There’s a new addition to the American bison herd at Fermilab.
The first baby bison of the year was born on Monday, the earliest of an expected 20 calves over the coming weeks.
First calf of the season arrived Monday morning
“We discovered that sometime in the morning or early evening that the cow had delivered a calf, and both the cow and the calf are doing extremely well,” said Paul Ahckelberg, assistant to the herdsman.
Baby bison are typically born in April and May, with some latecomers sometimes born in June and July. Last year, 20 calves were born, with four arriving in late summer.
“Usually, around the start of April is typically the start of calving season for these animals, and we typically start monitoring with daily, sometimes twice daily, checks depending on if there is a cow that appears to show signs of being in delivery. Yesterday morning, when we came out to check, we found a calf,” Ahckelberg said.
Fermilab takes hands-off approach
Fermilab allows the bison to breed on their own, so staff won’t always know when to expect a baby bison.
“We are a hands-off, for the most part, environment for the animals. We provide them supplemental food and water as needed, especially in the winter when fresh grass isn’t as available for them,” Ahckelberg said.
While the newest bison addition adjusts to its home in the Fermilab grasslands, it stays close to its mother.
“The first week or so, we can’t get very close to the calf. But in October, we will determine conclusively with inoculations that we provide for the animals, we will determine whether a boy or a girl. Right now, mom’s a little bit too ‘stay away from the baby,” Ahckelberg said.
Honoring prairie history for 57 years
Fermilab has had bison since 1969, when director Robert Wilson wanted to reconnect the laboratory with the prairie land it occupies.
“Our founding director, Wilson, he said that he wanted to bring the frontier of science back to the frontier of the prairie. So we established a bison herd, and we’ve made sure it is a pure American bison herd since then. We have 23 cows, two bulls, we have four yearlings from last year, and now a calf,” Ackelberg said.
Visit the baby bison
Guests can visit the bison in person or watch the herd online with Fermilab’s bison camera.
“It’s a great thing, especially for the community. I think they’re beautiful animals, and I think that they should be witnessed more,” Ahckelberg said.
Stay in the know — sign up for our daily newsletter!
Photo courtesy: Fermilab
