816-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 15, 1995
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Farming Staff
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Give Sonny Hitz a home where the
buffalo roam and he’s a happy guy.
Sonny grew up on a dairy farm
in Lebanon. “I hated milking cows
but I loved farming,” he said.
For years he was fascinated by
the big, shaggy Bisons commonly
referred to as buffalo. But it wasn’t
until he was off the farm for 10
years that Hitz took the plunge and
purchased some Bison to graze on
his parents’ farm.
Four years ago, he purchased
four head of breeding stock and
chose the name. Majestic Bison
Farm.
“I wanted to raise bison for meat
to sell directly to customers and to
restaurants,” Sonny said.
Ironically, Sonny had never
tasted bison before he took the
plunge. When he did sample it, he
wasn’t disappointed. He said, “It’s
great meal. I prefer it over beef for
taste and texture.”
According to research, bison is
considered an excellent red meat
source that is low in fat, high in
protein, and rich in flavor. It has
less calories, fat, and cholesterol
per serving than turkey, beef or
chicken.
“I believe a health- and
environment-conscious society
will make bison’s popularity
grow,” Hitz said.
Current research shows that a
3-ounce serving of bison has 93
calories, 1.8 grams of fat, and 43
mg of cholesterol. That’s consider
ably less compared with the same
amount of turkey that has 125 calo
ries with 3 grams of fat, and 59 mg
cholesterol. Or, beef with 183 calo
ries, 8.7 grams of fat and 55 mg of
cholesterol.
“Bison is more tender than beef
unless overcooked,” Hitz said. “If
it is overcooked, it is too tough to
eat.”
He suggests that cooking temp
eratures and time be kept 50 per
cent lower than comparable beef
cuts. He roasts a IV* pound bone
less roast at 170 degrees for 15
minutes and then serves it.
About one year ago, Hitz pur
chased a bull that he allows to run
with the cattle. He’s expecting two
offspring in August Bisons have a
nine-month gestation period.
“I’ll need to take the bull out
before the calves are bom because
the bull can’t tell the difference
between a cow that is calving or
one that is in heat,” he said.
Although bison are considered
wild, one of the cows will allow
Hitz to touch it. In fact, when Hitz
holds an apple in his mouth, the
This sign greets *
Known as buffalo, roam.
Home Where The Buffalo Roam
Although bison are considered wild, this one takes an
apple straight from her master’s mouth. Sonny Hitz said, “I
bison will come up to the fence and
take it from his mouth.
“But 1 can touch her only once. It
I try to touch her the second time,
she’ll charge,” Hitz said.
He is anticipating taming the
offspring. He plans to remove it
from the cow as soon as its bom.
Hitz said thathe knows a guy out
West who tamed a bull buffalo to.
do stunts and race race horses.
‘The bull never loses,” said Hitz
of the buffalo’s established reputa
tion for speed.
Buffalo easily break through
fences if they start running and hit
the fence on a dead run.
Hitz, himself, made sure he
installed a sturdy seven-strand
high tensile fence.
His herd has never escaped, but
Hitz was concerned last year when
a neighboring farmhouse burned to
the ground.
Three fire companies responded
and needed to drive and park next
to the fence that borders the buffa
lo’s pasture. The noise, people,
smoke, and commotion terrified
the bison.
“They ran around the perimeter
of the fence for three days, but they
didn’t break through. I feel really
confident of the fence, but they
could possibly jump it Bison are
;lc Bison Farm, whore
ft to
known to jump six-feet high,” Hitz
said.
Although the fence was previ
ously electrified, it no longer is
necessary because if fed and con
tented, bison normally stay within
the boundaries.
Hitz’s dream is to have a white
buffalo. He said, “Any one who
raises bison hopes to get a white
one.
The albino bison is extremely
rare. Hitz said that it is rumored
that Hank Williams Jr. paid
$lOO,OOO for one, but that price
isn’t confirmed..
Care for bison is quite easy
according to Hitz. They graze year
around with some com silage and
hay added in the winter. Breeders
should allow one acre per head for
roaming and supplement it with
hay.
“Bison are resilant and resistant
to diseases that beef contract,” Hitz
said.
He doesn’t medicate at all other
than deworming twice a year.
“If the cattle were allowed to
free-room, deworming would not
be necessary,” Hitz said.
At one time, bison roamed the
plains in numbers so great that ear
ly explorers described it as “the
plains were black and appeared as
m, morn
can pet. .rone time whenever she comes to the fence, but If
I try to do it the second time, she’ll try to charge.”
if in motion.”
American Indians used bison for
food, clothing, shelter, and many
culture activities. By the late
1800 s, bison were close to extinc
tion because of white men’s indis
criminated hunting practices.
Through efforts of conservation
ists and ranchers who knew the val
ue of bison, they are no longer an
endangered species. They are
known to have increased to more
than 80,000 in public and private
herds.
When purchasing breeding
stock, Hitz said it is important to
avoid close bloodlines. That is a
potential problem because there
are relatively few buffalo com
pared to beef.
The butchering weight is 1,200
to 1,500 pounds for a two- to three
year-old.
Bison have a 30-year lifespan
and healthy cows are known to pro
duce calves that long.
Drawbacks about raising bison
are that they can’t be herded, they
won’t tolerate confinement of any
4-H Camp Shehaqua
Accredited For 1995
LEESPORT (Berks Co.)—The
Eastern Pennsylvania 4-H Camp
ing Group has announced that their
resident 4-H Camp Shehaqua has
received accreditation by the
American Camping Association
(ACA).
“The Eastern PA 4-H Camping
Group has always been committed
to providing our 4-H members
with the best camping experiences
as possible” said Richard S.
Kauffman, 4-H Coordinator for
the Berks extension office and
chairman of the Eastern Pennsyl
vania 4-H Camp Group. “By
being ACA accredited. Camp She
haqua exemplifies that commit
ment The standards set by the
A.C.A. are a large task and an
important message to patents that
tells them we care about our prog-
kind, and they can’t be coaxed to
load.
One time, Hitz patiently stood
by for three hours waiting for a
bison to finally walk up the ramp to
the truck. -" -
But he’s not complaining.
“I love them. They’re much bet
ter than beef for raising.”
Hitz sells bison meat to indivi
duals and to several restaurants.
“Some people are hesitate to try
the meat because they think it will
taste gamey,” Hitz said. “But it
isn’t at all gamey tasting. It’s swee
ter tasting than beef. I always say,
‘Bison tastes like beef wishes it
did,” Hitz said.
Hitz said that bison meat appeals
to people of all ages.
‘The demand for it is pheno
menal. The baby boomers like it
because they are health conscious.
People my parents’ ages and older
like it because they need to cut
down on their cholesterol.”
Hitz may be contacted at Majes
tic Bison Farms, 2105 S. sth Ave.,
Lebanon. Or call (717) 270-9107.
ram, and most importantly our
campers,” said Kauffman.
This is the first 4-H camping
program in Pennsylvania to
receive ACA accreditation. The
Eastern Pennsylvania 4-H Camp
ing Group, which organizes and
runs 4-H Camp Shehaqua located
in Hickory Run State Park near
• White Haven, consists of 20 coun
ties. The camp operates from June
through August and sessions last
five days. The program offers a
wide variety of activities, such as
shooting sports, nature, crafts,
recreation and a specially designed
ropes challenge course. The prog
ram provides opportunities for the
entire age range (8-18) of 4-H
membership as the junior members
(8-13) attend as campers, and the
senior members are trained as
counselors.