Please provide t1he number, age, and class of animals to be sold at auction:
2 – yearling bulls
3 – bull calves
5 – heifer calves
Please provide the Birthplace and approximate birth date of animals to be listed:
The Monkey Ranch, Kimball Nebraska, USA
H47 (4/17/2020)
H33 (4/23/2020)
I15 (5/1/2021)
I2 (5/1/2021)
I25 (5/1/2021)
I29 (4/23/2021)
I32 (4/20/2021)
I38 (4/25/2021)
I72 (4/19/2021)
Please provide the complete feed/nutritional regimen:
100% grass fed. Free choice minerals and salt. Any hay that is fed is prairie grass. Herd also receives a ratio of protein blocks
What is the vaccination history?
All vaccinations below were performed on 10/30/2021
ViraShield 6V5 HB
Pyramid 5+ Presponse
Mycoplasma Vaccine
Vision 7 Somnus
Brucellosis Vaccine
Multimin Injectable
What is the deworming history?
Dectomax given 10/30/2021
What is the culling and retention protocol for the breeding herd that the animals came from?
We operate a mainly closed herd., and only acquire breeding bulls (from various herds). We cull for age and lack of calving. If a cow has not produced a calf for two straight years they are culled. Animals are also culled for health issues when they arrive.
What is the size of your breeding herd?
99 breeding cows, 6 breeding bulls
What is the size of your land base?
Approximately 3,000 acres
How long have you been raising bison? How long at this location?
The family has been raising bison for 30 years. Rocky Hollow Buffalo Company’s owners have been in the bison business for 7 years.
What is the average cow weight?
The average cow wieght in our herd is 1,248 lbs.
What is the average (or usual range) of pregnancy (and/or weaning rate)?
95%
What type of pasture fences are the animals trained to?
6 foot electric perimeter fencing
4-5 foot, standard cross fencing, also electrified
What land management style is followed? (Rotational grazing, season long-grazing, etc.)
We operate a holistic operation and practice rotational grazing. During winter months we supplement the native grass with prairie hay.
What method are the animals moved? (call, drive, both, horseback, pickups, 4-wheelers, etc.)
Loss stress movements are used to move the animals; traditionally by calling or gentle pressure with a UTV. The herd is bucket trained and are rarely driven hard.
Do you have any information about the genetic lineage of your herd to share?
Our herd began with animals from Colorado Bison Co (Maas), Trails End (Byrd), Buffalo Dance (Casey Byrd), River Bend (Lyman), Evergreen (Lewis), Blue Mountain (Jonjak), and Rawhide Power Plant. Over the years we crossed these cows and their heifer offspring with numerous bulls and pedigrees from Ten Bears, Sioux Eagle, Sasquatch, Corn Husker, Blackjack, Mr, Ed, and others. The herd has broad genetic diversity confirmed by DNA testing including genetic contributions from Wind Cave National Park, and Badlands National Park herds.
Is your breeding herd composed of plains, woods, or a mix of both?
Breeding bulls consist of 6 animals: 5 are plains bison and 1 is plains/woods mix.
Do you have any DNA test results to share?
At this time, DNA tests are not available on the animals being placed in the auction. We are working on obtaining the DNA results for all animals to be sold.
Please provide weight data that shows how the animals offered for sale compared to their age/sex classmates:
Average weight of yearling bulls is 934 pounds: H33 weighed in at 1,020 lbs, and H47 weighed in at 1,000 lbs. Average weight of bull calves is 504 lbs, I15, I25, I29 weighed in at 595, 570, and 570 respectively. Average weight of heifer calves is 487lbs: I32 (560lbs), I72 (535lbs) I38 (535lbs). I2 (560lbs), and I4 (545lbs)
Please provide any additional information that you feel would be helpful:
The Rocky Hollow Buffalo Company herd was the original Medicine Wheel Ranch herd that was owned by Vance Forepaugh and Jill Crotty. We (owners of Rocky Hollow Buffalo Company) purchased the herd and ranch in 2014.