This section contains resources for graziers. It includes information on forage quality, stocking rates, grazing systems, and many other resources to help you manage your grazing land ecosystems.

University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources information:

For age Grasses

Weeds of Hawaii, a great link to “the green book” for weed identification and control/management aids

Rangelands information

Stocking Rate

Foraging Behavior & Grazing Management

Lease Rate Calculations in Hawaii

An Assessment of Economic Feasibility for Energy-Enhanced Roughage as Cattle Feed

Grazing Behavior of Cattle in Relation to Shade & Temperature (1958)

Survey of Livestock in Hawaii (1929)

Plant Nutrient Management in Hawaii Soils

Forestry & Agroforestry information

Forestry and Agroforestry Tree data

Native Plants for Hawaii’s Roadways

A Review of Mobile/Modular Slaughter and Processing Technology, FST-44 (2011)

CTAHR: Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Program

Tropical Forages (Australian website)

Foraging Behavior, Dr. Fred Provenza

Animal Nutrition Balancer, in cooperation with Texas A&M

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources

Hawaii Department of Forestry & Wildlife

Agroforestry Guides for the Pacific Islands

Ecosystem Services, USFS

Ranch Management Consultants, Inc., providers of the Ranching For Profit School and other valuable tools.

Land EKG, private contractor with excellent resources for monitoring grazing land conditions

Effects of Supplementation on Voluntary Forage Intake, Diet Digestibility, and Animal Performance

Beef Cattle Body Condition Scoring, from Elanco Animal Health.

Goat Body Condition Scoring Video, by An Peischel and Roger Ingram, Univ of CA Extension.

How to Fail at Ranching Without Hardly Trying, a commentary by Oklahoma rancher Walt Davis.

Global Rangelands and Rangelands West provide excellent info/education materials for ranchers in Hawaii and around the globe.

Information for those interested in diversifying your grazing lands enterprise and products:

Hawaii Horticulture Blog, featuring horticultural information by Dr. Gregory Koob.

research & Projects

Newly Published Journal Article

Maintaining the Many Societal Benefits of Rangelands: The Case of Hawaiʻi

This paper is authored by subject matter experts on culture, soil health, diversity, carbon sequestration, water, fire, and invasive species and outlines the benefits of well-managed rangelands. Ranchers play an important role in stewarding the land and ensuring that these ecosystem services benefit the community.

Read the Article

Invasive Species - Twolined Spittlebug

"This is not a rancher problem, it's a statewide problem" - Dr. Mark Thorne

Ranchers are at the forefront of this invasive species that has the ability to change landscapes on a large scale. Researchers are looking for Twolined Spittlebug resistant grasses that are still a high quality forage. Learn more at the TWOLINED SPITTLEBUG WEBPAGE.

Hawaii Grass-fed Beef Quality Standards

A profile of local beef and framework for grading pasture-raised, grass-fed beef

The purpose of this project, funded by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, is to determine an initial framework for the quality standards to protect the integrity of Hawaii pasture-raised, grass-fed beef industry. The series of surveys is an initial audit and assessment of needs and is a critical first step in determining the basis for a grass-fed beef grading program.

READ THE REPORT