The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-26
SOUTH AMERICAN
MEAT INDUSTRY IS
GREAT ENTERPRISE
Finest of Beef Cattle Raised on
Alfalfa in Argentine, Uru-
quay and Other Republics.
Most of the Beef Shipped to
England and Sold for 8 to 9
Cents a Pound. Report Of
Government Expert.

! WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. u.s.
The stock raising and meat industries
of South America are well developed
and have large possibilities for future
extension, according to DR.. A D. Mel
vim, chief of the bureau OF animal In
dustry, who has returned from a tour
Of investigation made by direction of
the secretary OF agriculture.
! DR.. Melvin's trip included Argen-
tina, Uruguay and Brazil. In Argen-
tina he inspected ali of the estab-
lishments preparing beef for export
with the exception of one which was
not in operation at the time, and visit
ed several large ranches. He also at
tended the stock shows at Rosario
and Palermo, where many very nne
animals were exhibited. In Uruguay
he visited one of the two large estab~
lishments, the other not being in
operation In Brazil he visited Sac
Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. where
a fine municipal abattoir has recently
been completed at which all of the
Strengthening for that city is done
From Sac Paulo he went into the in
terror country.
Argentina and Uruguay are large
exporters OF beef and mutton. for
which Great Britain Is their princi-
pal customer Brazil. however, exports
no refrigerated beef. although 1t sup
plies Central America and Cuba with
a considerable quantity Of cured beef
known as "tasajo" or "1erKed beef.
While statistics show that Argen-
tina rs utready starg h.ertf,g up tie the
limit of It's present stock of cattle,
DR., Melvin WAS impressed with the
great resources OF that country for
cattle raising and believes that IT Will
be possible for the stock raisers to
bring about large increase in the
meat output II present prices are
maintained.
The cattle slaughtered for export
In Argentina. DIR. Melvin says, are fed
no grain whatever. but are raised and
fattened entirely on alfalfa pastures.
For the most part the cattle ara high
grade stock. the predominatlng breed
being the Durham, with the Hereford
ranking second and the Polled Angus
third in number. The alfalfa pastures
are capable of supporting many more
cattle than are the native camps or
unhroken country. In a general way
I the cattle raisers estimate on l-2
acres OF pasture per head for growing
cattle, and 8 to 3 liz acres fer fatten-
ing cattle. These pastures support the
cattle the year round without any fur
Their feeding except in occasional times
of drouth or invasion of locusts.
Alfalfa, he says. is not being grown
nearly as extensively as IL could be.
The extension OF its growth, he thinks,
will depend very largely upon the
prices that the cattle raisers receive
for their cattle. Because OF present
satisfactory prices the tendency now
is to convert the grain lands into al
falfa pastures. AS cattle raising is n
much more certain enterprise than
grain growing, the people prefer TO
raise cattle when the prices are re-
imunerative.
LAT tn time OF my visit" says DR..
Melvin, cattle that dressed $40
pounds were sold for $74.S0 gold, This
grade of Argentine beef. which is OF
very high quality, is selling in Eng
land for from to 3 cents a pound
Wholesale. Besides the price received
for the meat there Is a considerable
return from the hide and the offai.
and since the entrance of American
packers into the South American trade
these by-products are being carefully
prepared ana utilized.
"A very high quality Of mutton Is
also produced In the Argentine, but
at the time of my visit shipments were
scarce, on account of the floods. which
were quite prevalent in sections of
the province of Buenos Ayres and far
Their south
/ Argentina for many years has been
importing the best breeding cattle and
sheep from Great Britain, and today
has some of the finest types in the
world. Uruguay has good grade of
live stock but they are not equal TO
thes cattle in the alfalfa region OF
| Argentina
Or. Melvin reports that the federal
governments of both Argentina and
Uruguay maintain veterinary inspec-
ton at all of the establishments ex-
/ porting fresh beef. These establish
I ments are known as .frigorificos.
United States packing firms own four
OF the large plants in these two coun-
tries. and the competition between
them and the native firms Is keen.
English capital Is also invested in sew
eral of the establishments
Municipal abattoirs with official In
spection are maintained very gem
orally at all Of the South American
cities Of any importance, and in this
respect these countries are ahead OF
the United States. Usually these
abattoirs are owned by the munich
palities, which conduct the slaughter
ing and provide the inspectors, charg-
ling fees for the service.
The cattle of Brazil, DIR. Melvin
says, are not Of such good quality as
those of Argentina and Uruguay and
the stock is largely mixed with the
zebu Or East Indian cattle. This
strain OF blood is very readily seen
In most Of the Brazilian cattle.
l tVnD frvnu