If you’re of the carnivorous persuasion, you may have come across such delicacies as bison burgers. But do you know about beefalo?
As you can probably guess from the name, a beefalo is a cross between domesticated cattle and buffalo (also known as American bison). They are bred specifically for the purpose of procuring lean meat from a docile, domesticated animal.
As wild animals, bison aren’t easy to raise on a farm, yet their meat is prized for its leanness and slightly sweet flavor. On the other hand, domestic cattle tend to produce much fattier meat. Proponents of beefalo say that the hybrid combines the best traits of both animals, especially temperament and meat quality.
According to the American Beefalo Association, 37.5% (3/8) bison and 62.5% (5/8) cattle is the ideal genetic ratio, with an appearance that significantly favors cattle. Individuals with more than 3/8 bison DNA and a bison-like appearance are considered bison hybrids, sometimes known as cattalo.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been regulating beefalo as a separate meat from beef since 1985. According to the USDA, beefalo has more protein and vitamins than “regular" beef, yet it has less fat and “bad” cholesterol and significantly fewer calories.
The American Beefalo Association points out that raising beefalo requires substantially less production input than raising cattle, as beefalo are naturally more robust and better suited to the North American climate, such as harsh winters. Beefalo proponents say that the breed has a longer lifespan and reproductive span than cattle, as well as better natural disease resistance and improved foraging ability.
Beef or beefalo?
- Due to its superior nutritional profile and smaller production outlay, beefalo has long been touted as the meat of the future. However, it remains a niche product, primarily appealing to the health food market. It’s not stocked by many supermarkets, so you’re most likely to find it at a farmer’s market or directly from the producer. As a specialty product, it costs more than traditional beef.
- As an official crossbreed, beefalo have only been around since the 1970s, when animals with fertile offspring began to be reliably reared. However, a degree of interbreeding between American bison and domestic cattle (sometimes intentional, sometimes not) had been occurring for many decades before they were successfully bred with desirable traits and fertility success.
- The American bison, also known as the American buffalo, is the national mammal of the United States. The vast herds that once roamed the country numbered approximately 60 million in the late 1700s, but they were nearly extinct by the end of the 1800s. Recovery and reintroduction efforts have succeeded in increasing the bison population to close to 500,000, though most are in commercial herds.
