p 1 . an honest Peso, Argentine
South Amencan agriculture
L . O competition worth worrying
IConnmud from f»»« 571 breeding herd of about 2000 The cash grain farmers about.
head of cows plus another have no price incentive to We think we have inflation
2000 feeder cattle of all ages, encourage them to use here in the USA. Well,
Argentine beef 1s not grass fertilizer or lime. The Argentina has it to on extent
fed as we have supposed, but average pH is 55, so they we haven't dreamed of yet.
may be said to be range fed, could benefit by using lime During the few days we
which means they arc grown but they claim that there is spent in Argentina, the value
and fattened on a variety of no economic advantage to of the Peso varied from 2to
green crops including native use lime, phosphorus or to 270 for one United States
grasses, alfalfa, sorghums, potash on field crops. The dollar. We could buy many
weeping lovegrass, and even only element used in Argentine products such as
com which is pastured in the quantity is nitrogen. leather goods (handbags,
pre-dough stage. The beef we There is a lot of grumbling shoes) for one-third to one
had in Argentina was some and discontent among far* fifth their cost here,
of the best I’ve ever eaten, mers and farm leaders Argentinians were very
They like to serve steak concerning the Peronist friendly to us and were
twice a day -in fact, steak is government. Leadership is anxious to have us un
considered a “convenience" ineffective and extremely derstand their predicament,
meal just like we might corrupt and agriculturists in Argentina is a potentially
serve hamburger. Argentina claim openly that very rich nation but will
Cash crops grown in the any kind of government never realize their economic
Pampas region include com, would be better than the one goals until they achieve a
soybeans, sunflowers and they have - even a strong, staple government,
grain sorghum. There was a benevolent dictator if need The state of Santa Fe has
widespread drought over the be. Agriculture is Argen- its own A.I. Bull Stud at
entire Pampas this summer, tina’s major industry but has Venado tuerto. They own
(October to April in the not been recognized by the sons of some of the most
Southern Hemisphere) Peronist regime. My ob- popular Holstein Sires in
resulting in only 60 percent servation is that, given Canada and the United
of a normal com crop. favorable incentives to make States. They are also using
Brahma and Zebu sires for
their resistance to the heat
and insects. They import
semen only as needed to
produce the special matings
for their own breeding stock.
Telephone service in the
Pampas region is very bad
and radio is unreliable at
certain times. So carrier
pigeons are used to send a
message to the Bull Center
when a cow is to be bred.
Each fanner uses a coded
leg band for identification
and pigeons return to the
Bull Center within two hours
after release. They claim
that it is the most reliable
Argentina
The vast Pampas region of
Argentina has the potential
to produce several times its
present volume of farm
produce. We spent several
days around the city of
Venadotuerto, right in the
heart of the Pampas region.
One of our visits was to the
3000 hectare (7400 acre)
Estancla (ranch) called
"Las Molles." Imagine a
perfectly flat farm with
topsoil three to four feet
deep, that Is three miles wide
and miles long! The farm
employs 23 workers, many of
whom are the very colorful
"Gauchos" with their broad
sombreros, baggy pan
taloons, high boots, and
silver-spangled belt which
holds a long knife and a
bolero, which is a short rope
with a ball on each end used
to snare runaway calves.
This ranch featured a beef
Beef Cattlemen
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istable Stand
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SOLD & SERVICED BY:
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method of communication
they have found to get the job
done. The keeper of the
pigeons at the AI. Bull
Center told us that the only
problem they have Is that
occasionally a hawk will
capture a pigeon and the
message is lost
Brazil is a continent in
itself, stretching over 3000
miles from north to south,
and nearly as far from east
to west. The population is
largely centered around the
great cities along the coast.
Porto Alegre in the south is a
vast, sprawling coastal city
in the heart of picturesque,
rolling and unbelievably
steep hillside farms. We
visited the grape growing
area north of the city and
toured a winery at Caxias Do
Sul. The area was colonized
nearly 200 years ago by
Italians and Germans, who
brought their skills along
from Europe. They maintain
many of their old traditional
ways of life and were very
proud to share their folklore -
and their wines - with the
visiting North Americans.
Our host for one day was
Hans Weissheuner, a dairy
farmer of German descent,
who lives about 60 lon (37
miles) north of Porto Alegre.
He is up-grading a herd of
Holsteins with bull semen
imported from the USA. We
saw some beautiful
daughters of Astronaut,
Ivanhoe Star and Gay Ideal.
Hans has visited the United
States and purchased cattle
from several central Penn
sylvania Holstein Breeders.
One unfortunate Penn
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to the bottom of each flite
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No. 001-0040 chain only
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717-272-0871
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 13.1976
Brazil
high
Also
Assembly
sylvania heifer failed to
breed, .so It wan slaughtered
and barbecued for our
dinner'
When we arrived in Rio dc
Janeiro our group was
delighted to learn that Henry
Kissinger had also Just
arrived and was staying at
the Rio-Shcraton Hotel
where we were also staying
Most of us saw him enter or
leave the hotel lobby and
some even shook hands with
bun. He took note of our
Pcople-To-Pcople badge -
hope he realized that wt
were also on a good will
mission to South America.
There is very little
agriculture around Rio - just
spectacular mountains of
solid granite Jutting out of
the ram-forest jungle. The
city itself is a modem,
sparkling jewel mounted in a
setting of silvery lagoons and
coastal inlets gouged out of
granite by the sea. The
jewel, however, is flawed by
numerous shantytowns on
the hills above the city.
Thousands of people keep
moving into the city from the
hinterlands with no job, nc
money and no talent so they
squat on the hills and live in
filthy tin huts. Every great
city has problems and this ii
Rio’s greatest
Oar last stop in South
America was the great, new
city of Brazilia. Only U
years old it was complete!}
planned and built as tlu
Capital of Brazil. It is i
completely utilitariar
metropolis with wide
boulevards, many parks anc
functional but beautiful
buildings, many of which
were designed by architect
Oscar Neimeyer. To en
courage agriculture
[Continued on Page 62]
Set the
stage with
fertilizer
now.
More yield, more
money when you
apply pre-plant
fertilizer Fertilizing
before you plant
promotes healthy, hard}
seedlings, and you
avoid costly plantmg
time delays
Get the jump and
get higher yield at
harvest
Stop in and see us
soon, or phone right
away We’ll be glad to
arrange a complete
pre-plant “oackage”—
including soil testing,
fertilizer recommen
dations and custom
application
We want
to help.
AgricoQ}
Farm Center
Seed,
Pesticides
Limestone
Spreading
Service
Rt 100 & Race St
Macungie. PA
215-967-3215
59