Bison Prices On The Rise

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The Saskatchewan Bison Association says all signs point to the continued strengthening of prices for top quality live bison and bison meat products for the balance of 2006 and well into 2007.

“Prices in the United States have been quite strong and continue to increase,” said Jim Warren, executive director of the Saskatchewan Bison Association. “Premium prices in the U.S. market drive the price in the domestic market, as well.”

In terms of market conditions, Warren said all the signals are positive from the U.S. At the Saskatchewan Bison Industry Economic Outlook sessions held in the spring, the CEO of the North American Bison Co-operative, Rusty Seedig, predicted that his firm would be increasing its purchases by as much as 42 per cent this year.

Warren said producers are receiving $1.70 to $1.90 per pound, hot carcass weight, for youthful animals (those under 30 months of age).

“There’s plenty of room for optimism,” said Warren. He indicated that acceptance of bison is growing, with bison being added as a menu item at national restaurant chains. In Canada, for example, the Montana’s Restaurant chain offered bison on their lunch specials menu right across Canada this summer.

Bison producers are subject to the same BSE export restrictions as beef producers and, as a result, accurate age verification is becoming more important.

“Producers should be registering their animals' birth dates with the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency,” said Warren. “Age verification registration is available online, and it’s a point and click process.”

The website is found at www.canadaid.com, and information is also available toll free at 1-877-909-BEEF (2333). As opposed to registering each animal, the system allows registration of a total number of bison born during the normal 60-day calving season.

According to Warren, there are now over 500 bison producers in Saskatchewan. “We have everything from people just getting started with 10 or 20 animals, to many herds of over 100 and a few over 1,000,” he said. The Saskatchewan Bison Association estimates the total herd in the province at about 100,000 bison of all ages and types, including approximately 35,000 breeding cows.

At this point, the market breaks down into three broad segments: about one-third of the stock is sold to the U.S. as live animals or meat products, one-third is processed in Canada for sale to Europe, and one-third is sold into the domestic Saskatchewan market.

The Saskatchewan Bison Association is currently drafting a brand new production and marketing manual for bison producers.

“Initially, the industry followed beef production practices, but in the past 10 years we’ve developed quite a bit of new experience specific to bison,” said Warren.

The new manual will pull together what producers have learned, and indicate best practices in the Saskatchewan industry. It is expected to be released in early 2007.

For more information, contact:

Jim Warren, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Bison Association
Phone: (306) 585-6304
e-mail: saskbison@sasktel.net
Website: www.saskbison.com