WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ROAM FREE?
In the most basic sense, roaming means to walk, travel, or wander without restriction. To American’s in particular , the word roam carries added significance. Our national animal, the bison, and it's roaming ways are deeply embedded in our country’s history and the element of wanderlust has long been an essential part of the American spirit.
At Roam Free we believe in consumer transparency. When we say our bison roam free, it means exactly what you think it does. Our bison are born and raised on native prairie with thousands of acres to wander. They socialize and behave as wild bison would. They will never know a feedlot. They will know sun, grass, and spring water.
Intact Herd Structure
We prioritize maintaining natural herd structure, raising our bison as close to wild as possible. Instead of separating animals by production stage, our herds stay intact — just as they would on the open prairie. Calves remain with their mothers, bulls and cows interact naturally, and the herd moves together as a cohesive unit.
This allows bison to express their instinctive behaviors — grazing, roaming, social bonding, and seasonal movement — reducing stress and supporting overall animal well-being. By honoring how bison evolved to live, we create a healthier, more resilient herd and a ranching system rooted in respect for the animal.
LOW-STRESS HANDLING
At Roam Free, principles of low-stress handling guide every interaction between the animals and our team. We start by raising our bison as close to wild as possible, interfering very little with their natural lives. The herd structure is kept intact, calves aren’t artificially weaned from cows, and our bulls remain with our cows.
When we do handle our bison we utilize techniques that keep our animals calm, content, and unafraid. The basics of this type of handling involves the handler applying pressure, the animal moving away from pressure, and the handler then releasing the pressure.
As a result, the animals very quickly learn the responses that give them release from pressure. Using these techniques, we build a relationship and level of trust between animal and
handler.
Ultimately we seek to replace force with consistent sound handling practices that allow bison to learn what we want and then provide them with opportunity to do it willingly. From pasture management to working bison in a corral, we do our best to place ourselves on the other side of the horns and make decisions based on what’s best for our animals. The result is less stress. And less stress means happier bison.
