By Scout Nelson
South Dakota State University highlights its growing leadership in bison research and education through the Center of Excellence for Bison Studies, a program designed to strengthen understanding, management, and long-term success of bison across North America.
Launched in 2020, the SDSU Center of Excellence for Bison Studies served as a National Hub for Bison Research, outreach, and education. The center focused on improving bison health, producer decision making, and the economic strength of the industry. It also recently became the first program in the nation to offer a minor and certificate in bison studies, creating new pathways for future researchers and professionals.
“The SDSU Center of Excellence for Bison Studies fills an important gap of bison management research and outreach that just didn’t exist before,” Kristi Cammack, director of the center and assistant dean for the SDSU College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, said. “The center works with bison producers across the country to carry out research projects, which is a unique feature that shows how aligned the center is with producers because the work is done jointly together.”
Located in Rapid City at the SDSU West River Research and Extension Center, the program began in collaboration with the National Bison Association and the National Buffalo Foundation. That partnership continued to grow, with the National Bison Association relocating its headquarters to Rapid City to work closely with the center.
“Officing together raises up the whole state of South Dakota for being known for bison production. It’s essentially one-stop shopping for bison expertise,” Cammack said. “The National Bison Association and the Center of Excellence for Bison Studies continue to grow together, to keep bison in the spotlight and work with bison producers.”
The center supports a wide range of bison managers, including livestock producers, tribes, public land managers, and conservation groups. Research focuses on areas such as nutrition, herd movement, mineral needs, and health monitoring.
“With years of experience and research with bison, we better understand that these two species are not analogous, and bison needs are in fact different,” said Phil Urso, assistant professor in bison studies. “There are nuances to bison nutrition and management that can’t be lumped in with beef cattle. Bison are still wild animals that can be completely self-sufficient, whereas beef cattle have been carefully selected for a millennia for specific traits. This fact alone can have major implications for how we feed and care for bison.”
Faculty and students also collected data during events like the Custer State Park Bison Roundup and gained hands-on experience while advancing science.
“Our team has GPS collars deployed on three different bison herds over the last four years to better understand commonalities and differences between bison herd movement dynamics,” said Jeff Martin, SDSU Extension bison specialist. “As we advance our knowledge about bison-specific biology and ecology, we will be able to translate our research into extension outputs for all bison managers. The ultimate goal for projects with the Center of Excellence for Bison Studies and SDSU Extension is to help bison managers have healthier, happier bison through evidence-based research.”
As interest in bison continues to grow, SDSU’s work plays a key role in supporting education, research, and the future of the species.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mysticenergy
Categories: South Dakota, Livestock