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Roast bison may one day replace roast beef as the traditional Sunday
lunch if public demand for lean, low-cholesterol meat continues to grow,
according to the newly-formed British Bison Association. The association,
to which 10 British farmers and a veterinary surgeon so far belong, has
produced a manual for would-be bison farmers, giving advice on breeding
and husbandry methods suitable for Britain.

This indicates that bison meat contains about 4 per cent more protein
than domestic beef, but half the calories, 45 per cent less cholesterol
and only 25 milligrams of fat per 100 gram – less fat than cod.

‘The bison is the ideal meat animal for the health-conscious and conservation-minded
carnivorous consumer, asserts Colin Ellis, the association’s founder. Ellis
has built up a herd of 25 bison over six years on his farm in Dorset. ‘In
the US,’ went on Ellis, ‘bison meat is being prescribed for patients with
food allergies or heart conditions. It is delicious – it tastes like sweet
beef – and can be served as steaks, stews, sausages or hamburgers.’

Ellis summed up the attractions of bison farming like this: ‘Bison are
intelligent, curious, dignified and playful animals and they thrive in virtually
any environment. Ten cows and one bull in a 4-hectare field and bingo –
you are a bison farmer.