Leap Into Bison Business 

When Boyd Meyer, a rancher who has been in the cattle business for 30 years, walked into Denver’s Western Stock Show in 2022, he had no intention of becoming a bison rancher. He dabbled in the bison market back in the 1990s and quit when bison prices skyrocketed. But years later at the stock show, Boyd saw the majesty of the animal – and opportunity.  

Boyd walked away from the auction with 180 head of bison instead of cattle, and the rest is history. 

Worthwhile Learning Curve 

Today, Boyd runs Cold Creek Buffalo Company, an operation with over 27,000 acres, 750 bison and a feed yard. 

“To transition to bison, we tweaked our approach a little. We get as good a performance out of the bison of anybody in the country,” he said. 

Boyd explained that cattle are much more self-sufficient than cattle, shaped by the rugged rangeland the bison, and Boyd, call home.  

“It’s pretty extreme out here,” Boyd said. “We have to really love this.” 

Hundreds of years ago, wild bison populated the region, thriving in the cold, dry air adept at weathering the wind, and accustomed to scavenging for food in the winter. Today, that resilience allows for lower feed costs and higher margin. 

Cold Creek Buffalo Company DNA tests their bison to breed for maximum performance. The goal isn’t to turn them into cattle. Instead, they’re creating an animal that functions well on the range and continues to take care of itself while growing, increasing in size and driving profits. 

A Family Legacy 

Boyd’s four sons are involved in the operation, helping ensure the future success of the business. Together, they plan to continue caring for their bison and growing their future. 

“You know, we’ve been on this ranch for about 18 years and hopefully we’re here for another 18,” Boyd said.  

This article was originally published by American AgCredit.