Johann Zietsman - Non Selective Grazing.pdf

ANIMAL IMPACT and NON-SELECTIVE GRAZING for SOIL and VELD IMPROVEMENT

Johann Zietsman

GOAL: MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE PROFIT / ha

1.

UHDG

2.

VELD PRODUCTIVE GENOTYPE

3.

CALVING ON GREEN GRASS

4.

ENHANCING RUMEN FUNCTION

CONTROL

CONTROL

CONTROL

CONTROL

CONTROL

MANAGEMENT VARIABLES 1. Stock Density Impact / Grazing Severity 2. Recovery Time Nutrition / Grass Vigour 3. Timing 4. Drought Reserve

STOCK DENSITY ULTRA HIGH

HIGH

IMPACT

IMPACT BEFORE / AFTER

NON-SELECTIVE GRAZING

NON-SELECTIVE GRAZING

ENVIRONMENTS differ in terms of NUTRITION LOW QUALITY

HIGH QUALITY

TIME - NUTRITION

TIME – GRASS VIGOUR (Vigorous “overgrazed” plant)

Must “overgrazing” be avoided at all costs ? GRAZING is POSITIVE DUNG URINE MICROBES SOIL AERATION SALIVA ?????

TIME - GRASS VIGOUR NON-SELECTIVE “OVERGRAZING”

RECOVERY / DROUGHT RESERVE

NON-SELECTIVE GRAZING results in POORER BODY CONDITION MANAGEMENT and BREEDING PRACITICES have to COUNTERACT this EVERYTHING in cattle breeding and management revolves around body condition

COUNTER MEASURES: 1. INHERENT BODY CONDITION 2. CALVE on GREEN GRASS 3. EFFECTIVE RUMEN SUPPLEMENTS 4. EARLY (4/5 months) WEANING 5. APPROPRIATE GRAZING MANAGEMENT

1. INHERENT BODY CONDITION (same “BREED”) LATE MATURING FEEDLOT ADAPTED

EARLY MATURING VELD ADAPTED

INHERENT BODY CONDITION

THE PROBLEM IS: Modern “Scientific” Breeding THE SOLUTION IS: “Unimproved” Genetics Accelerated Natural Selection

WHOLLY INDIGENOUS BREED COMPOSITES

INDIGENOUS BREED COMPOSITE

INDIGENOUS BREED COMPOSITE

2. CALVE on GREEN GRASS

3. EFFECTIVE RUMEN SUPPLEMENTS UREA / DEGRADABLE PROTEIN MINERALS PROBIOTIC POLYETHILENE GLYCOL (PEG)

Effective Rumen Supplement increases Digestion and Intake

4. EARLY WEANING Calves weaned at 4 months Calves more efficient Dry cows need less feed Cows calve in better body condition

5. APPROPRIATE GRAZING MANAGEMENT

FRESH GRASS (frequent moves) SHORT RECOVERY (non-selective “overgrazing”)

BODY CONDITION (SR X4)

CATTLE are essential for SUSTAINABLE VELD and CROPLAND MANAGEMENT

SOIL SURFACE CONDITIONS determine ECOSYSTEM HEALTH CAPPED SURFACE

COVERED

EARTHWORMS

GROWTH STIMULATION and NUTRIENT CYCLING SEVERE GRAZING

SEVERE BROWSING

GRASS ESTABLISHMENT DUNG

IMPACT

DENSE GRASS COVER KAROO BUSH/ GRASS

TREES / GRASS COMBINATION

GENERALLY speaking a stocking rate increase of DOUBLE to QUADRUPLE can be expected

DRAMATIC FENCELINE CONTRAST (Chihuahua, Mexico)

FENCELINE CONTRAST NEIGHBOUR CONVENTIONAL GRAZING

RANCHO CARRETAS UHDG

STOCKING RATE INCREASE TREATMENT

10 MONTHS LATER

WHAT IS NATURAL ? Not much of the World is Natural We have to create Agricultural Systems that MIMIC NATURE

When clearing an environment such as this for crops / pasture we have to MIMIC the original ECOSYSTEM

TREES essential for SOIL FERTILITY ACACIA POLYACANTHA

PANICUM MAXIMUM under ACACIA POLYACANTHA

TREES – soil fertility / grass

Grass / Tropical Legume 14 Years Old / 1.25 LAU per ha

We have to be very creative in terms of the plants we use and in how we use them

Desmodium subsericeum (Tropical Legume)

Panicum maximum 6 weeks growth

Trifolium burchelianum 1.5 m x 15 cm

Crown Vetch (Aliwal North / Burgersdorp)

Lucerne / Smuts Finger (Lindley, Free State)

Perennial Peanut / Desmodium mix

Leucaeana lucocephela (Tropics)

Carragana arboresence (Temperate climate)

INTEGRATING TREES with PASTURES and CROPS

We understand the principles of sustainable / regenerative livestock (and crop) production In regard to cattle we can, at the least, DOUBLE profit sustainably

WHAT is holding farmers back ?

1. Agricultural Institutions, in general, are a BIG problem 2. The human mind is enigmatic: (a) Afraid of making mistakes (b) Comfort zone (c) Become accustomed to mediocrity (d) Looking for recipes

THANK YOU May you find the pot of gold at the end of the RAINBOW