MANAGEMENT, GAIN AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PEACE COUNTRY BISON (BISON-BISON)

Citation
Bd. Rutley et al., MANAGEMENT, GAIN AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PEACE COUNTRY BISON (BISON-BISON), Canadian journal of animal science, 77(3), 1997, pp. 347-353
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Agriculture Dairy & AnumalScience
ISSN journal
00083984
Volume
77
Issue
3
Year of publication
1997
Pages
347 - 353
Database
ISI
SICI code
0008-3984(1997)77:3<347:MGAPOP>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
Three thousand three hundred twenty-nine (3329) bison from 16 Peace Co untry bison herds were weighed between November 1992 and October 1994 to determine body weight, gain and to measure herd productivity. A sur vey of management practices was used to develop three producer profile s: 1) small herds (similar to 30 head), 130 ha and significant off-far m responsibilities, 2) full-time - 110 breeding females on 1040 ha, an d 3) large ranches - 450 breeding females on 2080 ha. Calf winter weig ht was significantly (P < 0.0001) affected by HERD, YEAR and GENDER wi th males (196 +/- 2.0 kg) significantly heavier (P < 0.0001) than fema les (180 +/- 2.6 kg). Calves of both genders were heavier in 1993 than in 1992. Producers reporting herd health problems also had calves wit h lower (P < 0.0001) winter weights than herds reporting no health pro blems (175 +/- 1.2 kg vs. 198 +/- 1.2 kg). Seasonal ADG ranged from -0 .08 kg d(-1) to 0.56 kg d(-1). A significant relationship existed betw een winter ADG and subsequent summer ADG (Y = -0.50X + 0.71; P < 0.000 1). The results from this study of Peace Country bison are sufficient to serve as industry benchmarks to which producers can compare their h erds.