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Little Known Fun Facts About Beefalo, Cattalo, and Bison Hybrids
Most Beefalo Breeders point to Montana’s Jim Burnett as having the first documented fertile ¾ bison bull. We thought so too, until we read “Cyclopedia of American Agriculture” by Liberty Hyde Bailey (c.1910)
The book cites James Phillip of South Dakota (Scotty Phillip) saying that he had ¾ bison bulls running with his herd that were fertile.
NE McKissick of the Union Stockyards, South St. Paul, Minnesota was the manager of Railroad Magnate James J. Hill’s Cattalo herd. McKissick said he too, ran a ¾ bison bull with the Hill stock, noting: “I got just as good results as I did with a full blood bull.”
There was a good reason why Charles Jesse “Buffalo” Jones had disappointed investors in his Grand Canyon Cattalo Ranch. William T. Hornaday in “Our Vanishing Wild Life” reported that: “I regret to say that “Buffalo” Jones Catalo experiment on the Kaibab Plateau seems to have met an untimely and disappointing fate. For three years the bison and domestic cattle crossed, and produced a number of Cataloes; but in 1911, practically the whole lot was wiped off the earth by cattle rustlers! Mr. Jones thinks that it was guerrillas from southern Utah who murdered his enterprise, partly for the reason that no other persons were within striking distance of the herd.”
Developing Cattalos didn’t only occur in North America. Leopold Walicki of Poland is credited with developing a Bison hybrid, using Wisent (European Bison) on domestic cattle in 1847. State sponsored breeding programs were quite extensive after WWI. It wasn’t until 1969 though, that the breed was officially named. A weekly Polish magazine held a contest and the winning entry was “Zubron”.
DC “Bud” Basolo is credited with setting the percentage of bison blood in Beefalo at 3/8th’s. However, Colorado Rancher Allyn Cole might have been the first to develop a 3/8th blend.
Cole’s work was documented in the old stockman’s magazine “The Cattleman”. Cole was active crossing bison and cattle during the 1930’s. In his article he stated: “I now have a heifer carrying but three-eights buffalo, which has almost the complete buffalo form, and though it has but one quarter Hereford blood (the balance being Angus) it is red with a clear white face. In disposition she seems to partake considerably of domestic blood.”
Cole shared the same vision as most hybridizers: “It is evident that a new and wonderful breed can be created purely American in origin, continuing the wonderful work of Nature’s creation of the plains with man’s domestic masterpiece in beef.”
Fast forward to the early 1980’s, Art Jones; (no relation to Buffalo Jones) was often chided by Beefalo Breeders for only using 1/8th Bison for the basis for his American Breed Cattle. Beefalo men thought their cattle were better because they had more bison blood.
As the story is told, Jones was sitting at a hotel bar during a cattle convention when this latest lot of Beefalo breeders started in on him. Jones let them go on for a bit, and then said: “Here, let me give you an example of what only one eighth will do.”
Jones looked over to the bartender and said: “Can you get me a bottle of Coca Cola?” The bartender opened a bottle of Coke for Jones, and also handed him a tall empty glass.
“Now boys”, Jones said, holding up the bottle of Coke. “Everybody can agree that Coca Cola tastes pretty good, right?” And of course, all the Beefalo men nodded their heads.
“So let’s take this Coca Cola……” (Jones started pouring it into the tall glass) and we’ll add just a one-eighth measure of whiskey.” Jones then nodded at the bartender who produced a bottle of Canadian Club and topped off the glass.
Jones then took a swizzle stick, mixed the CC and Coke, and took a nice long drink. Upon finishing, Jones smacked his lips for dramatic effect and smiled saying: “That one-eight sure makes a big difference, doesn’t it?”
Well now. Nobody could argue the logic of that!