Total Number Answering Survey: 107
Respondant's primarily business is:
Are you familiar and aware of the existence of modern-day cattle genes in bison and the bison-cattle introgressions that occurred in the late 1800's-early 1900's?
Have you heard that these cattle genes are normal ancient and/or historic genes?
Do you believe these modern-day cattle genes in bison represent ancient DNA or otherwise normal in bison?
If Yes, other than what you were told, what scientific evidence have you read or seen to support this view? Please be specific.
Only found in the mitochondrial DNA
None
I have seen articles stating some cattle genes in bison is normal, but it should be a very low %
Nothing to support otherwise
The infertility of cross breeding different species.
No evidence, I simply do not care if there was a cow 50 generations back in my herd anymore than I am worried that there might be a, heaven forbid!, minority 50 generations back in my genetic line, (there is).
Do you think the NBA should engage the services of a panel of disinterested geneticists to evaluate the cattle introgression issue and formulate a binding opinion on the legitimacy of the modern-day cattle gene/alleles in bison?
Do you think the presence of cattle genes in bison is an important issue?
Do you support efforts to limit the dissemination of these cattle genes within the bison population?
Do you support efforts to eliminate these cattle genes from the bison population?
Have you had your herds DNA tested for the presence of cattle genes?
Why did you have your bison tested? For what purpose?
Tribal herds, keeping up with the market and trends, and to gauge genetic herd health
inform management decisions
To eliminate cattle introgression and increase genetic diversity within our herd.
Company protocol to look for presence of cattle mitochondrial DNA, but also to determine the overall prevalence within the herd out of curiosity
Parentage and curiosity.
conservation of the species
Park of my herd are "on loan" cows from the Caprock Canyon Texas State Herd .. and are here because some years ago they tested "positive" for cattle genes. They are available for, and will be retested, within the next 5 years as available research continues to evolve.
Just curious
I wanted to see which bison had cattle introgression. I feel that if you have cattle introgression in your bison if you keep breeding them and their offspring back to bison over generations you will have offspring that be basically bison
To help us make better management decisions.
To determine if we had cattle introgression and then evaluate the offspring of any cow showing Introgression.
breeding puroses
Our bison are for re-introduction purposes.
If there are cattle genes present, those animals are sold or culled.
Tested for a baseline inventory, however the current market doesn’t reward ‘pure’ animals.
Started with 12 bison calfs in 2001 and had them NABR certified at that time. Goal / reason was to set up an operation made up of animals with "potential of" NABR registered offspring, thus positioning my operation with more desirable offspring and ability to command higher prices.
We had ours tested because we were shipping them off of Catalina Island to the mainland. Back in 2003 we thought that they could possibly be pure due to isolation and small founder size. Turns out, 46% of our herd had some level of introgression. This helped guide us in where we could ship them in the future as to not dilute mainland herds with much lower levels of introgression. We no longer ship off island.
The cows that I purchased were blood tested and certified when I bought them. I wanted bison not cattle.
Ranch goal to be cattle free but do not kill on test
Have you considered and/or plan to have your herd DNA tested for cattle genes?
Why are you having your bison tested? For what purpose?
inform management decisions
We plan to use a newly developed SNP based parentage test that includes tests for introgression of cattle mitochondrial DNA as well as a course test of nuclear DNA (geeneseek product), to determine parentage. The other information will come along with it and could be interesting.
Curiosity
To promote pure bison, not hybrids.
conservation of the species
see above
Considered, but not done. Unaware of an advantage if I do so.
I would like to raise pure bison if possible
no
I have no idea if the animals I have (90 cows) are pure or the degree of contamination. Also animals that I bring in are pure.
Same as above.
Will test more animals in the future
Already do and will continue
to promote breeding stock vs meat animals
I would just like to know how pure my herd is.
To make sure i have quality BISON. My operation is more of a breeding stock operation.
sames as above
I strive for purity in my herd
So I know
I want to see if my herd has cattle genes and if so eliminate cattle traces in my herd and eventually establish a purebred herd. I also am very interested the preservation of the ancient bison.
Per above - my animals were DNA tested / certified in 2001.
We would continue to have them tested if shipping off island to locations where they will be allowed to breed is considered again.
We plan on having our bison tested so that we know for certain that our bison our pure bison.
Would like to eventually develop a "pure" herd.
Knowledge.
We do not have bison yet but will likely consider this when we do purchase our foundation stock
Do you believe that the genetic integrity (purity) of the North American bison can be preserved while allowing these cattle genes to propagate and spread?
When purchasing a Registered animal (dog, cattle, bison) do you expect that animal to be purebred?
Are you aware that the National Bison Association (NBA) has a registry for bison called the North American Bison Registry (NABR)?
Are you aware that the NABR offers registration as well as DNA certification for bison?
Would you be willing to pay a premium for NABR registered DNA certified bison?
What does a NABR Registered and DNA certified bison mean to you:
Should someone be able to register bison with cattle genes/markers and say they have NABR Registered bison?
Should a bison that has couple of cattle gene markers be eligible be NABR registered and DNA certified?
Should a bison that has an unidentified gene marker not previously seen in any other bison be eligible to be NABR registered and DNA certified?
Are you aware that the NBA-NABR allows bison to be registered if they have only a "few" cattle genes?
Are you aware that both NABR Registered and DNA certified bison may contain cattle genes?
Are you aware that the presence of cattle genes in NABR Registered and/or DNA Certified bison is being kept confidential and considered proprietary information, leaving it up to the integrity of the seller to disclose this information?
With is information, would you pay a premium for a NABR Registered and DNA Certified bison?
Do you support such a bison registry that allows cattle genes and alleles in Registered and DNA Certified bison?
Do you support a bison registry that keeps cattle genes and alleles in bison as confidential information?
Would you support a bison Registry that contains only "pure" bison absent cattle alleles?
Are you aware that the NBA now has Conservation Herd status whose purpose is to "conserve the genetic integrity" of bison?
Are you aware that you can register your herd as a NBA Conservation Herd simply by paying a fee and providing some information, without any DNA testing?
Are you aware that to become a NBA Certified Conservation Herd that DNA testing for cattle genes must be performed?
Are you aware that a NBA Certified Conservation Herd may contain cattle genes and alleles?
Are you aware that a NBA Certified Conservation Herd is under no obligation to eliminate cattle genes and alleles from the herd?
Do you consider a Certified Conservation herd that contains cattle genes to be conserving the "genetic integrity of the species"?
END OF SURVEY