U of S to host bison forum

SASKATOON — Bison experts from across the globe will stampede to Saskatoon this summer for the first international symposium on bison health to be hosted by the University of Saskatchewan’s veterinary college.

Joe Stookey. a professor at the college and one of the symposium organizers, said bison farming has become “a lucrative market” and that an international conference is important for supporting the industry, which has only been tracked in Canada since the late 1990s.

He said farmers like bison because they’re better able to thrive on poor grass than other livestock, such as cattle, and that consumers like them because their meat is leaner than beef and often produced without hormones.

“There’s a number of consumers that like that concept,” Stookey said.

Despite the popularity of bison farming, he said he doesn’t know of any veterinarians who specialize in bison care.

Though Stookey said there’s lots of overlap in treating bison and cattle, bison present unique challenges that veterinarians should be aware of when responding to calls at bison farms.

“There’s an element of risk in handling bison — they’re very powerful and quick animals,” Stookey said. “You have to be careful when you work around them; you have to have the right equipment.”

According to the Canadian Bison Association, a nonprofit organization based in Regina that represents the industry, Saskatchewan is the second-largest producer of bison in the country, after Alberta.

According to the most recent available data, Saskatchewan had 252 bison farms with 39,343 animals in 2011, while Alberta had 571 farms with 57,483 bison.

Bison farms were also reported in Manitoba (108 farms), British Columbia (71), Ontario (60), Quebec (45) and the Maritimes (4).

All regions have seen a drop in the number of bison farms over the last decade. In 2001, Saskatchewan had 562 bison farms with 34,781 animals and Alberta had 950 farms with 79,821 animals.

Stookey said that while Saskatchewan is not the leading producer of bison in the country, the province is home to some of the leading bison experts.

“The expertise lies in Saskatchewan and here at the college,” he said.

The symposium will run June 24-26 at the Radisson Hotel.