other alleyway and then put back through the system all without stopping load out of other animals. By the time the animals get to the squeeze, they think the working chute area is just another door to another cavern. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 31

32 To understand bison we need to understand the emotions and fears of humans. For bison, wanting to go back to safety is no different than humans wanting to retreat to familiar surroundings. Notice no scrape marks on the walls or gates. This is because they never stray from the middle three feet of alleyway. The guy on the far end opens the turn around tub gate and the animals run to the gate they just came through. They then see the opening to the tub (two 6- foot wide doors) and jog on in. They never look up to see a human until in the tub. If we work them from the opposite end, the small gate (seen closed next to the large gate) is opened. The gate s mate is open on the other side and the two guys are ready to close the 2 sliding doors to the tub after the animals pass through the short swing gate. This is part of Yellowstone s $300,000 pride and glory. The acute corner seen here has killed and maimed many buffalo. Yellowstone uses this pen, seen in the foreground, as a holding area. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 32

33 TGB s lead in from the sorting pens (not shown) are 32 wide. Each holding pen has a pond in it. Thus the big bulls, after being worked in warm weather, run to these ponds and put their rear ends in. It cools them down and keeps them from going sterile. I have seen six bulls at one time in the ponds, all facing out like the spokes of a wheel, with water up to their tails on their backside and their front legs on the shore. We sort out the family groups for sale in these holding pens. We put hay in each and over two days we periodically open and close gates to the four pens. Members of one family stuck on the wrong side go one way while members of another family waiting on the other side of the gate cross on the way to their family. Compare this to Yellowstone s vet work (see video below) Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 33

34 This video is of Yellowstone s squeeze chute activities. Note: Too confining an area vet has to work in Blood draw from neck instead of tail Nose tongs secured above instead of to side (causes rear end to drop) Lack of squeezing in on animal s sides Vet reach inside the squeeze is very dangerous as shown And not one cow pattie dropped (stress related) Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 34

35 If they were dressed in suits, would we still be taking their picture? Whether it is humans or animals, our prejudices keep us from understanding our fears, personal space, and survival instincts are the same. The lower herd may have beautiful surroundings but it is a herd only skin deep. The one in the top photo is multigenerational and full of vitality. Why have a shell of a herd when they can offer us so much more? A functional herd has everything that it needs to take care of itself. If we let them, they can even offer us something in return. A view into a life style that we have lost in our drive to become civilized. Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 35

36 Bob Jackson, Tall Grass Bison 36