Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-06-01
UNRULY BISON MADE DOCILE.
Raising BuffaIoes on Wisconsin |
Farm-An Experiment.

Raising BufaIOeS on wisconsin
Farm-An Experiment.
1t will be surprise to most people to
know that the lordly buffalo that once
roamed the Western plains in countless
numbers have come down in these days
to the level of ordinary cattle to be bred
on farm. About six years ago | started
a buffalo farm at Cochrane, Wis, and
nave succeeded in making complete
success OF the venture. The stock of the
farm at hrst consisted of three young
bison-a bull and two COWS. This stock
has increased and multiplied until today
| nave herd Of twenty-five full-blOOded
bison and about eighteen bulls and heif
ers, which have been produced by cross
ing the buffalo with domestic animals.
The crossing has been particularly sue
cessful. as the half-bred animals, besides
possessing the size, strength and en-
durance of the buffalo. are as docle as
the ordinary animals of the farm Their
fur is particularly fine, they mature ear
ller than domestic cattle, their flesh is
wholesome and tender, and they can
stand considerably more exposure in the
winter than do the domestic cattle.
My experiments have shown that as q
rule the buffalo COW raises a calf every
other year. the births usually taking
place between the months of February
and July. We allow the calf to run with
l4lt tHtI IOI lHIet VI lOuI ulOulHS
The difficulties of buffalo farming are
not SO great as would be expected by
those who have not experimental. Ac-
cording to the popular idea the buffalo
farmer would have frequent fierce en-
counters with the wild stock that he is
| trying to raise. There is no such trouble.
we turn the herd out to pasture, with
merely barb wire fence to keep them
from straying. We have yet to find that
they make an effort to escape. The only
thing to guard against IN building the
fence is TO make it just high enough to
prevent the animals from jumping over.
This is one of the things that we have to
teach the calves at an early age Taken
in hand young and properly trained they
become as tame as the domestic animal.
Up to the age of two years the calves
are inclined to be frisky, and have to be
taught that any attempt to jump over
or break down fences will meet with
learn that lesson, and once having learned
1t they give us no trouble, provided the
fence is properly constructed.
An interesting addition TO the outfit to
the buffalo farm is the buffalo wagon.
Occasionally there is born on the farm
buffalo that develops into a most unruly
rebel Any attempt to hitch such an ami
nal to a WAGON results in one of two
things either the buffalo runs away with
the wagon and never stops running until
the whole outfit is demolished, and posi-
bly, he himself MANNED or killed, or else
he lets out with his rear hOofs and tries
to kick the wagon to pieces. In either
event the valuable stock of the farm is
sure to suffer
The buffalo wagon is the remedy fol
this, and it never fails to work like
charm when the unruly animal is taken
in hand early enough in his turbulent
| career. 1t is made with Il hollow central
section large enough for the buffalo to
stand up in and move with ease. In front
| of him, where his horns will strike if he
attempts any butting tricks, is a heavily
| braced wooden partition, while behind
| him, where his heels would strike, in
case he attempted to get square with
| supposed enemy in his rear, there is
similarly fortified section Of woodwork.
He is securely hitched to this appliance.
which is made to move Oh wheels. and it
is then driven around the farm. The first
impulse Of the buffalo, as he feels him
self dragged along against his will by a
| force that be cannot resist, is TO lower
| his horns and let drive with blind rage at
| the woodwork in front of him.
After he has tried this experiment for
! half an hour or so he finds that he has
made no impression OH the enemy, while
his own horns have been pretty nearly
| demolished in the attack, he reasons with
| himself, after the buffalo manner, that
at last he has met more than his match.
and decides to adopt different methods of
| attack
Then the hoofs come into action. 1t is
not Il very easy thing for him to use
| these latter means of offense, as the
merciless wagon is driven round and
| round the farm. and he has little chance
of using his hoofs except for the natural
| process of trotting. When he does get
| chance he lets them fly at the fortified
woodwork behind him, and hurts himself
50 badly that he doesn't try it again until
| the pain has worn away.
If he has still some fight left in him By
that time he returns 70 the attack and
keeps it up until worn out.
| 1t is seldom that we find it necessary
to put an unruly buffalo through more
| than a week of this kind of training
| Their memory is short and they have to
| be thoroughly disciplined at the start, but
once they have thoroughly acquired the
| knowledge that unruliness meets with
| its own punishment, they become docile
and we never afterWard have trouble
| with them.
At the present rate Of increase we be-
| lieve that our buffalo farm will yield a
| fortune in very few years time-Al-
bert Huber in Pittsburg Dispatch.