Ted Turner on life as a bison

Ted Turner shared the business rationale behind his 20-million-acre bison-ranching operation during his appearance on a panel at the National Restaurant Association show in Chicago.

“We produce more male bisons than we need,” said the founder of CNN and the co-owner of the Ted’s Montana Grill casual-dining chain. “You only need one male for every 10 females to build your herd, so there’s a surplus. So…we eat them.”

“It’s tough being a male bison,” observed moderator Christopher Koetke, a.k.a. dean of the culinary program of Kendall College in Chicago.

“If you’re a surplus male, but not if you're a brood male,” retorted Turner. “They have it made.”