3 Day Adapted Genetics & Grazing Course

[Joe Hopping]

Hopping Brothers Livestock will be hosting a 3 Day Adapted Genetics & Grazing Course August 14th - 16th at Coweta, Oklahoma with Johann Zietsman of Zimbabwe and Jim Elizondo of Mexico/Florida as instructors. The course will place a big emphasis on Adapted Livestock Genetics and the Creation of Adapted Composites. High Stock Density Grazing will also be covered. The cost is $595 per person with a second person or relative from the same farm or ranch receiving a $150 discount. Lunch will be provided all 3 days. Course time will be spent in the classroom and daily trips will be made to the Hopping Brothers farm at Porter where they are implementing High Density Grazing and are running 200 cattle and 700 hair ewes and their lambs at this time. They are also working with Johann to develop a Veldmaster Composite like he created in Africa with Mashona bulls and Foundation Bred Beefmaster females as a base.

Adapted Livestock Genetics is the future of the North American Cattle Industry and this course has more to offer than any other on the subject at this time. For more information visit http://www.Hoppinglivestock.com or contact Joe Hopping at 918-637-5590 or via email at [email protected].

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Think I will pass. Seems a little pricey to me.

 

[WalnutCrest]

I went to one last year.

Made me do some good thinking all year long.

 

[andybob]

I would have attended if I was still in the USA, Johann developed the high density grazing system which on its' own is worth the cost of the course, his input into the development of Alan Savorys' Holistic management has been acknowledged by many as some of the most important information for the serious cattleman.
With many ranchers making the shift from grain based herd to forage based, the change in selection of phenotype is important whether within an existing breed, or developing a tailored composite for the specific environment of the ranch, Johann has been breeding adapted cattle since the 70's and has a reputation for breeding outstanding adapted cattle both on his own ranch and in many programs he mentors in vastly differing environments. The early influence of both Tom Lasater and Prof Jan Bonsma in Johann's approach to developing functional cattle is apparent in his approach to his selection.
WalnutCrest, the Aubrac breeders were impressed enough to have invited Johann out for his first USA lectures last year, he made a memorable impression on those I had feedback from afterwards, and as a result there is still input in this tour from some Aubrac breeders who feel the information needs to be more widely taught.

 

[KNERSIE]

Over the span of a few years his ideas resulted in trainwrecks everywhere it was tried in SA.

 

[JWBrahman]

Kansas State University used to sell excellent pasture and grazing management videos for $19.95
Everything we do is based on their system. Some people may be familiar with the old phrase Take Half Leave Half, that came from KSU.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Over the span of a few years his ideas resulted in trainwrecks everywhere it was tried in SA.

Was it the ideas that caused the trainwrecks?

Or, maybe a lack of consistency in the implementation of the ideas?

Or, maybe the quality of the people actually doing the implementation?

Not every idea works for every person. I'm not sure Warren Buffet would have made as much money if he had spent his whole career day-trading ... but, there are some guys who do more than adequately well by day-trading their whole career.

Just curious what your assessment would be as to the cause of the problems you witnessed. And, if it was the ideas that were the problem, were there any ideas that you thought worth carrying on?

 

[Joe Hopping]

If someone has problems with what Johann is advocating it would have to do with their lack of understanding of the way to apply his concepts. The use of Livestock Genetics that are adapted to their environment and a Grazing Program that mimics nature makes sense and will work anywhere that livestock are raised - for it's nature's way. It's when they are not used is when the problems come about and must be offset with crutches for unadapted animals and costly inputs to help with land degradation.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I take it you have years of experience with his methods??

 

[Joe Hopping]

Yes. We've used "managed grazing" for 25 years with both cattle and hair sheep. At one time our grazing was more of a rotation where the animals were moved every few days to new pasture and now it has evolved to where they are moved daily if not several times a day to fresh pasture as Johann advocates. Johann was the first to put it all together - adapted animals being grazed at high stock densities where the animals assume a dual role of turning grass into meat and at the same time improving the land on which they graze. The animals do all the work and costly inputs are no longer needed - no equipment, commercial fertilizer, weed spraying, etc. It takes time and management but we'd much rather be moving portable fencing than having to work a job in town to support our "hobby" - but to each their own.