The seminar covered the different aspects of grazing and livestock management.
The Marianas Grazing and Livestock Management Academy is a team committed to assist and work in partnership with local farmers, ranchers and technical resource personnel and other interagency and local government collaborators to develop outreach programs to move the island economy toward improved food security and self-reliance.
Mark S. Thorne, state extension specialist in pasture and livestock management from the University of Hawaii, said “the project’s main focus is to help producers here sustain or even increase their productivity while at the same time protecting the resources, the soil, the plants and the animals.”
Thorne said they received funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture program for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
During the workshop, he discussed forage production and grazing management as well as animal health.
Dr. Jonathan L. Deenik is a soil scientist from University of Hawaii. He covered the aspects of soils because it is foundational to the pasture system.
He did presentations on soil fertility and on a producer’s survey program to get a broader picture of what the resource needs are on the island.
Dr. Robert Godfrey, county extension agent animal scientist from the University of the Virgin Islands, talked about animal health and handling issues as well as animal science issues such as genetics.
Glen K. Fukumoto, livestock extension agent from University of Hawaii, did a presentation on improved forages and beef marketing
John Powley, also a livestock extension agent from University of Hawaii, did a demonstration and conducted training on herbicide treatment as well as fecal analysis for diagnosis of fecal infections.
Lawrence Duponcheel, 4H youth development coordinator and an extension agent from Tinian for Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service, was part of the producer evaluation during the workshop.
Allan Sabaldica, extension specialist from Tinian for NMC-CREES, discussed CNMI animal health surveys.
The three day-activity consisted of two days of classroom session and the last day was for pasture visits on Saipan.
All speakers provided materials for the workshop which were held on Tinian and Rota last November.
