Question 1

How much will my portion cost?

Accepted Answer

It depends...
 
There are two costs to buying a portion or whole bison. One payment is made directly to the processor, then the price per pound is paid to the ranch.
 
Typical processing for a whole bison is around $500, depending on your cut selection. Quarters and halves will be calculated based on the whole bison price. 
 
All per pound prices are based on "Hot Hanging Weight" You will pay $5.50/lb HHW for a Bison Half or Quarter.
WHOLE Bison are discounted 10% off per pound.
 
A prime bull typically hangs about a 660# carcass, heifers will be smaller cuts, and less pounds available.
 
Prices are per pound, and no two animals will weigh exactly the same amount, but generally speaking:
 
Bison quarter (165# HHW): $5.50/lb = $910 + $125 processing = $1035
                                                       (expect about 91# in your freezer at about $11.37/lb)
 
Bison Half (330# HHW): $5.50/lb = $1815 + $250 processing = $2065
                                                      (expect about 182# in your freezer at about $11.35/lb)
 
Whole Bison (660# HHW): $4.95/lb* = $3267 + $500 processing = $3767
                                                      (expect about 363# in your freezer at about $10.38/lb)
 
*10% Discount per pound when you purchase a whole bison (discount does not apply to processing) You save over $350!

Question 2

What if I don't have freezer space? (We can help!)

Accepted Answer

Buying bison meat in bulk can be a substantial savings over buying individual cuts; but where will you put it all? A "deep freeze" is a must for storing your meat. Vacuum sealed packages can easily last more than a year in a deep freeze with no loss of flavor or quality.
 
Don't have a deep freeze? We can help! If you are interested in trying a bulk meat purchase, we can provide a freezer with your meat for a $100 refundable deposit. In addition to the deposit, there is a $50/year charge. A family of 4 can eat a half bison in a year or so.
 
If you decide to make another purchase from us and restock your freezer (1/2 bison minimum), you can apply the $150 you already paid and the freezer is yours to keep! 
 
**we provide the freezer "as is" with no guarantees-you MUST monitor your freezer to ensure your meat stays fresh!

Question 3

Can I harvest my own meat?

Accepted Answer

Many people say that the meat from field harvested animals is superior to any other; as the animal doesn't endure the stress of roundup and hauling that a store bought product would experience.
A meat harvest gives you the opportunity to come out to the ranch and put down the animal you will put in your freezer (animal will be preselected by ranch management). After a "skills verification" you will ride out with us and personally field harvest the animal in the pasture it calls home.

With your package, you will receive the whole bison, including the head and cape (provided green, if desired).
 
Your price includes a one night stay in our guest suite, the cost of your meat (based on HHW), as well as the hunt charge.
*Processing is paid seperately to the locker.
 
We are only able to offer a limited number of field harvests each year. If you would like to participate, we ask that you sign up by June 1st. Availability is first come, first served.

Question 4

How do I sign up for a trophy bull harvest?

Accepted Answer

Trophy bulls are available on a very limited basis as herd management dictates. Trophy bulls available for harvest are older animals, much larger than the "prime" animals typically chosen for meat harvests.
 
Many people say that the meat from field harvested animals is superior to any other; as the animal doesn't endure the stress of roundup and hauling that a store bought product would experience.
 
Older herd bulls are not considered "prime" and trophy bull harvests are as much about the trophy as the meat you purchase. While we have found older bulls to provide very flavorful meat, it is not the same quality you would expect from a younger animal. If you are looking for the best meat we can provide, please consider one of our meat harvests.
A trophy harvest gives you the opportunity to come out to the ranch and put down the animal you will put in your freezer.  After a "skills verification" you will ride out with us and personally field harvest the animal in the pasture it calls home. 
 
With your package, you will receive the whole bison, including the head and cape (provided green).
 
Your price includes a two night stay in our guest suite (as available), a bison dinner with the ranch families, the cost of your meat (based on HHW), as well as the harvest charge.*
 
Trophy harvest animals are priced at $4.95/lb HHW. You can expect a herd bull to weigh at or above 2000#, which will hang at about 1100#. Please make sure you have freezer space available for about 600# of meat. (We do have freezers available.) Processing is paid directly to the locker, typically around $600, depending on cut choice. You can expect a lot of ground!
 
We are only able to offer a very limited number of Trophy Harvests. A dominant bull will often stay with one of our herds for 12-15 years. If you would like the opportunity to harvest one of our trophy bulls, please sign up on our waiting list. It is not first come first served, but a lottery system. If you have room in your freezer (or not...we can help!) throw your name in the hat!

Question 5

Are your bison "grass fed"? Are they organic?"

Accepted Answer

Short answer: No.
 
While we try to raise our animals in as natural a state as possible, we are a working ranch, and some decisions are based on the good of the ranch, in addition to meeting the needs of the animals.
 
All our herds are on pasture their entire lives. They graze through the summer and fall months, often well into winter, as bison have done since prehistoric times. When grass supplies dwindle, or get buried under deep Minnesota snows, we supplement their winter feed with hay that we put up on the ranch or purchase from neighboring farms.
 
During breeding season, our cow herds are offered free choice grain to supplement their diet and help ensure conception. This is done seasonally, and the grain is only available for a matter of weeks each year.
 
All our "finish" animals are offered this free choice grain 365 day a year. Animals intended for slaughter spend their lives on pasture, with a creep feeder always available to them. (Our animals are never confined to a feedlot, not even for finish.) We have found that the meat from these animals is more desireable, and the animals produce a larger carcass. We encourage anyone who likes grass fed meat to cook up a grass fed steak alongside one of ours. We believe you will find the grain finished steak cooks up better, and has a better flavor. 
 
Our animals are NOT considered organic. While our pastures are rarely treated with herbicides and almost never with fertilizer, we do use both, and our hay ground which feeds the animals overwinter is NOT organic. The grain we feed is not organic either.

Question 6

What do bison taste like?

Accepted Answer

When you eat bison, you are eating America's original red meat. While comparing bison meat to the beef in your local grocer's freezer is a crude comparison, is is a good starting point. Compared to beef, bison is leaner, with a bit more flavor. Additionally, bison has significantly less calories, less cholesterol, and higher amounts of protein, iron and vitamin B-12 than beef, pork, chicken and salmon
 
Bison raised here on our ranch are grass raised and grain finished (read more about animals on our ranch here.) We believe that giving the bison access to grain, while still on pasture, gives them the best of both worlds. Our bison have a lean, flavorful meat, with none of the "gamey" flavors some people find in grass fed animals.
 
No steak knives required! Preparing bison meat is a little different than the same cut in beef. Properly cooked, a bison steak will cut with your fork, melt in your mouth, and make you forget any comparisons with beef.  
 
More info on the benefits of bison from the National Bison Associationhere.

Question 7

Why is bison more expensive than beef?

Accepted Answer

No matter where you source it from, bison meat costs more than beef. This is due to a number of factors:
 
First and foremost, a bison is not ready for harvest until it is 2-3 years old. A beef steer is typically ready in about half that time. The ranch that raises a market ready bison cares for it twice as long as a beef steer.
 
Bison is a very desireable meat, and is not available in the same quantity that beef is. The US beef industry will process in a typical morning the same number of head that the US bison industry processes in an entire year! Like all products, bison meat is subject to supply/demand.
 
Bison are not raised in feedlots. Much of the beef in your local grocery store likely spent part or most of its life in a feedlot. Bison do not adapt well to feedlot situations, and the stress of confinement lowers the quality of the meat. A feedlot allows a beef producer to raise a great number of beef on a small acreage. To successfully raise a large number of bison, a producer needs an equally large number of acres!
 
We may be biased, but we also think bison is a superior meat product. Nothing compares to a properly prepared bison tenderloin steak. In terms of flavor and health benefits, bison is the clear choice.

Question 8

Have a different question?

Accepted Answer

Didn't find your answer? 
Please reach out here and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
 
Having trouble with the link? Just copy/paste this address into your email: 
 
breenenterprisesmn@gmail.com

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