How should DNA purity issues affect public herd policy?
Based on the information outlined in the previous section regarding the genetic evidence for hybridization between domestic cattle and bison and due to the fact that some bison herds appear to have no influence from cattle, the following strategy seems prudent. Public bison herds with a history that includes domestic cattle should be managed in reproductive isolation from herds with no historical or genetic evidence of hybridization. Economical, reliable and non-invasive (hair follicle) DNA tests are now available to determine the presence of cattle genes in bison (Ward et al. 1999; Ward 2000) and this information should be considered in the overall management profiles of public bison herds. What should the role of public herds be regarding conservation genetics? Because the public bison herds represent the genetic foundation of virtually all private herds, the management of these historically important herds is crucial for the preservation of bison genetic diversity. Modern genetic bi
