Beefalo

This beefalo cow's name is Jezzabelle. Click either picture to enlarge it.

        Jezzabelle was a "bottle baby".  That means that her mother could not give her milk when she was born, so the rancher had to feed her milk from a bottle.  Bottle babies are usually very calm and they enjoy being around people.  Her owner says that he has raised many bottle calves from several different breeds, and that Jezzabelle is by far the calmest, sweetest one he has ever raised or seen.

        The American Beefalo is a cross between the American Bison and cattle.

        The beefalo has the best traits of both bison and cattle.  From bison they get the traits of being hardy, foraging ability and calving ease.  From cattle they get the traits of fertility, milking ability and ease of handling.

• Beefalo have the ability to withstand both heat and cold.  They have between 15,000 to 18,000 hairs per square inch.  They are also able to perspire through pores in their skin, something that cattle can't do.  Being able to perspire helps them to adjust to changes in the weather.

• They are able to eat whatever grasses are available, including food that cattle can't or won't eat.

• Beefalo cows are excellent mothers.  They are protective of the calves.  They have rich milk that help the calves grow quickly.  When calves are born they weigh between 50 to 75 pound.  Beefalo bull calves can weigh over 1,000 pounds when they are 1 year old.  A good female should produce her first calf when she is 2 years old.

    Thanks to Rancher Paul for sharing these photographs and the story about Jezzabelle with us.  

 Home  |   Where do you want to go?  |  Table of contents  |  Contact us