Missouri is Where the Beefalo Roam

Don’t expect to find packages of beefalo on supermarket shelves any time soon, but this hybrid cross of a domestic beef cow and a bison delivers beefy taste in a low-fat, low-cholesterol package. “The cross appeals to those who yearn for a taste of the old West and those who want the advantages [of beefalo] from a health standpoint,” said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist at the University of Missouri Extension. Beefalo farmers want to sell tasty, tender, heart-healthy beefalo steaks, roasts and ground meat to hungry consumers. So what’s the problem? There’s not enough beefalo on the hoof to ensure a steady supply for restaurant and grocery chains. John Fowler, president of the Missouri Beefalo Association, wants to bring beefalo to our tables. He’s a value-conscious consumer who likes the bargain beefalo delivers. “If you go to a restaurant and order a 15- or 18-ounce beef rib eye, you leave about half your steak on the plate in fat and gristle,” he said. “You get to eat all your steak with beefalo.” Account manager Jimmy Story of the Missouri Enterprise Business Assistance Center is working with members of the association to secure a grant for a marketing feasibility study. “We can help them get their product in front of an audience,” Story said. “From white-linen dining to fast food to groceries, the market is untapped.” Fowler and Story agreed Missouri needs more than the 40 farmers currently raising herds of beefalo. Both men are looking at a cooperative model where farmers can benefit from working together. Fowler wants to spread the gospel of the advantages of raising beefalo. Take this summer’s drought, when “the pastures were so dry it sounded like you were driving on Styrofoam,” he said. “We fed hay, but not much.” By contrast, many cattle farmers used hay as early as August. Some reduced the size of their herds to minimize feed costs. Fowler explained, “Beefalo forage. I’ve seen them eat the leaves off buck bushes and multi-flora roses. They won’t eat thistles, though.” Other beefalo farmers are quick to praise the animals. Retired teacher Lee Horstmann and his wife Jessie have raised beefalo on their ranch in Owensville since 1988. “We raised Angus and Charolais cattle before, but the cows needed so much attention at birthing time, we switched to beefalo,” Horstmann said. “Beefalo calves are smaller. The beefalo cows don’t have many birthing problems.” Fowler cited additional benefits of the hybrid, which is defined as no more than 37.5 percent and no less than 17 percent bison. “We don’t use any hormone implants in beefalo. You don’t need them for growth,” Fowler said. “If we have a sick calf … we treat the animal with antibiotics, but the hybrid beefalo are pretty healthy.” Former dairy farmer Eugene Ussery switched from milking Holsteins to raising beefalo in 2001. “It doesn’t tie you down like dairy does. Not milking twice a day is my favorite part,” he said. “You don’t get paid every two weeks like with milk money,” he said, “but you don’t have near the feed expense of dairy cows.” Ussery cited the foraging habits, rapid growth of the calves and the overall health of the beefalo as prime reasons to switch from cattle. “Plus, they’re gentle, interesting animals. I think they’d even follow me through a keyhole, like the Pied Piper, when I’ve got the grain bucket.” The bad news is you can’t yet go to your local supermarket for beefalo steaks. The good news is the farmers interviewed for this article sell direct from their farms. All sell processed meat, butchered at U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved facilities, in whole or half beefalo. Horstmann Beefalo Ranch (636.458.4570) will sell quarters as well. When ordering, keep in mind beefalo yield more meat per pound of animal than beef. “A normal 1,000-pound beef steer will lose 100 pounds of fat when you take the hide off,” said Ussery. “A beefalo loses just 4 pounds.” You can use beefalo any way you can use beef, but cooking techniques vary. If you cook a beefalo burger on top of the stove, you will need to use non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking. “Cooking beefalo is a little different,” said Fowler. “You cook at a lower temperature for less time.” He added, “If you look in your handy Weight Watchers book, you can eat two to three times as much beefalo as beef.”