Visitors of the Soapstone Prairie Natural Area can expect a view that mirrors historic Colorado: bison running wild. The bison are part of the Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd. As of Nov. 1, the disease-free herd will have been released in the Soapstone area for 10 years — in part thanks to Colorado State University researchers who have worked to prevent brucellosis, a reproductive disease that causes miscarriages and pre-mature births in species such as elk, cattle and bison.
In collaboration with various groups in and outside of CSU, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Professor Jennifer Barfield leads collaborators in preventing brucellosis in bison.
“Every year … we are able to re-home bison to tribes or other places,” Barfield said. “We see how meaningful that is to people who are receiving those bison.”…