Bifalo

Accidental crosses of two species occurred even before crosses by humans: in 1749 such hybrids were known in the southern English colonies of North America . People crossed bulls and bison in the middle of the XIX century ^[4] .

The first deliberate attempts to cross bison with cattle were made by Colonel Samuel Bedson, head of the Stony Mountain prison, Winnipeg, in 1880. Bedson bought eight bison in James Mackay’s captive herd and crossed them with Durham cattle. Hybrids grown by Bedson were described by naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton: [4]

The hybrid animal is said to be a significant improvement for both of its predecessors, as it is more obedient and better milked than Buffalo, but retains its stamina, while the robe is thinner, darker and more even, and the overall shape of the animal improves by reducing the hump and increasing the proportion of the hind limbs.

After thousands of cattle were killed in a snow storm in Kansas in 1886, Charles “Buffalo” Jones, co-founder of Garden City, Kansas, also = worked on crossing bison and cattle on a ranch near the future Grand National Park -Canyon, hopefully animals could survive the harsh winters. [5] He called the result "cattalo" in 1888. [6] Moss Martin Boyd of Bobcaygeon, Ontario, first began practicing in Canada, publishing some of his findings in the Inheritance Journal. [7] After his death in 1914, the Canadian government continued crossbreeding experiments until 1964, but without much success. For example, in 1936, the Canadian government successfully crossed only 30 Catalons [8]. Lawrence Boyd continues to crossbreed his grandfather's work on a farm in Alberta.

Previously, it was found that crossbreeding a male bison with a domestic cow will produce few offspring, but crossbreeding a domestic bull with a bison cow seems to have solved the problem. Female offspring have been prolific, but rarely for males. Despite the fact that the cattalo showed good results, due to problems with crossbreeding, the breeder had to keep a herd of wild and impenetrable bison cows.

In 1965, Jim Burnett from Montana released a hybrid bull that was prolific. Soon after, Corey Skovronek of California founded the World Bifalo Association and began selling hybrids as a new breed. The new name Beefalo was intended to separate this hybrid from the problems associated with old cattalo hybrids. The breed was ultimately established in genetically at least five eighths of the Bos taurus and at most three eighths of the bison.

A USDA study found that beef, like bison, contains less fat and cholesterol than standard cattle. The Beefalo Association of America claims that Beefalo tolerates colds and needs less help during calving than cattle, while maintaining the obedient nature of livestock and a fast growth rate. They harm pasture less than cattle. [9] They also claim that beef meat contains 4-6% more protein and is more tender, flavorful and nutritious than a standard dish. [9] Bifalo contains significantly less calories, fats, and cholesterol than beef cattle, chicken, and cod. [ten]

The American Bifalo Association states that "hybrids are harder, more economical (and less labor intensive) for growing and producing meat that is superior to that of an ordinary cow" [9].

In 1983, the union of some of the organizations registering bifalo took place. The new organization became known as the American Beefalo World Registry. Until November 2008, there were two organizations that registered animals: American Beefalo World Registry ^[5] and American Beefalo International. After this date, the two organizations merged: the new organization became known as the American Beefalo Association, Inc. She registers animals at the moment ^[6] .

Most modern bison herds are genetically contaminated or partially crossed with livestock. [13] [14] [15] [16] There are only four genetically non-mixed herds of American bison left, and only two that are also free from brucellosis: a herd of cave bison that roams the Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota; and a herd of Henry mountains in the Henry Mountains, Utah. [17] The herd on Catalina Island in California is not genetically pure or self-sufficient.

Dr. Dirk Van Vuren, who previously worked at the University of Kansas, notes: “Today, bison that carry cattle DNA look exactly like bison, function just like bison, and are actually bison. For conservation groups, the interest is that they’re not quite clean. "[18]

The term “cattalo” is defined by the laws of the United States of America as “a hybrid of a cow and a bison that looks more like a bison” ^[7] . In Canada, “cattalo” can be called various hybrids, regardless of their appearance and the degree of influence of the cow and bison on the animal.

In some states, cattalo are protected like bison and deer. However, in most states hybrids grown exclusively for livestock purposes, used similarly to cattle , are considered domestic animals, and therefore do not require special permits.

• Porter, Valeria (2008). Field guide to livestock. Voyageur Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-7603-3192-7 . Received May 14, 2015
• Drew, C. R. Baskin L.M. (1989). Wildlife Production Systems: The Economic Use of Wild Ungulates. CUP Archive. p. 354. ISBN 978-0-521-34099-1 . Received May 14, 2015
• Defoe, John W. (April 1889). "Taming the Buffalo." Popular science monthly. 34. Received March 21, 2018.
• Brower, Jennifer (2008). Lost tracks: Buffalo National Park, 1909-1939. University Press Athabasca. S. 132-133. ISBN 978-1-897425-10-7 . Received May 14, 2015
• "Charles Jesse" Buffalo "Jones." Kshs.org. Received 2009-10-02.
• "History of Cattalo." canadiangeographic.ca. May 2011. Archived from the original on 2005-09-01.
• Boyd, M.M. (1914). "Crossing of bison and cattle." J Hered (5: 189-197).
• Hurst Magazines (December 1934). "Cattle designed for the North are part of Buffalo." Popular mechanics. Hurst Magazines. p. 863. ISSN 0032-4558. Received May 14, 2015
• Bifalo Facts: Nutrition and Taste
• "ABWR". ABWR. Archived from the original on October 12, 2009. Received 2009-10-02.
• "American Bifalo Association." Received May 14, 2015
• "Threads of unwanted DNA roam the Buffalo, Jim Robbins, January 9, 2007, The New York Times." Wildcattleconservation.org. Received 2009-10-02.
• Polzhiehn, RO.; C. strobe; J. Sheraton & R. Beech (1995). "Fast mtDNA found in a North American bison population." Conservation Biology. 9 (6): 1638-43. DOI: 10,1046 / j.1523-1739.1995.09061638.x. JSTOR 2387208.
• Halbert, ND, Ward, TJ, Schnabel, RD, Taylor, JF and Derr, JN (2005). Conservation genomics: nonequilibrium mapping of chromosome segments of livestock in bison populations in North America. Molecular Ecology (2005) 14, 2343-2362 ”(PDF). Animalgenomics.missouri.edu. 2009-02-12. Archived from the original (PDF) 2006-04-22. Received 2009-10-02.
• "Halbert, Natalie Dierschke (2003). The use of genetic markers to solve modern problems of managing historical bison populations: importance for the conservation of species. Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas A & M, December 2003 ”(PDF). Received 2009-10-02.
• "Genetically pure bison found in Utah." UPR Utah. Ratio. 2015-12-16. Received 2015-12-24.
• Ekaterina Brahich (October 15, 2008) “American icons are not the animals they used to be.” New Scientist. Received 2015-01-07.
• “Code of Federal Regulations (9CFR352.1) rev 2004. -” Catalo or Cattalo means any hybrid animal with the appearance of an American bison resulting from the direct crossbreeding of an American bison and cattle. " Access.gpo.gov.

Archived from the original on August 26, 2009. Received 2009-10-02.

1. ↑ Russian Old Believers in Alaska (Neopr.) . cyberleninka.ru. Date of treatment April 10, 2019.
2. ↑ Porter, Valerie. The Field Guide to Cattle . - Voyageur Press, 2008. - P. 70. - ISBN 978-0-7603-3192-7 .
3. ↑ Drew, KR Wildlife Production Systems: Economic Utilization of Wild Ungulates / KR Drew, LM Baskin. - CUP Archive, 1989 .-- P. 354. - ISBN 978-0-521-34099-1 .
4. ↑ Popular Science Monthly Volume 34 April 1889 .
5. ↑ ABWR (unopened) . ABWR. Date of treatment October 2, 2009. Archived October 12, 2009.
6. ↑ American Beefalo Association . American Beefalo Association. Date of treatment April 10, 2019.
7. ↑ The Code of Federal Regulations (Neopr.) . web.archive.org (August 26, 2009). Date of treatment April 10, 2019.

• Kansas State Historical Society
• The Story of Cattalo .