Train of thought 

(A succession of connected ideas, a path of reasoning)

Train of thought 

(A succession of connected ideas, a path of reasoning)

The following is my summary of Johann Zietman's tenets, principles and thoughts for genetic selection of animals to perform under natural environment, producing natural healthy high quality food and fibre while improving land condition

THE book for Profitable Ranching. A Real Ranching Revolution. Cattle Breeding. Grazing Management.

Johan Zietsman is one of Southern Africa’s legendary cattle farmers and practical scientists who wants to inspire cattle farmers across the globe to buck the status quo, be innovative and increase their production by 50%.

He combines almost 30 years of extensive research and personal experience as a hands-on cattleman and regularly travels around the world to help cattle farmers/“ranchers”/graziers – achieve optimal veld (grassland) management and cattle production and achieve maximum, sustainable profit per hectare. 

Anyone committed to achieving “maximum sustainable ecologically and economical sustainable profit per unit of land”.

Tenets:

Johannn Zietsman views are founded on certain tenets:

• Cattle have a dual role – efficiently convert grass into healthy meat or milk and improve the environment. In order to achieve this we need cattle with inherently good body condition (reflection of grass conversion efficiency and a requirement for a high degree of practical fertility) that have to be managed in order to attain maximum grass productivity and  profit

• There is no universally superior breed. Each environment dictates a specific genotype. Generally speaking the easiest way to breed such a genotype is through composite breeding

 • In terms of grazing management we need time-controlled high animal impact and non-selective grazing. This requires some degree of Ultra-High Density Grazing (UHDG) - high utilisation – non selective grazing

 • We need to accept that non-selective grazing will result in increased stocking rate (the major determinant of profit) and a drop in body condition (the major determinant of livestock fertility). The drop in body condition needs to be mitigated – genotype, grazing management (frequent moves; shorter recovery at critical periods in order to improve nutrition), rumen supplementation if required, breeding and weaning coinciding with the best natural nutrition.

 • The major consequence of “scientific” selection is cattle that require external inputs (chemicals, production feeding) in order to be productive.

 That is why Johann believes the most grass productive cattle are to be found in the “unimproved” breeds / genotypes.

There are four breeding and management principles around which success in livestock production is determined

1. genotype, 

2. grazing management, 

3. rumen function

4. production in sync with nutrition cycles (Joining and calving times).

Implementing the last three principles will make a very big difference in sustainable profitability, but there is a cost involved. However, changing to an appropriate genotype results in a massive increase in profitability at no extra cost due to improved grass conversion efficiency.

The Breeders Role

· The only appropriate role a breeder has is to accelerate natural selection.

· Livestock have a dual role. They have to efficiently convert grass into beef and they have to improve the “Land Condition” on which they graze.

· Utilise adapted livestock genetics by specifically matching them to the exact environment and managing them for each particular property on rangeland conditions. Because of the use of superior genetics, the beef is low-cost of production, low risk, yet extremely high quality and environmentally efficient converting grass into healthy food. 

· Genetic potential must be determined by environment! 

· Based on animals within a grazing management natural environment of Non-selective ultra-high density grazing and high utilisation of pasture and higher stocking rate for advanced regeneration of soil and land

· Holistic interaction between all available resource: land – economics - livestock

· We know how the land conditions impacts upon our livestock and how our livestock impact upon the land. Breeding goal of not only economically profitable but also ecologically profitable and socially responsible

Genetic Selection for a good animal performance within environmental 

· Select by observing Nature.

· An animal’s genetic potential must be expressed through improved (nutrition; parasite control) management.

· The most important trait required is Practical Fertility (Inherent Body Condition and Hormonal Balance).  The only other important (foundational) traits are Optimum Milk, Meat: Bone Ratio and Easy-Care.

· Fat genotypes are more grass efficient.  Being fat they are more fertile and healthier.

· Hormonal Balance

· Hormonal Balance

· Optimum milk

· Good Meat: Bone Ratio

· Easy-Care attributes.

Being bred for grass conversion efficiency/ Inherent Body Condition. This requires a high Relative Intake resulting from a small frame, overall adaptation and an aggressive grazing behaviour.

Livestock can be “productive” if fed enough out of a bag or silo, but ecological – economical - & thus social sustainability, cascades down.

Simple - Selection For Practical Fertility 

· In terms of importance practical fertility is second only to stocking rate in determining ranch profitability.

· fertility is highly heritable.  The challenge is to use genetically discerning measures of fertility.

· Increasing fertility through Selection is highly cost effective.  

On the other hand Increasing fertility via supplementation is also cost effective, but only up to a point. Fertility is not about cow size. Large cows are fertile if fed enough out of bag or silo but lead to a high economic risk and unsustainable ecological business model. There are only two ways to get good body condition, which we all know is critical to rebreeding success: Feed for it or breed for it. The choice is yours.

· Fertility is determined by Body Condition and Hormonal Balance. 

· Body Condition is determined by Genetics and Nutrition (Relative Intake / Inherent Body Condition)

· Body Condition (fertility) can be increased by Feeding or Breeding (or a combination of both)

· Nutrition (body condition) can also be increased low costs of production by calving and weaning on / close to the period of green grass

· The components of fertility (hormones / inherent body condition) are highly heritable. Therefore, fertility is highly heritable

· There are super fertile individuals in most herds of any breed. They need to be identified.

· The most fertile heifers are identified by early mating. Those that reconceive and exhibit a Short Corrected ICP are the most fertile

· Bulls from the most fertile cows and those with a fast 12 month Maturity Rate are multi-sired at an early age. Those producing the most calves are the most fertile

· Accelerate this process of natural selection for fertility (AI)

· Exploit the fact that there are fertile heifers in most herds. Buy young heifers, breed them early (with appropriate bulls) and keep the small percentage that are pregnant

· Use common sense. Heifers that don’t breed young can be retained for herd expansion when seasons dictate. The important thing is to IDENTIFY the most fertile for bull breeding and herd improvement.

Fertility is determined by hormonal balance and body condition. 

Body condition is determined by genetics (inherent body condition) and nutrition (environment; management, feed). 

The difference in Inherent Body Condition is the result of differences in:

• Frame      Size
• Climatic      Adaptation
• Parasite      / Disease Resistance
• Appetite

One of the biggest impediments to inherent body condition is a large frame resulting from inappropriate selection.
Generally speaking, practical fertility can be increased by decreasing frame size.

· Body condition at calving is the most important determinant of cow fertility. Body condition is determined by genetics (inherent body condition) and nutrition. 

· Is increasing calving rate from 80 pc to 90 pc through extra supplementation cost effective?  That extra supplement required to allow an additional 10 pc cows to become pregnant is also fed to 80 pc of cows who do not require it.  That extra 10 pc conception comes at too high a price.

· Calve in sync with the environment. Climate rainfall season: For maximum fertility calve on green grass/growing season. Wean on green grass/growing season

Example : illustration – extreme fertility: – resulting from a combination of hormonal balance, inherent body condition (small frame) and nutrition. 

Calve at 2 years of age. 2nd calf at 3 years.4th calf at the age of 4 years each year there after.

• The      difference in interval between calving and first heat from 135 days to 40 days is solely due      to naturally occurring nutrition (dry / green grass).

· Results in  a 42 day (2 heat cycles) breeding season for high practical fertility. Such a timetable also coincides with maximum yearling heifer fertility.

The advantages of a 42 day breeding season are:

• Higher      practical fertility / profitability.

· Effective dry season rumen supplementation if required - if “Land Condition” is in a degraded state & in transition mode of good “Land Condition”

• Effective Selection.
• Easier and effective management.
• Effective AI. I have achieved 60% calves born within 2 weeks via partial      synchronization and AI.

Combine the above with a strategy of 4 month weaning and we have solved most of the current cow fertility problems. Retaining these progeny that are productive on grass. 

Not selected for:

1. Selection for absolute growth.

2. Selection for Feed Conversion “Efficiency”.

Grass Conversion Efficiency

· Energy input (feed) and energy output (meat) per kg are not the same.  

· The energy in feed is the same for all animals, but the energy concentration in the meat varies between individuals according to maturity / frame type.

· Lean bulls will produce lean cows that will have to be fed in order to be “productive”.

· Small frame animals have an unfair advantage and large frame animals are genetically handicapped.  All selection criteria should be positively correlated to Relative Intake.

Selecting For High Relative Intake

Inherent good Body Condition is the result of a high Relative Intake, an indicator of Grass Conversion Efficiency (GCE) and the major determinant of a good Immune System as well as Practical Fertility.

The following conclusions can be drawn:

1. The faster an individual grows, the more efficient the growth.

2. At the same growth rate, the smaller animal is more efficient.

3. Individuals of varying size have to grow in proportion to their size in order to be equally efficient.

4. Although individuals have to grow in proportion to their size in order to be equally efficient, they can’t eat in proportion to their size.

Conclusion is that grass / feed conversion efficiency is primarily determined by Relative Intake.

A grassland adapted genotype can also perform well on a feedlot ration, particularly if management manipulate frame size / body condition (backgrounding) prior to the feedlot phase. Livestock bred for grassland productivity can be efficiently fattened on a feedlot ration for the feedlot industry

However, livestock bred to perform in a feedlot will lose grassland productivity.

Relative Intake is dependent on:

1. Frame Size.  The smaller and heavier the better. Small frame, fast maturing animals are more efficient.

2. Climatic Adaptation.

3. Disease / Parasite Resistance.

4. Aggressive grazing behaviour.

To further increase Relative Intake 

· Good grazing management

To Increase Economical Sustainability

·  Unlike traditional cattle farming standards, Zietsman’s standards are based on profit per unit of land, (not profit per animal) a higher stocking rate and non-selective ultra-high-density grazing resulting in increased land condition (natural capital)

· Increase Stocking Rate. Stocking Rate is by far the most important determinant of profit. Grow more grass and harvest it efficiently and select from genetics under this management

· In terms of importance, fertility is second only to stocking rate in determining profitability.

· Increase Harvest Efficiency (Non-Selective Grazing UHDG).

· Increase Grass Conversion Efficiency (Fertility; Maturity Rate).

· Increase Relative Intake (good grazing management; effective rumen supplementation if “Land Condition” is in a degraded state & in transition mode of good “Land Condition”).

· Production in sync with naturally occurring nutrition. 

· Increase the value of the end product. Produce a low cost product/ low risk and add as much value as possible (seasonal price variation; low cost of production weight gain; genetic; consumer value)

· Livestock that don’t make genetic selection criteria provide highly necessary annual cash flow

Grassland or Veld Management

Johann tenant with regard to grasslands

• Cattle have a dual role – efficiently convert grass into healthy food & fibre (meat or milk) and improve the environment (Land Condition). In order to achieve this we need cattle with inherently good body condition (reflection of grass conversion efficiency and a requirement for a high degree of practical fertility) that have to be managed in order to attain maximum grass productivity and profit.

Non-selective, time-controlled grazing, in which 80 to 95 percent of the mass of all grasses and forbs are utilized, thus pruning plants back to their crowns, is the process by which grasslands are improved in both plant vigour and species composition. Plant species diversity is promoted by time-controlled severe grazing events, whereas selective, take half/portion leave half/portion grazing is much more limited in improving species diversity, even leading to species narrowing in some circumstances.

A common question many people want to ask is "What is the right size?"

That's the wrong question.

The answer should be cattle need to be the size that is the most reproductively efficient and effective on your operation and environment , preferably with high-stock-density grazing to regenerate the land and dramatically increase your production.

Further, we should always have been producing cattle based on reproductive- and environment-adapted factors, cattle that can get fat and reproduce on grass, plus cattle that have rapid growth within the appropriate frame size. This is not something we can learn or get from feedlot tests. Grain is not the same as grass. This is the graziers/rancher's job.

"The optimum size is when 90% of heifers calve at 2 years, achieve +90% reconception and wean calves 40-50% their own weight," Zietsman said.

How can you do this? Zietsman answered with these seven concepts.

1. Understand that there is a negative correlation between frame size and relative intake that is the determinant of grass conversion efficiency, body condition and practical fertility.

2. Do not confuse frame size and weight. We do not want tall cattle. We want cattle that are heavy relative to their frame size (8-in-5 packages). The smaller and heavier the better !

3. Genetic change comes through the bull. To identify a good bull you first need to identify a good cow. Culling cows has more economic than genetic value.

4. Only use exceptional bulls. Make a bull obsolete (use extensively) as quickly as possible. 

5. Use appropriate selection criteria. Do not worry about inbreeding. Concentrate desirable genes.

6. To progress we need drastic changes.

7. Do not become too clever. Forget about EPDs, genomics, etc.

8. The breeder's role is to accelerate natural selection.

Johann Zietsman says:

· that I think is critically correct is that reproduction is a survival trait, therefore it is highly heritable. If cattle fit their environment, they will be highly reproductive.

· There are only two ways to get good body condition, which we all know is critical to rebreeding success: Feed for it or breed for it. 

The choice is yours.

Pictures tell a thousand words. I recommend below links to Johann's website, book and video's for further understanding Zietsman's Profitable Ranching 

Link: 

https://www.regenerativeag.info  

 Johann's book: 

Man, Cattle, and Veld.

    During a session at the 2022 Wagyu Age conference in Melbourne, BEEF producers were warned about the dangers of selecting an increasingly large mature cow size.

American animal scientist Dr. Ken Olson From South Dakota State University, plotting how US industry has changed over the past 20 odd years, how cow size has increased, how it matches the size of the US cow herd, and the effects of weight on cow productivity Provided an explanation of how it has grown.

He said that in the 1960s-70s, the typical American breeding cow weighed 450-500 kg and was based Hereford. Starting in the 1980s, the industry became largely involved in crossbreeding, bringing in a number of terminal European breeds with great growth potential.

Another indicator was from the USDA ARS Germplasm Evaluation Program, which compared seven popular American breeds. This showed the average US cow size as of 2009 (environmental impact removed) was 630kg.

“There were differences in cow size between breeds, but all were grown,” he said.

 Link: 

https://nationworldnews.com/risks-in-selecting-overly-mature-cow-size-wagyu-conference-told-beef-central/

PCAS is an on-farm assurance program that supports raising claims relating to pasturefed or grassfed production methods. 

Underpinning PCAS are the standards which govern the on-farm feed requirements and traceability of the cattle as well as pre-slaughter handling practices which influence eating quality. 

The PCAS Standards also include two optional modules to support claims relating to freedom from antibiotics and hormone growth promotants (HGPs). 

What is Certified Pasturefed (PCAS)? 

Increasingly, consumers are demanding proof that products have been produced as claimed and are becoming more sensitive to treatments applied to meat animals. 

The Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System, or PCAS for short, is an assurance program that enables the industry to prove claims relating to pasturefed or grassfed production methods. 

Underpinning PCAS are the PCAS Standards which govern the on-farm feed requirements and traceability of the cattle as well as pre-slaughter handling practices which influence eating quality. The PCAS Standards also include two optional modules to support claims relating to the freedom from antibiotics and hormone growth promotants (HGPs).

 Link: 

https://pcaspasturefed.com.au