The Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd is celebrating its 10th anniversary and the public is invited to enjoy activities celebrating the special animals.
CSU, the city of Fort Collins and Larimer County will host the milestone celebration with several free activities from November 1 to 2.
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November 1: 9 a.m. to noon, Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, north of Fort Collins. Bring your binoculars and join project partners as they share information about the herd. Dogs are not allowed. 1 p.m., Grand Ballroom of Lory Student Center, CSU Campus, 41st Annual CSU AISES Powwow.
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November 2: 12:00 to 14:00, stage on Old Town Square. A short program and drumming and dancing by the Iron family.
History of the Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd
On November 1, 2015, 10 bison were released into the city of Fort Collins-managed vast Soapsteen Natural Area, 25 miles north of Fort Collins.
But these weren't just any bison.
Jennifer Barfield, associate professor at Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and other CSU staff discovered through reproductive technology how bison can be produced using Yellowstone genetics but without the threat of brucellosis, a bacterial disease that can be transmitted to other bison, cattle and elk and can result in miscarriages and premature birth.
The disease previously severely limited the movement of bison with Yellowstone genes.
Since the discovery, Barfield and his crew have produced enough of the special bison to give away 25 to 30 yearlings in recent years to Native American tribes and other organizations looking to start a bison herd.
Barfield previously told the Coloradoan that at least 25 calves were born this spring to supplement the 31 adult cows (females) roaming three pastures totaling 2,700 acres, primarily in the Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, and to a lesser extent the Larimer County-managed adjacent Red Mountain Open Space.
She said eight of the 10 adult females from the original herd from 10 years ago still live on the property.
Bison bulls (males) usually join the herd, but were kept in pens on the CSU campus this breeding season to slow calf production, but they expect calf production to resume next breeding season, Barfield said.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Here's how to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Colorado bison herd
