The American Bison (Commonly Called the Buffalo)

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The American bison, commonly known as the buffalo, is the largest mammal found in North America. Before Europeans extensively settled on the continent, it is estimated that nearly 60 million bison roamed across most regions of North America. Native Americans relied heavily on bison, which provided them with food, shelter and many other necessities.

With the advent of large-scale European immigration and unregulated hunting, the number of bison dwindled to less than 1,500 in the late 1800s.

Today, bison are legally protected in parks and reserves throughout the Western United States. They are also raised privately on farms like Twin Valley. The total number of bison living in North America today is about 350,000.

Our bison meat is 100% hormone and chemical free. The bison at Twin Valley are raised naturally on grass, not crammed into feed lots like many other commercially raised animals, making them much healthier and providing a more flavorful meat. Here are some facts about bison meat:

• 98 percent fat free, which is less than beef, chicken, pork and many fish products
• USDA inspected for quality
• Rich in protein, iron, polyunsaturated fats (good fats)
• In recent taste tests, 87 percent of those surveyed preferred the taste of bison to beef

For more information on bison, see the National Bison Association's home page.