Bob Dineen owner of Brush Meat Company
KSIR Farm Director, Lorrie Boyer recently had the opportunity to tour Brush Meat Processing, the largest bison processing plant in the United States, processes over 200 buffalo per day. The one-year-old operation employs 50 people and is located just outside Brush, CO. Most of the animals arrive from the Dakota’s, with some coming from Colorado and other states. The facility runs five days per week, for eight-hour shifts. Brush Meat Processing owner Bob Dineen, owns two buffalo processing facilities in Colorado. Dineen has spent most of his adult life managing buffalo operations in Colorado, including his own.
A meat quality assurance team tests the meat at several points in the processing process. Once meat is packaged, technology is used to limit the times the carcass is touched by human hands to minimize the risk of bacterial contamination. Automatically transported throughout the facility on hooks, the carcasses are cleaned by water power washers, much like a car wash, that shoot out water from the sides so that no human action is needed. Animal welfare strategies are integrated into the processing plant, such as having mists in the holding barns to keep the bison cool and comfortable. They stand on manure-free flooring, and the line design, created with input from nationally known expert Dr. Temple Grandin, accommodates the large size of the buffalo (average bull weighs 2,000 pounds and average cow weighs 1,100 pounds). The design moves them along in a way that is less scary and more natural. This results in less stress on the bison and the carcass itself.
Lorrie said, “Today, we find bison in most restaurants, grocery stores and farmers markets.” A special promotional program was created to encourage livestock producers and beginning farmers to raise them. The program, called the “Bison Advantage,” advocates that bison don’t need artificial shelters. They like to be outside year round and are efficient feed utilizers. Bison have long productive lives, they calve easily, are hardy animals, and they thrive in most North American landscapes. Lorrie reports there is consistent demand for bison meat and products.
