To support the state¡¯s livestock industry, the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Mānoa (CTAHR) is immersing students in local cattle ranching through a hands-on training program.
The training includes workshops on Oʻahu and intensive field work at CTAHR¡¯s Mealani Research Station on Â鶹´«Ã½ Island and nearby ranches. Students gain practical skills in on-farm food processing, calving management, grazing management and animal evaluation.
“This trip was one of the highlights of my bachelor¡¯s degree and gave me lasting memories that made me reflect on how far I¡¯ve come,” said UH student Julianne Johnson. “The most impactful part of the trip was experiencing livestock behavior in a natural setting and learning how to handle animals. This gave me a deeper understanding of how livestock operations are run.”
Passing down ranching knowledge
This training initiative, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, is part of CTAHR¡¯s strategy to develop the next generation of agriculture leaders. It gives undergraduate and graduate animal and food science students a complete experience on the ranch, from caring for a pregnant cow to raising a calf to getting cattle ready for market.
“Seasoned ranchers don¡¯t always have someone to pass down knowledge about how to manage a ranch and what problems to expect. We are trying to address that need with this program,” said Extension Agent Melelani Oshiro, who organized the program along with CTAHR Assistant Professor Caleb Reichhardt.
Extreme weather conditions
Â鶹´«Ã½ Island¡¯s extended drought created another learning opportunity. “Students saw lush pastures in the spring become dried up and gone in the fall,” said Oshiro. Seeing how the extreme dry conditions affect the research herd and pastures helps students understand the real-world conditions of agriculture.
“It creates an opportunity for them to start critically thinking about how that’s impacting the animal on the physiological side and the nutrition side,” said Reichhardt.
The program is equipping the future leaders of Â鶹´«Ã½‘s livestock industry with the knowledge and resilience needed to address environmental and economic challenges.