Livestock for Beginning Farmersin Hawaii

Pacific Gateway CenterAugust 3, 2013

Matt StevensonAssistant Extension Agent, Kauai CountyLivestock & Range Extension Programs

Cooperative Extension ServiceCollege of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

• Brief History of Livestock in Hawaii

• Types of Livestock Farms

• Defining Values & Goals

• Record Keeping

• Problem Solving

• Bare Necessities

Overview

• ~300 – 750 AD - Polynesians bring hogs, chickens, and dogs

• 1778 – Captain Cook arrives with goats and sheep on Niihau

• 1793 – Captain Vancouver brings cattle

• 1803 – Richard Cleveland lands horses

• 1832 – Californian vaqueros train first paniolos to manage cattle

History of Livestock in Hawaii

“The demand for live hogs for exportation to California exceeds the production and hardly a vessel leaves for San Francisco that does not carry a deck load of grunters.”

--Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, 1853

History of Livestock in Hawaii

Berkshire cross, Kaonoula Ranch, Maui ~1929

2,584 mi

5,901 mi

2,70

4 m

i

3,801 mi

4,625 mi

SF to DC = 2,500 miles

Dairy ($8.8 M)

Beef ($33.0 M)

Hogs ($3.7 M)

Poultry ($8.8 M)

$54 Million*Farm Gate Value

Generating$162 Million

in Hawaii’s Economy

*HASS, 2012; Slide by G. Fukumoto

Hawaii’s Livestock Industries

Hawaii’s Livestock Industries

NASS 2012

Number of Livestock Operations 1999 to 2008

1999

• Broiler 5

• Dairy 10

• Layer 11

• Swine 30

• Processors 11

• Cattle 800

• Goats 189 (’02)

• Sheep 103 (’02)

20080 100%2 80%5 55%21 (‘04) 30%9 18%1,100 (’07) 38%343 (’07) 82%394 (’07) 283%

Slide adapted from G. Fukumoto

Modern Livestock Farms

Modern Livestock Farms

Modern Livestock Farms

Modern Livestock Farms

Modern Livestock Farms

Modern Livestock Farms

1929 2007

• Values - What is important to me? Why?

• Mission - Why does my farm exist?

• Vision - Where is my farm going?

• Goals - How will I get there? When?

http://ansci.cornell.edu/pdfs/pdmission.pdf

Values – Mission – Vision – Goals

http://ansci.cornell.edu/pdfs/pdmission.pdf

Core Values

Beliefs

Attitudes

Behavior

Skills

Prioritize:

• Traditional Lifestyle

• Business Efficiency

• Industry Leader

• Employee Safety

• Environmental Stewardship

• Animal Welfare

• Family Harmony

Core Values

• Broad statement of your farm purpose

• Reflects core values and informs public and employees what's important to your business

• Serves as a guidepost for decision making on the farm

“[To] keep livestock in the islands and deliver premium products locally”

Maui Cattle Company

http://ansci.cornell.edu/pdfs/pdmission.pdf

Mission

• Must align with core values

• Must be communicated to and accepted by everyone involved on the farm

"Our vision is to maintain and preserve for future generations the vast beauty and rich ranching traditions held by this corporation for over 100 years.”

Haleakala Ranch, Maui

Vision

Specific - Dates, resources, dollar amounts

Measurable - Dates, dollars, animals

Attainable - Start where you are

Resources - What do you have?

Timeline - When?

http://www.extension.org/pages/11229/what-are-smart-goals

SMART Goals

What do you want? What do you have?

What is the weakest link?

Can you get there from here?

Are you willing to get there?

Do you need to modify facilities?

Improve infrastructure

Begin on issues that respond most and

quickest

Monitor progress

Reevaluate goals

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Example: New Meat Goat Farm

Values

Mission

Vision

Goals

Family time, fulfilling work, self-employment

To produce healthy meat at a profit

Enrich ties to the land while producing good food

Net $25,000 from goat sales by end of second year

What do you want? What do you have?

What is the weakest link?

Can you get there from here?

Are you willing to get there?

Do you need to modify facilities?

Improve infrastructure

Begin on issues that respond most and

quickest

Monitor progress

Reevaluate goals

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

• Measure progress towards goals

• Right info - What time is it? Four miles

• Cost of Production

Record Keeping

Cost of Production

Cost of Production

Month Item Cost/Item # Items Sub-total

May CDT shots $10.00 3 $30.00

May Hoof trimmers $15.00 1 $15.00

June Mineral $25.00 2 $50.00

June Pasture lease $150.00 1 $150.00

• Education Classes On farm experiments Neighbors and Industry

Groups

• When to ask for help

• Where to go for help Know your veterinarian! CTAHR Extension

Problem Solving

Bare Necessities

• Shelter

• Good fences & gates

• Water

• Feed

• Time

• Know and meet your market’s needs

• Adaptability

Questions & Discussion???