Bison — Feed Requirements Guide
American bison are the largest native land mammals in North America, raised commercially for their lean, flavorful meat. A mature bison cow at 1,800 lbs consumes approximately 36 lbs of dry matter daily, primarily from native range grasses and grass hay. Bison are remarkably well-adapted to the North American Great Plains environment, able to withstand extreme cold and thrive on forages that would not sustain domestic cattle at the same body condition. Their nutritional requirements are generally similar to beef cattle but with some important differences: bison are more efficient at converting low-quality forages, require less total supplementation, and should not be fed high-grain finishing diets which can cause acidosis and liver abscesses. Bison ranching emphasizes low-input, forage-based production systems that align with the animals' natural grazing behavior. The bison meat market has grown steadily, commanding premium prices 2-3 times higher than conventional beef.
Bison Nutritional Requirements by Life Stage
The table below shows how dry matter intake, protein requirements, and feed costs change across the 4 life stages of bison production. Life stage adjustments account for the dramatically different energy and protein demands of lactation, growth, gestation, and maintenance. Click any life stage for a dedicated page with detailed feeding recommendations and management tips.
| Life Stage | DMI Adj. | Daily DMI | Protein % | Daily Protein | Monthly Cost* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow | 1x | 36.0 lbs | 7% | 2.5 lbs | $92.05 |
| Lactating Cow | 1.2x | 43.2 lbs | 9.8% | 4.2 lbs | $110.45 |
| Growing Calf | 1.3x | 46.8 lbs | 11.2% | 5.2 lbs | $119.66 |
| Bull | 1.1x | 39.6 lbs | 7.7% | 3.1 lbs | $101.25 |
*Monthly cost estimated using grass hay at $150/ton. Actual costs vary by feed type and region.
Recommended Feeds for Bison
The following feeds meet both the minimum crude protein and TDN requirements for bison at maintenance level (7% protein, 52% TDN) when fed as the sole feed source. In practice, most feeding programs combine multiple feed ingredients to optimize cost and nutritional balance.
| Feed | Protein | TDN | As-Fed/Day | Cost/Ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Hay | 8% | 52% | 40.9 lbs | $150 |
| Alfalfa Hay | 18% | 58% | 40.0 lbs | $250 |
| Timothy Hay | 9% | 55% | 40.9 lbs | $200 |
| Bermuda Grass Hay | 10% | 52% | 40.9 lbs | $160 |
| Corn Silage | 8% | 70% | 102.9 lbs | $50 |
| Haylage (Baleage) | 14% | 60% | 80.0 lbs | $80 |
| Whole Corn | 9% | 88% | 40.9 lbs | $220 |
| Cracked Corn | 9% | 88% | 40.9 lbs | $240 |
| Oats | 12% | 70% | 40.5 lbs | $210 |
| Barley | 13% | 84% | 40.9 lbs | $230 |
| Soybean Meal | 44% | 84% | 40.0 lbs | $450 |
| Cottonseed Meal | 41% | 75% | 39.6 lbs | $380 |
| Distillers Grains (Dried) | 27% | 86% | 40.0 lbs | $200 |
| Beet Pulp | 9% | 74% | 39.6 lbs | $280 |
| Wheat Bran | 16% | 67% | 40.5 lbs | $180 |
| Rice Bran | 13% | 65% | 39.6 lbs | $200 |
| Pasture Grass (Fresh) | 12% | 62% | 144.0 lbs | $0 |
| Corn Gluten Feed | 21% | 80% | 40.9 lbs | $200 |
| Canola Meal | 36% | 74% | 40.0 lbs | $350 |
| Layer Pellets | 16% | 70% | 40.0 lbs | $400 |
| Broiler Starter | 22% | 78% | 40.0 lbs | $450 |
| Horse Sweet Feed | 12% | 72% | 40.9 lbs | $350 |
| Brewers Grains (Wet) | 26% | 66% | 150.0 lbs | $60 |
| Alfalfa Hay Cubes | 17% | 56% | 40.0 lbs | $300 |
Feeds Requiring Supplementation
These feeds meet either the protein or TDN requirement but not both, and would need to be combined with other feeds in a balanced ration. The table indicates which nutritional requirement is met and which needs supplementation.
| Feed | Protein | TDN | Protein OK? | TDN OK? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molasses | 5% | 72% | No | Yes |
| Fat Supplement (Bypass Fat) | 0% | 180% | No | Yes |
| Urea (Feed Grade) | 281% | 0% | Yes | No |
Feeding Bison at Different Body Weights
Body weight directly determines dry matter intake. The table below shows how daily feed requirements change across a range of body weights for bison at maintenance level. Use the calculator for custom weights, life stages, and herd sizes.
| Body Weight | Daily DMI | Daily Protein | Monthly Feed | Annual Feed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,080 lbs | 21.6 lbs | 1.5 lbs | 648 lbs | 3.94 tons |
| 1,440 lbs | 28.8 lbs | 2.0 lbs | 864 lbs | 5.26 tons |
| 1,800 lbs | 36.0 lbs | 2.5 lbs | 1,080 lbs | 6.57 tons |
| 2,160 lbs | 43.2 lbs | 3.0 lbs | 1,296 lbs | 7.88 tons |
| 2,700 lbs | 54.0 lbs | 3.8 lbs | 1,620 lbs | 9.86 tons |
Herd Size Feed Budgets for Bison
Planning feed purchases and storage requires estimating total feed needs for your herd over time. The table below shows monthly and annual feed requirements and costs for various herd sizes of bison at maintenance level using grass hay at $150/ton.
| Head Count | Daily DMI Total | Monthly Feed | Annual Feed | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 180.0 lbs | 2.70 tons | 32.85 tons | $5,599.43 |
| 10 | 360.0 lbs | 5.40 tons | 65.70 tons | $11,198.86 |
| 25 | 900.0 lbs | 13.50 tons | 164.25 tons | $27,997.16 |
| 50 | 1,800.0 lbs | 27.00 tons | 328.50 tons | $55,994.32 |
| 100 | 3,600.0 lbs | 54.00 tons | 657.00 tons | $111,988.64 |
| 200 | 7,200.0 lbs | 108.00 tons | 1,314.00 tons | $223,977.27 |
Other Animals
Browse feed requirement guides for other livestock species.