We share a quick summer update, apologize for posting delays, and explain our short recording hiatus before we return with Season Six in August 2026. We also spotlight timely Hawaii livestock health resources, upcoming producer events, and Nebraska farm business support you can use right now.
• short break from recording over the summer and return timing for Season Six
• New World screwworm webinar on our YouTube channel and why it matters beyond livestock
• Reminder that screwworm can affect warm-blooded animals, including humans
• Oahu Sheep and Goat producer-led field day details, including registration and limited space
• Swine health and education outreach starting in August, including workshops and Pork Quality Assurance training
• biosecurity awareness resources and webinars that preview the workshops
• Center for Ag Profitability support in Nebraska, including one-on-one financial appointments
• upcoming Nebraska dates including financial averages and the North American Manure Expo
• August guest preview with Matt Stockton on decision support tools like a bull value calculator

Resources:

1. New World Screwworm: Awareness and Preparedness for Hawaiʻi's Livestock Community Webinar
2. HSGA & CTAHR Event- Open Gate: Oʻahu Sheep & Goat Series
   A producer-led farm field day. Date: Saturday July 18, 2026, Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Location: Kakoʻo ʻŌiwi. Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990532459169?aff=oddtdtcreator Contact Yunuen Bustamnate at yunuenb@hawaii.edu for more information.
3. Safeguarding Hawaii’s Swine: Building Biosecurity and FAD Preparedness Workshops: https://go.hawaii.edu/dzi
4. Stocking rates 101: https://unl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YFn9cppUQrCFNISOhw6i7w
5. Cap webinars: cap.unl.edu
6. Manure Expo: https://beef.unl.edu/news/registration-opens-2026-manure-expo-wayne-ne/

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We share rapid updates and practical resources for livestock producers navigating disaster recovery after floods and fires, including where to watch key webinars and what help may be available. We also flag upcoming meetings and learning opportunities, plus a preview of a future guest focused on small ruminant production and reproduction.
• Livestock Health After the Flood webinar on the UH Livestock Extension YouTube channel plus the PDF link
• Animal health concerns to watch for after flooding and where to find recovery resources
• Hawaii Sheep And Goat Association annual meeting details and topics like grazing management and dairy health
• Hawaii range camp in Maui for students interested in ranching and land stewardship
• Emergency cattle feed fund and USDA disaster assistance options including LIP, ELAP, drought assistance, and forage support
• After-fire recovery webinar recordings from FSA and NRCS plus after-fire tax considerations at cap.unl.edu
• Reminder to contact local FSA and USDA agents quickly due to limited funds and tight deadlines
• Upcoming guest Randy Sayner on small ruminant production and reproduction

Make sure to follow us on our social media pages, the Livestock Val Ow and the Livestock Extension Group if you haven't already. Be sure to visit the UHCTAR extension website and our YouTube channel listed in the show notes. For additional information about this or any other topics or comments, send us an email at valau at hawaii.edu. Before we go, show some love for your favorite podcast by leaving us a review wherever you listen to this, and then stay tuned for the next episode.

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We walk through practical steps to get goats and sheep ready for breeding, then follow the timeline all the way through labor, newborn care, and early health problems. We also lay out simple biosecurity habits that protect your herd from parasites, disease, and preventable losses.
• pre-breeding vaccines to consider including CDT plus abortion risk vaccines based on your area
• flushing and body condition targets to improve breeding success and increase multiples
• late gestation nutrition challenges and why energy and protein density matter
• facility prep for lambing and kidding including cleaning, disinfection, bedding, and pen setup
• pasture planning including a 60 to 65 day rest to reduce parasite pressure
• what to keep in a kidding kit including gloves, lube, iodine, records, tube feeding supplies, and disinfectant
• labor signs to watch for including contractions and the water bag plus when to check and intervene
• colostrum timing and amounts plus safe storage and warming practices
• buck and ram selection tips including condition score, multiples, testicle health, and breeding ratios
• biosecurity basics including quarantine, dewormer family rotation, limiting traffic, visitor logs, and boot disinfection
• why a veterinary client patient relationship makes emergencies and prescriptions easier in rural areas

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We talk with ag economist Glennis McClure with the University of Nebraska about the Ag Budget Calculator and how it helps livestock producers build enterprise budgets without living in spreadsheets. We dig into what to enter, what people forget to count, and how better budgeting supports calmer decisions when markets and weather turn fast.

• Glenis McClure’s background in ag economics, consulting, and extension work
• How avian flu, drought, and tight supply reshape egg and cattle markets
• What the Ag Budget Calculator is and what it is not
• Using break even and sensitivity tools to test “what if” scenarios
• How to access the tool, create an account, and use templates
• Cow calf, backgrounding, finishing, and heifer development budget options
• Common missing costs like labor and unpaid family work
• Cash costs versus full economic costs with depreciation and opportunity cost
• Why separate enterprises matter for integrated systems like grazing under orchards
• Sharing feedback, reporting glitches, and joining online trainings

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We share fast, practical updates for livestock producers across Hawaii and Nebraska, from hands-on calving and grazing education to new tools for hiring, land decisions, and disaster recovery. We also point to flood and fire support resources and outline ways to stay connected with Extension as conditions change.

• Free calving and grazing management workshop at Mealani Research Station with hands-on learning and calving season decision points
• Women in Ranching and Education activities and BQA certification opportunity at Parker Ranch
• Flood recovery livestock health webinar
• Survey for documenting livestock impacts and veterinary care needs to support recovery
• Hawaii Department of Agriculture Emergency Farmer Relief Grant link and other reporting options for agricultural losses
• University of Hawaii associate dean of extension candidate stakeholder meetings with Zoom options
• Nebraska Agricultural Labor Guidebook for ag hiring laws, templates, and compliance basics
• Nebraska fire meeting dates with Extension, USDA partners, counseling resources, and rural response hotline
• Upcoming webinars on land values, rental rates, stocking rates, and land management updates
• Next episode Glennis McClure on the ABC Livestock Calculator

Episode Resources & Links:

• Calving and Grazing Management Workshop
• ANCW (American National CattleWomen) Region VI Meeting plus a WIRED (Women In Ranching Education & Development) Hawaii Event
• Livestock Health After The Flood-Webinar
• Livestock Impact & Veterinary Care Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VTRNCRW
• Agricultural Stewardship Foundation Impact Survey: https://report.agstewardshiphawaii.org/
• Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Emergency Farmer Relief Grant: https://dab.hawaii.gov/blog/main/nr26-04-emergency-farmer-relief/
• Associate Dean of Extension UHM CTAHR Stakeholder Meeting Schedule
• Ag Labor Guide Book: https://cap.unl.edu/labor/
• Stocking rates 101 https://unl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YFn9cppUQrCFNISOhw6i7w
• ABC office hours: https://events.unl.edu/CAP/2026/04/20/198754/
  
  

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We catch up with Alexia Akbe from Symbrosia on how limu kohu seaweed is moving from promising methane research into real ranch use across Hawaii and the mainland. We talk performance-first economics, product forms for pasture and feedlots, and what new trials could prove next for animal health and efficiency.

• Alexia’s background in environmental chemistry and greenhouse gases
• Why limu kohu stands out for enteric methane reduction
• Commercial pasture trials showing improved rate of gain and feed efficiency
• Pricing the product around measurable ROI instead of carbon credits
• FDA pathway, current use across beef cattle ranches and sheep producers
• How Symbrosia farms, dries and processes seaweed in Kona
• Mineral replacement potential, trace elements and bioavailability in a whole-plant matrix
• Oil extract format for feedlots and why rations may need rebalancing
• Species-specific needs including copper sensitivity in sheep
• Upcoming research focus areas including cow-calf, weaning stress, parasite reduction and pinkeye

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We share Hawaii and Nebraska program updates that help producers tighten animal care, processing know-how, soil health, and lease strategy.

• ANCW regional and WIRED meetings in Hawaii with BQA certification
• Two-day on-farm processing workshops: regulations then hands-on practice
• Dates and venues on Oahu and Maui with required registration
• Guest lecturer Dr Lida Garcia on meat science and safety
• Nebraska transition planning workshop in Curtis
• Manure as fertilizer: soil health and yield benefits
• Virtual landlord–tenant meeting on rates, values, and lease clauses

Next month, join us as we talk with Randy Saner from the University of Nebraska about reproduction and biosecurity for small ruminant herds.

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Jamie Miller from OISC explains why early detection beats eradication and how biocontrol could change the game. We learn about practical ways to protect Hawaii’s ranches and farms from devilweed on Oahu and the two-line spittlebug on Hawaiʻi Island, with clear ID tips, reporting tools, and prevention steps.

• Defining invasive species and why funding targets early-stage threats
• Devilweed ID features and fire risk profile
• Toxicity to livestock and impacts on pasture recovery
• Oahu hotspots, trail work, and volunteer efforts
• Management shift from eradication to mitigation
• Seasonal timing for removal and safe disposal
• Decontamination for gear, trailers, boots, and feed
• Reporting routes via 643pest.org and OISC resources
• Two-line spittlebug signs, grass losses, and replacement by weeds
• Apps, documentaries, and mapping to support response

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