Bison farming in North America is a growing industry. These animals retain strong wild instincts that make their welfare needs fundamentally different from domestic cattle.
Bison farming welfare requires acknowledging that these animals are fundamentally different from domestic cattle despite their phylogenetic proximity. Their strong wild instincts, powerful flight responses, and natural social structures mean that management practices transferred from cattle production cause disproportionate stress. Low-stress handling, appropriate group sizes, extensive grazing systems, and modified handling facilities designed for bison rather than adapted from cattle are essential for welfare-positive bison farming. The industry's relatively small scale creates opportunity to establish high welfare standards from the start.