Mealani Research Station

Engaging in Healthy-Foods Production Systems

The purpose of the research stations in the University of Hawai‘i System is to generate, access, disseminate, and encourage application of researchgenerated knowledge in tropical agriculture. The Mealani Research Station is one of only two UH facilities conducting agricultural research in livestock production systems. However, research activities at the Waimea facility involve more than beef cattle endeavors and also include innovative applied research on alternative crops suitable for the cool, up-country climate.

The “baby-boomer” generation is concerned about their health, and the demand for healthier foods labeled as “organic,” “natural,” and “foods as medicines” has led to a whole category of foods called “functional foods.” One of the visions of the research activities is to focus on the area of healthy-food production systems and contribute to the knowledge of functional food production in the temperate sub-humid zones in Hawai‘i.

Research work on alternative crops focuses on niche markets for specialty tea and blueberries. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. The interest in tea is due to the growing interest in the human health benefits of green tea, in which certain polyphenolic compounds are reported to have cancer-chemopreventive effects, cardio-vascular benefits, and high anti-oxidant qualities. Human health benefits of blueberries are related to the high anti-oxidants level in the fresh fruit. These anti-oxidants are thought to be effective in helping to prevent cancer and heart disease.

On the beef agenda, grass-finished beef is recognized as having many food-safety and humanhealth benefits and warrants continued research in the area of healthy foods production systems. Our vision for the Mealani Research Station is to be the leader and innovator in applied research for tropical forages and forage-based beef production systems, adapted technologies, and outreach programming. Dedicated to the mission and goals of CTAHR and the vision for the Mealani Research Station, the station’s hard-working agricultural technicians include Earl Arakaki, Damien Arruda III, Kelly Asai, Marla Fergerstrom, Lori Hasegawa, Roy Ishizu, and Aric Matsubara.

Activities, Progress, and Results

Mealani’s Genetic Improvement Program

Michael DuPonte

Currently, the genetic improvement program for the beef cattle herd at the Mealani Research Station is in its third year of implementation and is making significant progress toward industry acceptance. We continue to run a threeherd breeding program, with Angus, Polled Hereford, and Mealani composite lines, with the latter gradually being phased out and replaced with a “Black Baldy” commercial herd. In the past two years, several herd goals have been reached, including developing a uniform Angus-influenced cow herd, with the exception of the Hereford cow group; condensing dual breeding seasons into a single 40-day breeding season; and implementing an intensive culling program, including dispersal of composite cows and the Limousin herd. The use of artificial insemination (AI) was implemented with synchronization (CIDR technology) only on the purebred cattle, and natural service by Angus was used to cover the herd in the past year. Extremely proven sires within the Angus breed were selected for the AI program; criteria include top 2% and 90% repeatability for low birth weights, growth and carcass traits of rib-eye area, backfat, and marbling. This was done to strategically boost carcass quality traits in the herd in an effort to develop heritably expected progeny differences (EPDs) baseline data within the herd that were not bred artificially. To accomplish this goal, the whole herd has been enrolled into a computerized recordkeeping program (CHAPS, South Dakota State University) that will calculate these values, which will help to make sound decisions on genetic improvement goals. In addition, blood samples from the entire herd were taken to establish the baseline for ongoing DNA sequencing work and progress. Trait markers for rib eye area, marbling, and tenderness will be targeted in the herd. In other cooperative programs, the Mealani beef cattle herd is enrolled in Hawai‘i’s Voluntary Bovine Johne’s Disease Program (Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Industry, Livestock Disease Control Branch; USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services; and local cooperating veterinarians) with the hope to be adopted as the first certified-free beef herd in Hawai‘i.

The upcoming year’s program will incorporate more of the same breeding scheme, with the exception that the whole herd will be exposed to the current synchronization protocol and single-service AI. More emphasis will be put on heat detection because that seemed to be a deterrent to last year’s program as to the number of animal exposed to AI. Selected AI bull power will continue to concentrate on the top 2% of sires in the breed with proven carcass data and information. The American Angus Association has expressed interest in working with this herd to incorporate the use of embryo transplants. Our goal of making this a reality will depend on impacts achieved from CHAPS data and DNA sequencing results.

One of the goals of the genetic improvement program is to develop quality and adaptable beef cattle for the sustainable production of high-quality beef for subtropical environments and provide the genetics to interested producers in Hawai‘i. A brief report on the performance records produced by the CHAPS program on the Mealani beef cattle herd is available in the 2005 Proceedings of the Mealani Forage Field Day.

The Use of Ultrasound Technology in Beef Production

Michael DuPonte

To achieve sustainable profitability, beef producers must develop production systems that are appropriate to their market targets. Currently, beef marketing acceptance is highly dependant upon backfat thickness, rib-eye area, marbling, and tenderness, the latter being the most important. Through the use of artificial insemination, specialized computer-based performance record systems, and the Warner-Bratzler shear force measurements, data on all of these parameters can be readily collected. Unfortunately, the major drawback of date collection on animal performance is that it can be accomplished only after slaughter. With the marketplace highly dependent on quality beef, this will be a key deterrent in developing a uniform product. The need for new technology addressing this challenge is paramount. Ultrasound technology (UT) in live young cattle (500 pounds or 7 months of age) has been used to predict an animal’s “fit” into quality-based programs. This management tool enables producers to sort animals into separate groups, matching them with the appropriate market, thus alleviating the problem of an inconsistent product. Across the nation, a growing number of seed stock producers are having progeny of sires, rather than the sire itself, UT-scanned to determine what is actually transmitted to improving the genetics of the offspring. As an industry moves toward value-based marketing and carcass merit, the use of UT will be increasing useful in animal selection for making genetic improvement.

Through the CTAHR Beef Initiative Program, an ultrasound unit and software was proposed and granted. The team is in the process of developing an ultrasound technology workshop and introductory training. This project is in collaboration and partnership with Dr. Doyle Wilson, retired beef extension specialist from Iowa State University, who is the leader in adapting the ultrasound technology and software as a beef cattle selection tool. The goal of this project section is to utilize UT as a tool in selection based on rib-eye area muscling and marbling, embryo transplant and pregnancy diagnosis in the research programs at Mealani, and provide a certified, fee-based service to the industry.

100% Grass-Fed at Mealani, an Example

Glen Fukumoto

Other Activities

• In 2005, The Mealani Research Station attracted more than 600 visitors (not including field day
  and workshop activities)
• Completed 9th Mealani Forage Field Day
• Completed 1st Mealani Tea Educational Workshop
• Initiated development of a Strategic Plan for the Mealani Research Station.

Future

Development of Mealani Research Station Web site to be used as a reference tool for the industries served through research activities.

Follow-Up: Improving Pasture Value by Protein Banking

Glen Fukumoto and Milton Yamasaki

In the spring of 2005, the protein bank system was established in four 3-acre paddocks. The paddocks were planted with 4,000 seedlings Leucaena leucocephala cultivar KX2 developed by CTAHR horticulturist Dr. James Brewbaker. The objective of the project is to evaluate the technology’s ability to add higher levels of nitrogen to the pastoral ecosystem for improved beef production on established kikuyu pastures.

Follow-Up: Perennial Peanut Planting

Glen Fukumoto

A small planting of perennial peanut (Arachis pintoi) was established by rooted and unrooted cuttings into a continuously grazed paddock in December 2003. The planting continues to contribute to the pasture forage mix, showing persistence through the continuous grazing pressures. We plan to install variable levels of the forage peanut in several paddocks utilizing the no-till seed drill.