HIGHLIGHT: LIVESTOCK FARMING
Amid ongoing discussions on enhancing food security regionally, special recognition must be granted to livestock farmers. In Dominica livestock farming contributes to and drives the agenda for regional food security. Despite its challenges, livestock farming is considered significantly rewarding, as it generates fair to sufficient income and contributes to the provision of employment, locally. Informative discussions with a few livestock farmers on the island provided much needed clarity on the processes and advantages surrounding this field of farming.
Meet Shawn Henry,
The Grandbay native and ten-year livestock farmer attests to his love for animal care, which sparked his interest in becoming a butcher. Shawn’s duties involve but do not limit to raising, feeding and nurturing his animals in preparation for the steakhouses. Upon slaughtering his livestock, special effort is placed into distribution preparation. “The most challenging part is getting the meat to the market to sell, because you can’t just slaughter the animals and agree it’s staying as is. You must prepare it properly to make it attractive so people will have taste in buying it and.” He continued, “When you are cleaning it, that’s the biggest challenge because it comes with scratching off the skin, scratching off the insides, you have to clean it properly to make it presentable or else you may just make a mess out of the meat and lose a lot.”
However, the hard work that accompanies his profession never compromises Shawn’s will to enjoy what he does. He takes great satisfaction in the herding process of livestock farming, as he enjoys being somewhat entertained by his steak friends. “When transporting them, some would do silly things like throw themselves to the ground, and I laugh at it because it’s usually for no reason,” he conveyed. Being a livestock farmer calls for some form of connection between the butcher and the animal. As it relates to financial advantages, Shawn admits, “there is a financial reward in the end but you would have a long way to go as there is a long task ahead because raising the animal is a process. To raise a goat, you will need at least six months of preparation before butchering. But you will also have to take care of it for it to grow how it should.” He continued to highlight the importance of proper care during the raising period, “When it comes to pigs, you have a lot of spending to do on its food as pigs eat very plentiful. Cattle stand a greater chance once they are placed in a field with enough grass, and water is provided every day for them and check on them regularly. If you don’t take all that into consideration, the animals will not develop properly.” Shawn warned that failure to prioritize caring for the animals will indeed result in their fatality and a financial loss.
On the other hand, Brandon Pacquette is a proud second-generation butcher also breaded from South City Grandbay and relates to the challenges associated with sales. According to him, the economy is reflected in the fluctuation of consumer numbers. Pacquette’s interest in livestock farming was generated from his father, Samuel ‘Sammy’ Pacquette who stands as the leading livestock farmer in his community and environs. Sammy was awarded ‘Most Outstanding Livestock Farmer of 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Dominica. This represents one of the many goals set by Brandon as a young farmer. He shared that while serving in the public sector within the Government’s ministry, part-time employment with his father as a butcher, led to his realization of advantages of self-employment. “I saw this as way for better income, I worked with my dad since I was a little boy, then I worked in the Ministry but it was not profitable for me, so I decided it’s better to work for yourself, .” The young farmer reflected on sale numbers of at least five years prior, concluding that while livestock farming remains generally financially rewarding, the economy has interfered with its financial growth. Brandon lamented, “the market would have had so many people but these days its a bit slow, but we still try. We practice patience.” Nonetheless, he remains humbly grateful on good days, “We have our peak seasons which are Independence and Christmas.” Local farmers also benefit through Inter-farmer commerce, which Brandon admits is consistent. “We purchase livestock around the island from different farmers, we also raise our own animals, and we have a system where we have farmers who own land adopt and raise animals for us, just to ensure the constant availability of beef,” he further explained. Brandon has migrated to the village of Morne Prosper with his wife where he continues to emulate his father
Samuel ‘Sammy’ Pacquette in his element
Also, within the Valley of Morne Prosper, Brian Timothy has raised and slaughtered livestock for the past six years, under the influence of his own father. Brian’s interest progressed following the ravaging of Hurricane Maria, when some areas of employment came to a standstill. While Brandon relates to the benefits of inter-farmer commerce, Brian however confesses to the challenge of sourcing animals. “Sometimes getting the animals from the butchers can be difficult, if you don’t have enough to supply, then you would have to source them from other farmers, and it can be a bit challenging but all of all, it still works out good.” He deems the livestock industry generally rewarding, underlining the importance of earning a profitable income. He advised, “anything you are doing in life you have to do it in a way that you can make a profit so that its rewarding.” Brian takes pride in his ability to provide “clean, fresh and quality meat” to his consumers, as their feedback brings him satisfaction.
Livestock farming is a crucial component of the agricultural sector in Dominica and plays a pivotal role in food security. Despite economic challenges impeding commercial activity, local farmers continue attest to the overall benefits within this field of work. Furthermore, its paramount that consumers are aware of the process associated with local meat preparation and distribution.
