Hooves of Hope: The Role of Our Cattle Herd in Land and Community Restoration

Regenerating Earth: Stories from Dimbangombe Conservancy

Dear Friends of Dimbangombe,

Do you know how a herd of cattle can become heroes in the fight against desertification, climate change, and community struggles? At ACHM, our cattle aren’t just livestock—they’re nature’s partners, driving a regenerative revolution at Dimbangombe. If you’re familiar with holistic management, you’ll love this peek into our unique Cattle Management Policy—and why it’s so inspiring for our shared mission!

What’s So Cool About Our Cattle Herd?

Nature’s Tractors in Action: Our herd of around 400 mainly Nguni and Mashona cattle—local breeds perfectly suited to our soils—work like natural “tractors.” Their hooves break up hard soil, their dung enriches the earth for new plants, and their grazing sparks lush growth, reversing desertification and locking carbon into the earth to fight climate change.

No Fences, Just Genius: Forget fences! Our herders guide the cattle daily across land divisions marked by rivers, ridges, and valleys, following a plan set months ahead. This mimics wild herds, preventing overgrazing and creating space for wildlife to thrive alongside them.

Our close friend and ally, Sanjay Soekhoe has been working on a documentary film about Fences, and the troubles that they bring, and we are delighted to show you the latest trailer of this epic film! Do follow Sanjay, and keep up to date with his wonderful work!

Tough and Independent: We’ve closed our herd—which means no new bulls allowed—to breed cattle that thrive without extra feed, minimal meds, or supplements. Using a ranking system, we rank cows as “A” or “B.” Only “A” cows—those producing a healthy calf every November/December naturally—stay to breed, ensuring a herd perfectly adapted to our environment.

The A and B Herd: A Natural Selection Story: Here’s where it gets really interesting! We divide our cows into two groups: “A” cows and “B” cows.

“A” cows are the superstars—consistently producing a quality calf each year during our planned calving season without any help.

“B” cows are still learning, but they can become “A” cows if they meet the same standard.

If a cow misses a calf or struggles to raise one, she’s culled (removed from the herd) to keep the herd strong and self-sufficient. We cull about 20% of the cow herd annually, prioritizing those that don’t produce or rear a calf, have poor calves, or calve too late in the season. This natural selection process ensures our herd gets tougher, healthier, and perfectly suited to Dimbangombe—without relying on outside inputs.

Minimal Magic: We avoid heavy interventions, using natural processes where we can, preserving beneficial relationships like oxpeckers and bugs like dung beetles. This keeps our cattle healthy and the ecosystem balanced.

Community Champions: Our herders, with their deep land knowledge, are the heart of this work, managing the herd and helping locals with their learning journey. Their daily care ensures the herd restores land while boosting local livelihoods—building social and economic resilience.

Curious Questions, Simple Answers

You might wonder how our approach works—or why it’s different. Here’s what people often ask us, especially those new to cattle management:

• “Why keep bulls with the herd year-round?”
  It’s genius! Keeping bulls year-round cuts management costs, reduces herd stress, and leads to better grazing patterns. It speeds up land regeneration, boosts forage production, and increases profitability—plus, it’s how cattle naturally live across Africa. No need for old traditions of removing bulls!

• “Aren’t you worried about inbreeding by using only your own bulls?”
  Not at all! We’re not inbreeding without selection—nature does the heavy lifting. Think of water buffalo in Australia or rats on islands: small groups thrived with natural culling. Our selective breeding ensures a hardy, healthy herd adapted to our environment.

• “Why not bring in ‘better’ bulls from outside?”
  We could, but that risks undoing our work. New bulls bring 50% new genes from cows bred to need supplements—not our goal. We’re building a herd that thrives unaided, perfectly suited to Dimbangombe’s unique conditions.

Why This Matters to You and Our Planet: These simple steps aren’t just innovative —they’re transforming Dimbangombe’s landscape and lives. Healthier soil and grasslands means more food, stronger communities, and a shield against climate shocks. It’s a win for people, wildlife, and the earth!

Holistic Hooves: Walk With Us on This Journey

Want to dive deeper and be part of this story? Our Holistic Hooves platform lets you sponsor a cow, connecting you to the heartbeat of our work:

• Follow the Impact: Track your animal’s role in regenerating land, boosting biodiversity, and supporting communities through our app and updates.

• Learn and Grow: Discover how our cattle battle desertification, mitigate climate change, and build resilience—guided by our herders’ wisdom and science-backed tools like Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV).

• Be a RegenRanger: Your sponsorship grows our herd, expands our impact, and proves holistic management can heal the world. Share your journey with #ACHMRegenRanger and join a global movement!

• Earn Credits redeemable against visits at Dimbangombe, to use against Training Courses or to gift to others to help them in their holistic management journey!

Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to our mission, sponsoring through Holistic Hooves links you to Dimbangombe’s regeneration. Together, let’s turn every hoofstep into hope for a sustainable, resilient future.

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.

Warm regards,

Lao Watson-Smith
Africa Centre for Holistic Management (ACHM)
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
achmonline.org

---