| In 1999 the owners of Oden Land and Livestock, Jon and I (Heather Oden), decided to build a buffalo herd. After studying the needs and living preferences of buffalo, the charter members of the Bluestem Buffalo Ranch herd arrived. There was a gentle breeze that day and the sunlight bathed their woolly coats as the majestic creatures broke into a slow run across the virgin prairie for the first time on our ranch. I don't think I'll ever forget how quiet they were, how they looked us over, or how they took ownership over the land that originally belonged to their kind so long ago. It was like taking a step back in time.
They live and travel our pastures in extended family groupings. Our buffalo spend the majority of their lives on virgin prairie. When it is time to butcher, those culled for butchering are gathered and placed in our home pasture where they have access to grasses and prairie hay as well as some limited grain to maintain a consistent product throughout the year. There is a wide variance in the nutrient quality of grasses throughout the year which translates into a variable quality of meat. We bring the buffalo to our home pasture to produce more consistent product of buffalo meat through a more consistant nutrient quality diet. We do not support or promote a feedlot philosophy of offering a steady diet of grain to build size for slaughter. We believe such a diet is unnatural and does not preserve the original integrity of the buffalo meat.
Buffalo were naturally designed to roam the open prairie. We respect their natural design and consequently handle the buffalo herd as little as possible, only once a year. They are never given growth stimulants or hormones of any kind. We do not use antibiotics. When we must handle them we do so gently, slowly, and quietly. To do so is less stressful for the animals and alos keeps cortisol levels low in the muscles, producing a more tender product.
Our buffalo are processed at a federally inspected plant and the meat is aged for two weeks. It is necessary for the meat to hang for this length of time for the aging process to tenderize the meat. Then the buffalo meat is hand cut according to our specifications. We market our buffalo meat directly. So when you place and order, you are dealing with us. We are proud of our buffalo, proud of the quality of meat we can offer you, and thankful for the opportunity to serve you.
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