The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-18
MEXICAN CATTLE BUSINESS.

Consul William w, Canada Of Vera
Cruz contributes review OF the con-
ditions in the gulf region Of Mexico
for cattle raising, which will prove of
| interest to western stockmen.
The breeding and fattening of cat
tie is a business Offering large and
quick returns on the capital invested"
says the consul. "but has been al
most entirely overlooked By Ameri-
cans seeking investment in the state
OF Vera Cruz. Large investments
have been made in the interior Of the
republic and with satisfactory res
suits to the investor in every instance,
yet nothing has been done here, where
better conditions obtain and better re-
suits are possible than in any other
part of Mexico.
I'm almost all parts of the interior
the frequent long droughts with short
age OF pasturage and the still greater
danger OF Lack Of water are serious
matters to be taken into account in
the consideration of a cattle PROPOSE
tion on the central table lands Years
may pass without loss to the cattle
man IN the higher attitudes, bat
the profits of years are liable to be
wiped out In a single bad year. Dis.
eases of different natures are of fire.
quent occurrence in the interior
which add to the insecurity of invest
ments. In the state OF Vera Cruz.
however. droughts are unknown in
any sense that implies risk to the cat
tie breeder. while the region Is sim
gularly exempt from diseases of cat
tie
THE entire coast region, extending
from ocean level up into the foothills
to an altitude of about 2. 900 feet, Of
fers almost ideal conditions for breed
ing and fattening cattle for the mar
kets of the republic, especially Yuca-
tan and also the Cuban market. On
the low plains of the coast native
grasses furnish abundant pasturage
the year round. and lean cattle on
these plains are rarely seen.
Carefully selected lands, which can
he secured In large or small tracts,
may be obtained at from SO to 81 Unit
ed States currency, per acre. A
range, to offer the best conditions,
should be selected so as to include
some low plain and some hilly land,
running up some hundreds Of feet
above set level.
"Tne cattle business. In order to give
quick returns, requires here, as in the
dry regions a heavy investment Ten
thousand acres Of land would require
an outlay Of from $4,000 to S65 900
| United States currency. To stock a
range OF this size ut once Will also
require large capital. The returns
on such an investment. of course
| would be proportionatelyS great, and
within about six months from the time
of making 1t.
The stockman can secure native
cattle from three to four years old up
in the interior, the state OF Hidalgo
and San Luis Potosl, at from $50 to
| $3.50 per head. and drive them over
land to his pastures. In most cases
the prices will cover all costs Of driv-
ing the cattle to Vera Cruz In the
luxuriant pastures Of tho moist lower
levels the lean cattle will take on flesh
very rapidly and within ten months
afterwards Will be worth on the range
from SIS to $50 mead.
"Why Vera Cruz should have been
so long overlooked by those interested
in the cattle business seems very
strange. 1t is time that the advan-
tageous conditions for the cattle bus
mess were made known TO American
investors rather tnan that attention
should be centered on rubber and
other tropical farming which at best
are matters Of long waiting for re-
turns; especially putting money in ba-
mana plantations, where 1t is a ques-
ton OF how to get them to a market"