Sustainable Stock: Reviving Legacy Genetics

Episode 29: Profit Per Acre and Practical Fertility with Johann Zietsman 
-Full video episode available on YouTube-
Bigger cattle. More inputs. Lower fertility. Slower progress.
If that sounds familiar, this conversation challenges what “better” cattle and “good” management have come to mean.
In this episode, Patrick Powers is joined by Johann Zietsman, a world-renowned cattleman, grazing consultant, and author of Man, Cattle and Veld. With decades of experience across Africa, the United States, and South America, his work bridges academic theory and real-world application.
At the center of this conversation is a shift most of the industry has avoided.
Stop selecting for maximum production per animal. Start selecting for maximum sustainable profit per hectare.
From there, we dig into how the industry got here.
Feedlot-driven selection pushed larger framed, later maturing cattle, and over time that shift has worked against grass efficiency, body condition, and practical fertility in real-world conditions.
Zietsman breaks down efficiency through relative intake, hormonal balance, and early maturity, and explains why fertility, when understood correctly, is far more heritable than most have been led to believe.
The conversation also touches on what that loss of fertility actually costs.
Longer generation intervals. Increased reliance on inputs. Slower progress that compounds over time.
From there, the focus shifts to the land.
We walk through ultra high density grazing, the impact of portable electric fencing, and why non selective grazing, when managed correctly, can improve both land and livestock faster than most expect.
We also discuss composites, selecting the right individuals within breeds, and why chasing EPDs can increase the accuracy of the wrong criteria.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/bnwszEXy-Lc
Purchase Man, Cattle and Veld by Johann Zietsman:
English Edition: Available on Amazon
Spanish Edition:  Available on Amazon
Check out Bos Sires:
https://www.bossires.com/
If this episode made you think differently about efficiency, fertility, or what it really takes to build cattle that last, share it with someone who is willing to question the direction we have been headed.
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Episode 28: The Next Steps in Herd Improvement with Hays Boyd 
-Full video episode available on YouTube-
What separates cattle that look good from cattle that actually hold up?
In this episode, Patrick Powers sits down with Hays Boyd of Backbone Ranch to walk through his recent trip across Australia, sharing photos, stories, and the cattle behind them.
From ranch to ranch across Victoria, New South Wales, and Western Australia, one thing kept showing up. Consistency. Cattle that looked alike, performed alike, and held together over time. Fertile, sound cows still raising calves well into years most herds have already culled them out.
But alongside that consistency, there was also variation. Even within the same breed, producers are selecting in different directions. Different environments, different expectations, and different ideas of what “good” looks like continue to shape the cattle.
Hays focused on programs that aligned with his values, but didn’t take anything at face value. Larger cattle, different types, and traits that could add value all came into view, but only if they could hold up under pressure without increasing inputs or sacrificing what already works.
That mindset shows up clearly when evaluating a standout bull from the trip. Not based on how he looked or how he was presented, but in questioning how he would perform if taken out of ideal conditions and made to work. It is a reminder that true evaluation happens under pressure, not in comfort.
From there, the conversation turns practical.
We discuss hard culling, tightening up the bottom end, and building herd consistency without losing the foundation that already works. The balance between older genetics and modern expectations is explored, along with the importance of knowing when to push forward and when to step back before progress turns into regression.
At its core, this episode comes back to consistency, what it takes to build it, and why most herds never quite get there.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/r9dJ9DOtysk
Connect with Hays Boyd and Backbone Ranch:
https://www.facebook.com/backbone.ranch.murray.greys
Check out Bos Sires:
https://www.bossires.com/
If this episode made you think differently about consistency, selection pressure, or what it really means to evaluate cattle, share it with someone who is open to questioning the status quo.
Follow or subscribe so you do not miss the next episode.

Episode 27: Volatile Markets, Reliable Cattle with Chengetai Mukosera 
-Full video episode available on YouTube-
What happens when unstable markets force you to rethink what actually holds value?
In this episode, we sit down with Chengetai Mukosera of Zimbabwe, an accountant turned cattleman who entered the industry with spreadsheets and theory, only to have real world conditions reshape his entire approach. 
Starting with Simbrah in a commercial system, Chengetai quickly began noticing a pattern. Taller, later maturing cattle struggled to hold condition, delayed reproduction, and required more input to maintain. Meanwhile, moderate framed, adapted cattle were quietly outperforming them where it mattered most, fertility, efficiency, and survival under pressure.
From there, the conversation turns practical.
We discuss selection for fertility, visual indicators like sexual dimorphism, and how environmental pressure, from seasonal forage swings to tick load, forces honest decisions. In a system where inputs are limited, cattle either function or they do not.
As Boran cattle began outperforming in his environment, Chengetai redefined what improvement meant. Not more growth, but less work. Not bigger cattle, but better cattle.
We also touch on the loss of local Mashona genetics, the push toward larger carcasses, and the long term consequences of selecting for market signals instead of biological function.
At its core, this episode highlights a simple reality.
Profit is not created at the market. It is built into the cow, and lives in the herd.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/UcZFkN4cLfM
Connect with Chengetai Mukosera:
X: https://x.com/klipranch?s=21&t=T2a19esiA2vgW3u2WTBRBg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057225319905
Check out Bos Sires:
https://www.bossires.com/
If this episode made you think differently about fertility, adaptation, or profitability, share it with someone who is open to questioning the status quo.
Follow or subscribe so you do not miss the next episode.

Episode 26: The Gap Between Function and the Show Ring
-Full video episode available on YouTube-
What happens when the traits rewarded in the show ring drift away from the traits that keep cattle productive in the pasture?
In this episode, Patrick Powers is joined by Grant Vassberg and John Atkinson to discuss Grant’s recent trip to Thailand, where he judged cattle and got a firsthand look at how show ring priorities influence breeding decisions.
The experience sparked a broader conversation about how selection pressure shapes cattle populations over time. When breeding decisions begin to prioritize appearance, trends, or marketing, the traits that matter most in the pasture such as fertility, efficiency, structural soundness, and longevity can slowly fall out of focus.
From there, the discussion widens to examples from around the world including the Philippines, Brazil, and Australia, where industry incentives and breeding trends have pushed cattle in very different directions. Again and again, the same pattern appears. When selection pressure moves away from biological function, producers often end up compensating with more inputs, more management, and lower overall fertility, ultimately draining profit from the operation.
At its core, this episode explores the growing gap between what is rewarded in the show ring and what actually works in real production environments.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/1m3iNCWaVMg
Check out Bos Sires:
https://www.bossires.com/
If this episode made you think differently about function, fertility, or how selection pressure shapes cattle, share it with someone who is open to questioning the status quo.
Follow or subscribe so you do not miss the next episode.

Episode 25: Panama’s Fertility Paradox with Roderick Murray
-Full video episode available on YouTube-
What happens when a country selects cattle for trophies instead of calves?
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Roderick Murray to unpack hard numbers, hard lessons, and a practical path back to fertility and profitability on grass. Drawing from herd-level observations and long-term production data, we discuss why birth rates have remained stuck between 35 and 60 percent, why age at first calving has stretched past 42 months, and why steers often take more than three years to finish, even as nutrition and management improved.
Roderick explains how a 1990s push for larger frames and heavier carcasses, reinforced by show ring culture and a government backed sire program, unintentionally selecting for later maturity, contributed to cattle that struggle outside high input systems. The result has been declining fertility, calving challenges, udder issues, and animals that perform well on paper but fall short under real pasture conditions.
We also talk about what is changing. Research and producer herds in Panama are re evaluating local Creole genetics for early maturity, fertility, and adaptation, then using thoughtful crossbreeding, including Nelore, to improve reproduction and calf vigor without increasing inputs.
The solution is not always imported. Often, it is already adapted to the environment and available right in your backyard.
If you care about cattle that work where they live, this conversation offers data, perspective, and a clear look at how incentives shape outcomes.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/SCPLPJD5t48
Connect with Dr. Roderick Murray:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roderickagm
Check out Bos Sires:
https://www.bossires.com/
If this episode made you think differently about fertility, genetics, or how incentives shape outcomes, share it with someone who is open to questioning the status quo. These conversations spread one producer at a time.
Follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode.