Aaron Tolliver

Farm Design Final PaperThis farm design plan focuses on the production of chevron and specialty pork products in the southern half of New Jersey. Using highly managed grazing systems and woodlot integration we gain an added bonus of lowered feeding expenses and high environmental sustainability. In addition, highly specialized marketing will allow the producer to gain a premium for their rare meats production. Additional income can be made from miscellaneous sales and agro-tourism.

Breed selection and Reproductive programsChevron

1. Spanish

The Spanish goat has been selected for several reasons. One of the primary reasons are their relatively high resistance to parasites. A high level of return on low input diets and docile nature also allow this breed to excel in our management system. This breed is dual purpose making it a suitable option for our reproductive F1 generations as well as terminal out cross.

2. Boer

The Boer is a South African import developed by the Dutch. It is known as the gold standard of meat production. With it's extensive muscling and high hanging weight it serves as the primary out cross of the breeding system.

3. Nubian

The nubian is the only milk breed in the system and is the foundation for the cross with all f1 crosses possessing nubian heritage. These animals are known to have excellent mothering ability with high butterfat content making them perfect mothers for hard gaining boer crosses.

Reproductive program

The reproductive program selected for this plan provides the best heterosis with the least amount of expertise required by the operator. This system is the three breed terminal cross. The first step is to select a nubian doe and Spanish buck. This yields an F1 generation consisting of Spanish/Nubian crosses which should inherit high resistance and superior mothering ability. The F1 generation females will be breed against a Boer buck. The resulting F2 generation will be your market goats. In addition to the entire F2 population most of the F1 generation will be good for sale. Only the best F1s should remain as replacements and new animals of true breeding nature should be added regularly to the breeding herd.

Breedings will take place annually starting in September ending in November. Kidding would be expected from February till April.

Pork breed selection and reproductive management

Guinea Hog

Standing about 2 foot high and 4 foot long the Guinea hog diminutive stature and amicable personality makes this breed an ideal add in for wooded area clearing.

Pigs will be breed live cover and at three months gestation pregnant sows will be brought indoors to concrete holding pens. At the point of weaning all pigs will return to wooded area.

Management System

High Rotation Chevron

with 40 goats the required acreage you will need is 16 acres to maintain carrying capacity. The rotation schedule I have developed requires 3 separated areas of the same size so the suggested acreage for this system is 48 acres. Each section will have one of the three setups.1. the active state in which the area is subdivided into four smaller areas one for the bucks, onefor the does, and two at wait. This setup will allow the animals to graze one wholeyear. The animals will be moved from quarter to quarter each season and placed in the next section at the end of the year.

2. the resting field which will be sown with a mixture of Orchardgrass and white clover or meadow brome grass and alfalfa at a 75:25 ratio toinsure nitrogen availability. The mixture should be alternated at every replant toensure pest and disease cycles are broken. Hay will be harvested in thesefields while animals aren't present.

3. Grain section will be subdivided three ways having different grain crops inrotation. One will be winter wheat fall to spring and buckwheat from spring tofall, the second will be winter rye from fall to spring and corn from spring to fall,and the third will be spelt from fall to spring and oats from spring to fall. Thisrotation should also move within the area annually as to never be planted in thesame location multiple times.

The procedure for rotation is as follows the animals should move from active to resting. After the animals have left the field it can be disked and the grain fields can be sown. The manure from theanimals should be well past the mandated rest period and serve as a natural fertilizer.

Additional, banding will be the preferred method of castration. Occasional hoof trimming may be necessary. Essential famacha scoring will dictate deworming schedules. The vaccination protocol will include clostridium C & D and Tetanus 30 days prior to kidding. 5 weeks of age for kids and a booster 4 weeks later. 30 days prior to breeding.

Woodlot Pork

The Woodlots and orchards are the second form of management system intended for the guinea hogs. Initially the wooded areas will be natural but as the land is cleared We will add Southern Red Oaks or Apple trees. 20 Pigs will need 4 acres of woodland. However, I'm aiming to have 10 acres for production. Pigs will Farrow indoors be moved to woodlots at weaning them to be finished in a confinement area outdoors. The diet of these pigs will be a combination of food waste, brewers grains, harvested, and supplemented grains. Farrowing procedure aims for lowest mortality. Farrowing crush cages will provide comfort and ease of access. Cutting of needle teeth, Iron shots, castrations, and vaccinations will all occur in this time frame. At the time of weaning castrated males and gilts will be released to wooded areas. Breeding boars will be kept in holding areas. Finishing will occur in a fenced area of the woodlot.

Marketing

Chevron

There are several outlets that I can use to profit from meat goat production. due to the nature of this breeding system I will always have great breeding stock allowing me to stud out my bucks. Studies have shown that though goat is the most consumed red meat globally it is vastly under consumed in the

United States. In order to promote the industry, I will target high end restaurants with my exotic meat additionally I will target ethnic markets that are already high consumers of chevron. Another possible selling point would be to target health markets as chevron is a much leaner red meat providing equivalent protein with half the fat of Beef. I will also have an abundance of kids each season which could be sold as weanlings for farmland assessments.

Pork

Guinea Hogs are known to make excellent cured pork products. I would capitalize on this market creating high quality smoked and cured meats that can fetch premiums from an exclusive taste. Additionally, pork meat cuts sell easily.

Miscellaneous

Annually I will harvest 16 acres of hay at two cuttings. There will also be two 16 acre harvests of assorted grains. The fruit, lumber, and firewood are also byproducts of the woodlot system. There is also the possibility that compost could be created and sold from excess animal waste.

Required farm capital

Infrastructure

48 Acres of pasture land, 10 Acres of wooded area, 5 acres of outbuildings

Fencing, farrowing and kidding facilities, drying barn, mobile sheds, troughs, feed racks

Equipment

Hand tools for hay and grain harvest.

Works cited

"American Guinea Hog Breed Description -." AGHA. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Featured Articles - EXtension." Featured Articles - EXtension. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Resources." Cornell Goat Program. N.p., 04 June 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"Swine Vaccines." Horse Supplies, Pet Supplies, Farm Supplies, Goat Supplies. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

"The Livestock Conservancy." The Livestock Conservancy. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 May 2015.

Amundson, Carol A. How to raise goats : everything you need to know : meat, milk, fiber & pet goats, breed guide & purchasing, proper care & healthy feeding, showing advice. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press, 2009. Print.

Belanger, Jerome D., and Sara Bredesen. Storey's guide to raising dairy goats : breeds, care, dairying, marketing. North Adams, MA: Storey Pub, 2010. Print.

Sayer, Maggie. Storey's guide to raising meat goats : managing, breeding, marketing. North Adams, MA: Storey Pub, 2010. Print.

Sponenberg, D. Phillip, Jeannette Beranger, and Alison Martin. An Introduction to Heritage Breeds: Saving and Raising Rare-breed Livestock and Poultry. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.