|
Post by johnhens on Jul 3, 2015 8:23:38 GMT -8
|
|
johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
|
Post by johnnyray on Jul 3, 2015 9:47:45 GMT -8
Is it true Midewin may see bison as early as this fall?
|
|
|
Post by johnhens on Jul 3, 2015 10:51:15 GMT -8
I know they have their corral done (they are using our design) and spoke to the corral builder last week, who was at Nachusa adjusting gates for us. Not sure if they are going to have their fence done. Midewin says they will have bison, not sure if that will happen.
|
|
johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
|
Post by johnnyray on Jul 3, 2015 10:59:26 GMT -8
I have not been to Nachusa yet but I do recall reading about the bison, I imagine it takes a pretty extreme fence to contain them.
|
|
|
Post by johnhens on Jul 3, 2015 12:23:23 GMT -8
We have 2 7/8" diameter 10' pipe in concrete, followed by 3 T stakes, then another pipe in concrete, corners welded H pieces, the same with the gates. Wire mesh that will stop a truck. I think they are doing wood poles with 5 strand barb wire.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 20:28:39 GMT -8
The Chicago Tribune article is not accessible. However I found a similar article at the Nature Conservancy website. I'm all for the restoration of bison. But my concern is that most bison herds in the United States are tainted by domestic cattle genetics. Herds were tested across the country in the last few years and only Wind Cave and Yellowstone Parks (and one other location, as I recall) actually preserved pure bison genetics -- untainted by cattle genetics. This is one of the many tragedies of seeing bison culled from Yellowstone herds -- because those bison are genetically pure bison. According to the link I've included, the bison in the Nachusa Grasslands descend from Wind Cave bison. So that is good news. Best of luck to the projects in Illinois of preserving the actual bison genetics too often tainted elsewhere by pioneer attempts to cross them with cattle.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2015 5:42:53 GMT -8
If I recall the plan is to only bring in bison that are genetically free of cattle DNA. Johnhens may have more info on that but I recall an article about Midewin discussing this very subject.
|
|
|
Post by johnhens on Jul 4, 2015 11:56:40 GMT -8
Nachusa's herd is from Wind Cave stock which do not have cattle integression. TNC's goal in 5 of its sites with bison,besides the benefits to the prairie, is to help further the gentic diversity of the bison. We have a genetiscist from a Texas university who is 'managing' the genetics and telling us which bison need to be where breeding to increase the diversity. Not sure if Midewin will be part of this.
|
|
johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
|
Post by johnnyray on Jul 7, 2015 12:20:02 GMT -8
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2015 17:34:56 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by mtngrl on Aug 10, 2015 12:50:28 GMT -8
Johnhens, it is always fun to see the progress of your Bison.
|
|
|
Post by johnhens on Oct 16, 2015 7:27:42 GMT -8
We had our first "roundup" at Nachusa last week. We have a roundup once a year to vaccinate the new calves of the year and to place an electronic sensor near their ear that has the info about that animal including DNA makeup, shots given, weight any physical problems noted, where they were born. We also give adults any shots required as well as weighing them and replace any non-functioning sensors. We do this as we will be exchanging bison with other TNC sights that have gentically pure bison. We had 16 calves this year, the largest "calf" weighing close to 400 lbs. Our largest bull was 1750 lbs. We used a corral system we designed with the help of Temple Grandin, and other TNC sites that have bison and Ted Turners ranch in SD. Most TNC sites need 16 or so people to do their roundups, we did ours with 7 people.
We will be getting 24 more bison in the coming week.
|
|
johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
|
Post by johnnyray on Oct 16, 2015 9:36:12 GMT -8
What is the max number you can support? Is there supplemental feeding or are they on their own so to speak?
|
|
|
Post by johnhens on Oct 16, 2015 11:45:43 GMT -8
Carrying capacity for bison is based on info from out West, 1 bison per 10 acres. We think our capacity will be higher as our vegetation is much more lush. We will have 1500 acres for them to roam. We do not suppliment their feed even in winter. We do have hay bailed if we need it. Last winter we did not feed them. We do put out mineral for them as wedo not have natural mineral sites as they do out West.
|
|
johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
|
Post by johnnyray on Oct 16, 2015 15:57:39 GMT -8
Thanks for the info.
|
|