The document describes the challenges faced transporting 216 Savannah goats from Alberta, Canada to Cayman Brac by plane and barge. Several issues arose including crates that were too tall for the plane, oppressive heat when they landed, and rough seas that delayed the barge crossing. With the help of local officials, the goats were temporarily housed and fed until they could complete the journey. The document reflects on the pioneering spirit needed to establish new agricultural industries.

1. Keri-Rose Savannahs Land on Cayman Brac

2. The first time that I heard this quotation was during the formation of
the Canadian Boer Goat Association in the mid-nineties. Doc Throlson
(Dr.Kenneth Throlson), a visionary pioneer of the North American bison
industry, was exhorting new entrants to embrace an alternative
agricultural enterprise with the evangelical enthusiasm of Christopher
Columbus.
The metaphorical “shore” that he was referencing was the existing
livestock industry where producers had given up control of the
processing, distribution and marketing of their product. Doc Throlson’s
“new ocean” was a “New Generation Co-operative” whereby producer
ownership shares would be determined by the scale of their supply
contracts. The co-operative ideal of “one member, one vote” would still
apply so smaller producers would still have a voice and hopefully some
democratic “control”. Large and small producers working together could
create enough scale to justify ownership of their own food processing
plant and sail into greater profitability as a result.
During these pioneering times, meat goat promoters like myself
extolled the impressive reproductive efficiency, ease of handling and
globally deficient markets as primary reasons why the caprine species
should succeed in North America. Investors looking for alternative
agricultural enterprises would surely be attracted to meat goats over the
slow growing and cantankerous bison. How could agricultural
entrepreneurs and new investment capital ignore the global
opportunities for goat meat when compared to the small niche market
that bison represented?
As Kate and I were loading our herd of 216 Savannahs onto the
chartered Boeing 767 CargoJet aircraft, I was torn between excitement
and trepidation at the challenges that were ahead of us. I thought about
the resurgence of buffalo and the National Buffalo Association’s ability to
take advantage of consumer interest in diet and health. The “driving
force” behind their industry growth has been described as “a lean, low-
cholesterol red meat” and recent producer profits and confidence has
been propelled by many years of “double digit growth in consumer
demand”.
Why were meat goat numbers in decline across North America after
many years of growth? Why was the meat goat industry not
commercializing the way the bison industry had? Why had meat goat
producers not focused on their commodity and created a strong national
association to advance their interests in the face of increasing ethnic

3. markets and new ethically driven consumers seeking fresh, local and
ecologically sensitive production?
I stared out into the frosty darkness of the Calgary airport terminal
and couldn’t help thinking about Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump and the
beautiful location I was leaving behind. I knew we would miss Fort
Macleod and the inspiration that comes from native history and the
pioneers that settled the western prairies. The resurgence of the buffalo
from the brink of extinction through persistent and intuitive marketing
was as inspiring to me as the endurance of my First Nations neighbors.
Perhaps this is why, Doc Throlson’s words came to me and confidence
started to replace the trepidation I had been feeling.
My rebounding optimism was quickly shattered when CargoJet
loadmaster, Chike Hickson informed us that we would be delayed
because the shipping crates were built too high by 5-6 inches so they
would not fit the contour on the inside of the aircraft. 15 custom built
crates were filled to capacity so more goats in fewer crates was not a
solution. A larger aircraft was not available on short notice. The only

4. option was to cut the crates to fit and hope they would still contain the
goats! $850 per crate under destruction was of no concern to the goats!
Cut the Crates!

5. “The plan” was to arrive in Grand Cayman (photo above), have the
goats inspected on the tarmac and immediately transport them to an
awaiting barge for the 14-16 hour barge crossing to Cayman Brac. The
Cayman Brac airport runway was not quite long enough to handle the
chartered jet and it was not equipped to handle the size of the “custom”
crates.
As we sat on the airport tarmac waiting for the health inspection to be
completed by the Cayman Islands veterinarian, we slowly watched our
precious goats start to pant and mouth breathe. Leaving Calgary on
October 31 meant freezing temperatures and the Savannahs prepared
for a cold Canadian prairie winter with long fuzzy coats. The heat that
day was oppressive and humid. Well above 30 degrees Celsius or 90
degrees Fahrenheit. We scurried to get them all watered; somewhat
comforted thinking about a cool shower, an air conditioned hotel room
and some restful sleep after nearly 40 hours of non-stop high stress

6. travel. The goats would be enjoying the cool breeze at sea while we
would sleep blissfully dreaming about our new Caribbean adventure.
Like many plans we have had in life, this was not to be. Unusually
high seas and windy conditions meant that the barge could not sail and
we would have to find temporary quarters for all of the goats on Grand
Cayman. Offloading all of the goats, putting them into strange
surroundings with no handling facilities; with darkness looming and
exhaustion setting in, we watched our next challenge unfold.

7. The emergency crate design modification in Calgary had come back
to haunt us. Instead of a giant fork lift handling our cargo; we now had a
picker truck. Straps with no spreader bar. Structurally compromised
crates falling apart. Goats escaping in the darkness after falling through
the bottom; while panicked helpers scrambled to keep other goats from
being crushed as the crate descended.
With no comforting “shore” yet in sight we relied on Cayman
Department of Agriculture employee Allon Powery to help us through
this ordeal. Allon stayed overtime quietly fixing water pipes and cutting
toxic plants in the overgrown corrals so our hungry goats would not
poison themselves on their first night in the Cayman Islands. Somewhat
miraculously the herd had followed my call through the noise, confusion
and darkness and we corralled them without any injuries or losses. The
Caymanian reputation for hospitality and kindness to strangers was
given new meaning with Allon Powery’s actions that night.
The next morning; Allon’s local knowledge of the toxic plant dangers
that our Savannahs would face, was shared with a smile, as he handed
me a pick and showed me the Lantana (next photo) that still needed

8. clearing. Lantanas or shrub verbenas as they are sometimes called are
poisonous to herbivores so they often spread as an invasive noxious
pasture weed by birds who enjoy their delicious fruit seeds.
Our emergency landing spot was the Department of Agriculture
grounds in Lower Valley and it wasn’t until November 9 that a short
break in the unusually rough weather allowed the barge to travel to
Cayman Brac. This 9 days of waiting was a blessing for the goats as
they acclimatized to the Caribbean with relatively cooler weather and
refreshing breezes.
We didn’t know it at the time, but it would be another 16 days before
another barge could make the trip. Unless you have lived on an island
you won’t understand the implications of what I just said. We got the
goats safely to Cayman Brac but in less than 10 days they had gobbled
up all of the available hay! Now we had pens of hungry goats that
needed an emergency airlift! 30 individually wrapped 50 lb bales arrived
by Cayman Air on November 20 followed by a chartered cargo plane
with 200 more bales on shrink wrapped pallets 4 days later.

9. The dedication of the Cayman Brac Goat Farm (Bluff Farms)
investment group to the welfare of their new Savannah herd has been
uplifting and heart warming. Kate and I are confident that the Keri-Rose
genetic legacy will continue for many years to come. It was an
unbelievable site to see our life’s work tarped for protection from the sea
and sun and being towed across the Caribbean waves.

10. The Brac at last! Weary and cautious but ready to work!

11. That “safe Alberta shore” that we left behind will never be forgotten
even as we are overwhelmed by all of the challenges that our “new
ocean” entails. Doc Throlson and others in the commercial bison
industry started in the late 1960’s. This was 25 years ahead of the
introduction of Boer goats to North America! Perhaps the best is yet to
come in the meat goat business! I am as positive about the future of our
industry as I have ever been. However; my 66 year old pragmatism
suggests that establishing a new red meat industry is about “we” rather
than “me”. It takes time and significant capital. It also takes more than
just a pioneering spirit; it takes institutional awareness, operational scale
and widespread producer involvement. Perhaps, like Kate and I, you too
will become impatient with the crowd that surrounds you and begin your
search for new oceans. I can only hope that you find some sunny place
where your vision for the future is also embraced by the new friends that
welcome you.

12. Never under-estimate the difficulty of the course you chart. Invest in the
right equipment for the job. Be prepared for stormy weather.