Integration of Multifunctional Dairy Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) into a Whole Farm System in Hawaii: economic, ecological and social benefits.

The Integration of Bubalus bubalis into a whole farm system in Hawaii: 

economic, ecological and sociocultural benefits.

KOA FARMS - DON HEACOCK

Western SARE Project Report, Final Report, Year 3, 2023 (extended to January 30, 2024) 

(Project Award # FW20-366 and MSU award number: G332-20-W7900); 

completed January 30, 2024

Summary:

Table 1. A summary of the dairy water buffalo project objectives, timelines, and team members.

Objective 1: Used AI (artificial insemination) to increase herd size, to increase milk production and herd diversity.

In May 2018, Kauai Organic Agroecosystems (KOA Farms) imported four pregnant heifer dairy water buffalo from Turkey Creek Water Buffalo ranch in Texarkana, Arkansas. 

The heifers calved on August 23, 26, 27, and November 19, 2018 producing three female (cow) calves and one male (bull) calf.

As reported in the Year 1 Annual Report (March 2021), Dr. Birendra Mishra, DVM, and Don Heacock used imported frozen Italian dairy buffalo bull semen to AI three of the adult buffalo cows on December 6, 2019. All three of these cows had calves that were fourteen months old and had been weaned at seven months old. Unfortunately, none of the three artificially inseminated adult buffalo cows became pregnant. It is important to note that buffalo have “silent estrus” which makes AI very difficult (i.e., very low pregnancy success rate) when compared to cattle.

For this reason, mature bull (“Kekane”) was put in the same paddock with the seven adult buffalo cows in December 2020, which has resulted in four new calves born in 2021 (see Objective 5 below). Because the  primary goal was herd-building, cows were only milked occasionally to allow the calves to grow as strong and big as possible in the seven months before weaning (see Milking Video).

In order to circumvent the difficult task of timing AI with the silent estrus of the water buffalo, three yearling dairy water buffalo were purchased and imported from Canada in April 2023 (Figure 1a.) The importation of dairy water buffalo was only approved by the USDA starting in February 2023, KOA Farms being the first farm in the US to do so. These dairy water buffalo originated from top-milk-producing Bulgarian stock imported to Canada in 2001. They produce roughly two to three times more milk compared to the existing dairy buffalo stock in the US that had been obtained from zoos, animal parks, private collections, etc. with minimal or no records of milk production or pedigree. The three Canadian dairy buffalo , 1 bull named Kaniela and two heifers named Kila and Manu, arrived at KOA Farms in April 2023. (Figure 1b.)

AI was not attempted in year three because of the herd’s existing genetic diversity and the importation of the Canadian buffalo. Additionally, the original four heifers imported from Arkansas were impregnated by three different select dairy buffalo bulls. In the future AI may be used with the help of a “marker bull”, equipped with a marking collar and chastity belt, to show when cows are in estrus without impregnating them, allowing AI to be used at the right time.

A more detailed breeding program is being developed with the help of technical advisor Birendra Mishra, DVM.

Objective 2: Developed and Established GMP (Grazing Management Plan) and intense rotational grazing.

A video produced by KOA Farms is available on Youtube titled, “How KOA Established a Rotational Grazing Management Plan (RGMP) for Dairy Water Buffalo.” (https://youtu.be/4qPE-9FOXpI) as well as Ho’ike (Kaua’i Public Access TV¹).

During the first year of this project methods described by Thorne, Fukumoto and Stevenson 2007a², Thorne and Stevenson 2007b³, by Savory Holistic Management with Intense Rotational Grazing (Savory Institute 2021) were used. Nine grazing paddocks were developed (Figure 2), averaging about 2.5 acres (range = 2.0 - 4.5 acres). Generally, buffalo are grazed in smaller paddocks 1, 2, 3, 7, and 9 (Figure 3) for 1-2 day intervals. Larger paddocks 4, 5, 6, and 8 for 2-3 day intervals, and occasionally 4-5 day intervals depending on rainfalls. Paddock 4 has been expanded to approximately double the previous acreage.

Paddocks are dominated by tropical Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) (Figure 4) and the legume Leucaena glauca, both highly invasive but excellent forage species for buffalo. Approximately 60-75 inches of rainfall spaced relatively evenly through the year, combined with very fertile soil, allows grass to grow and recover quickly after grazing, usually within 6-7 days (Figure 7).

Unlike cattle or bison, domestic water buffalo also brose readily on leaves of several other invasive trees and plants including Macaranga grandifolia, Brassia actinophylla (umbrella tree), Chrysophyllum oliviforme (satin leaf tree) (Figure 5), Hibiscus tiliaceus; hau (Figure 6) Clusia rosea (autograph tree or copey), Syzygium cumini (Java plum), Schinus terebinthifolius (Christmas Berry tree), Operculina tuberosa (the woodrose vine), Albizzia lebbeck (Siris tree). Although Albizzia, one of the worst invasive species on Kaua’i, are very large and the buffalo cannot reach the canopy, they will eat seedlings and any resprouts on cut stumps. In addition to the previously listed species water buffalo will also eat invasive bamboos and four species of invasive aquatic weeds; Commelina diffusa (honohono), Typha angustata (cat tail), Cyperus involucratus (the umbrella sedge), and Coix lacryma (Job’s tears). 

Exceptional calf growth rates (see objective 5) and excellent condition of the buffalo cows and bulls demonstrate that the rotational grazing management plan (Figure 7) is working very well. 

At KOA Farms dairy water buffalo are integrated into a  larger taro cropping system. Buffalo eat/clear grasses and weeds out of fallow taro fields (Figure 8) to help fertilize and prepare the fields for replanting, thereby avoiding the use of gas-powered weed-eaters, reducing fossil fuel, labor and fertilizer costs. Integrated aquaculture (tilapia)- agriculture (taro) is one of KOA’s primary economic drivers (Figure 9). This system showed significant ecological and economical benefits, and is modeled after the traditional Hawaiian “loko ia kalo” (fishponds with taro).

¹ To view KOA Farms’ RGMP on Ho’ike go to: Ho’ike.org, Watch Now, Video On Demand, Videos, then Search for Water Buffalo.

² Thorne, M.S., G. K. Fukumoto and M.H. Stevenson. 2007a. Foraging Behavior and Grazing Management Planning. Pasture and Range Management, PRM-2, CTAHR, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1-11pp.

³ Thorne, M.S. and M.H. Stevenson. 2007b. Stocking Rate: the most important tool in the toolbox. Pasture and Range Management, PRM-4, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), University of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1-10pp.

Objective 3: Monitor milk production and period of lactation.

As the primary goal has been herd building, it’s desirable for calves to grow as fast  and strong as possible, therefore consuming as much milk as possible is vital. Buffalo cows have only been milked occasionally in the seven months before weaning their calves but were able to produce between 0.75 and 1.5 gallons of milk per milking per cow. A short  video of the milking process can be seen on the farm’s website (www.kauaiorganicagroecosystems.org) or hosted on archive.org (https://archive.org/details/milking-a-water-buffalo).

Although twice-daily milkings were planned to start by April 2022, it became apparent that his objective was premature due to its conflict with herd-building. Additionally, unforeseen increases in building and labor costs for our commercial kitchen also delayed this project objective; full time milking is now planned for May or June 2024, making cheese shortly after.

Additionally, an extension to the milking and corral area has been built to handle the milking of buffalo cows more easily. Compare the previous facilities (Figure 10) to the milking area extensions built in 2021 (Figure 11).

Objective 4: Development of a herd-share and bill of sale contracts.

As Hawaii is one of the seven states in the US that does not allow the sale of raw milk, KOA Farms worked with the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FCLDF) attorneys, using Hawaii state contract law, to develop a herd-share agistment contract and an associated bill of sale to provide local consumers with raw milk. 

Raw milk has abundant digestive enzymes, probiotics, minerals, and vitamins (A, C, D, B1, E, K), almost all of which are destroyed by pasteurization⁴. As of January 2024, KOA Farms has received 61 requests from local families and individuals to purchase herdshare agistment contracts and associated bills of sale. These local families would pay KOA Farms a monthly fee to feed, care for, and milk their buffalo for them. It is important to note that this is not a sale of milk, the families own the milk since they own part of the herd. Additionally, please see the discussion (section 5) of multi-functional dairy water buffalo as both milk and meat producers, meat will also be included in a future herdshare agistment contract and bill of sale with members of our community that want this organic, nutrient-dense and health-promoting grass fed buffalo meat. 

As compared to the meat of cattle and bison, water buffalo meat is lean and rich in protein, lower in cholesterol and fats, high in conjugated linoleic acids (anti-cancer and good for cardiovascular system⁵), and the meat is significantly higher in vitamins, minerals and iron⁶.

⁴ Sozanska,B. 2019. Raw Cow’s Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma. Nutrients 11(2): 469

⁵ Giordano G, Guarini P, Ferrari P, Biondi-Zoccai G, Schiavone B, Giordano A. 2015. Beneficial impact on cardiovascular risk profile of water buffalo meat consumption. Angiology Unit, Villa del Flori Hospital, Acerra (NA), Italy. ggiord@libero.it

⁶ Valin, C. et al. 1984. Comparative study of buffalo meat and beef.Meat Science, 10 (1): 69-84.

Objective 5: Monitored calf birth and growth rate.

Based on the growth rates measured in 2022 and 2023, calves grown at KOA Farms have grown faster and larger than those listed in the literature on dairy water buffalo calf growth in Italy and Bulgaria⁷, in the USA in Arkansas⁸, and at the Central Institute for Research on Buffalo in India⁹ where it was found that dairy water buffalo optimal growth rates were between 500-600g (1.1-1.3 lbs) per day. In Brazil optimal growth rates were between 700-800g (1.5-1.7 lbs) per day (Silva, et al. 2021). In contrast, KOA Farms calves’ had excellent average growth rates of 1323.5g (2.92 lbs) per day for 2022 and 1417.1g (3.12 lbs) per day for 2023. These growth rates are visualized in (Figure 12). The difference in these growth rates are likely due to the abundant and high-quality forages found in the tropical Niumalu, Kaua’i pastures, the high protein and high butter fat levels found in buffalo milk, and the intensive rotational grazing management program which optimizes forage production and animal weight gain. 

It is important to note that half of calves born at KOA Farms will be bulls and the ones not selected for breeding will be butchered for meat at two years old (~1,400 lbs live weight) yielding roughly 850 lbs of meat worth roughly $6-7,000. While the original grant proposal submitted to WSARE had a greater focus on dairy production, making herd building the priority of the project has meant some of that original focus has been shifted to producing meat.

Because buffalo meat has very low amounts of  intermuscular fat, the meat is very low in cholesterol, lower than that of bison, beef, turkey, venison, or chicken. (Figure 13) Compared to beef, buffalo meat has 11-30% more protein and is 10% higher in minerals.⁵ Additionally buffalo meat is a good source of protein and iron and the consumption of buffalo meat was associated with several beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk profile.⁵ A larger consumption of water buffalo meat could confer significant cardiovascular benefits, while continuing to provide a substantial proportion of the recommended daily allowance of protein and essential amino acids.⁵

More detailed information on the 15 calves born in 2022 and 2023, including their average daily weight gains can be found in tables 2, 3, and 4.

Table 2. Record of calves born in 2022, sex, names, and pedigree information

Table 3. Record of calves born in 2023, sex, names, and pedigree information

Table 4. Growth rates of seven calves born in 2022 with an average daily weight gain of 2.92 lbs.

Table 5. Growth rates of eight calves born in 2023 with an average daily weight gain of 3.07 lbs.

⁷Borghese, A. 2013. Buffalo livestock and products in Europe. Buffalo Bulletin, Vol. 32 (Special Issue 1): 50-74.

⁸Olson, T. (pers. comm.) Turkey Creek Water Buffalo, Texarkana, Arkansas, June 2023.

⁹ICAR-CIRB, Annual Report 2016-2017 (http://www.cirb.res.in), India.

¹⁰Silva, J.A.R., et al. 2021. Water buffalo production in the Brazilian Amazon Basin: a review.Trop. Anim. Health Prod. 2021; 53: 343pp.

¹¹USDA National Agricultural Library FoodData Central

Objective 6: Trained young bull as draught animal

Our tame and gentle bulls Kekane (one of the first of four calves born at KOA Farms) and offspring Samson have been halter trained  successfully (Figure 14 and 15). Training has progressed to a custom wooden yoke (Figures 15 and 16) that will be used for harrowing and leveling the taro ponds and for pulling the recently built agrotourism wagon (Figure 17). Additionally, Kekane has received a nose ring in order to have full control over his actions and to aid in the draught-power training process. (Figure 18).

Objective 7: Produced value-added cheese.

Please see the final section of this report for more information on this objective. We plan to start making cheese in the summer of 2024 when our commercial kitchen is completed.

Objective 8: Conducted Educational Outreach

In 2020 an educational PowerPoint presentation was created titled, “Integration of Domestic Water Buffalo into a Whole Farm System on Kaua’i: ecological, economic, and sociocultural benefits”. This was presented at the annual meeting of the Hawaii Farmers Union on October 15, 2020. Later it was discussed on the “Garden and Farming Show” on Kaua’i Public Radio on January 20, 2021. A recorded narration of the presentation was uploaded to Youtube on February 24, 2021 and is currently available to be viewed on Ho’ike, Kaua’i Public Access TV; it is noteworthy that Ho’ke shows this presentation on Kaua’i Public Access TV on a regular basis. Finally, we are drafting an article about this WSARE funded project to be produced for the Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources quarterly newsletter, in June 2024.

A draft website (www.kauaiorganicagroecosystems.org) for both business and educational purposes will continue to be updated and refined including a consolidated location for videos produced by the farm. Currently farm videos are hosted on Youtube and Archive.org.

On February 22, 2023, 29 members of the Hawaii Farmers Union toured the farm with extensive viewing of the dairy water buffalo herd as well as discussion about their ecological, economic, and social benefits in whole farm systems. On June 19, 2023, Bruce Robinson and his ‘ohana (family) visited KOA Farms specifically to see, and to learn more about, our dairy water buffalo biology, ecology and sustainable business opportunity. See next section for information on collaboration with Gay and Robinson, Inc.