DAIRYING IN ARGENTINA.

Shannon News, 28 August 1925, Page 4

DAIRYING IN ARGENTINA.

NOT: MAKING. MUCH PROGRESS. "The competition the Argentine is j offering New Zealand is certainty a great question. We.have to,improve our stock to be the best, dairying country, in the world and to hold ouf place. The Argentine is a wonder« ful country, but while they are making treemndous efforts in publicity work, I am of opinion that dairying is not going ahead there as many people expect, because they have not the type of men to milk cattle-or run machines. But if beef, their main product, went down in price, and they had to turn to dairying, they would wipe us off the face of the map."

Thus spoke Mr C. E. Robertson, official stud stock selector for Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co., who has just returned from an extended tour of the United States, the Argentine and Canada, and who gave an address at the annual smoke concert at the Breeders* Club last evening of the New Zealand Ayrshire Cattle Breeders' Association.

"Land is obtainable there the very best—at £lB an acre, and labour at 2/9 a day, and with this they will be able to do much," continued >the speaker. "We in New Zealand must look to the improvement of our, herds and our methods to compete with: this great country, which, is, so : much nearer the Home markets than we are." Dairying in Primitive State. Mr Robertson, prefaced his remarks by explaining the methods of beef production, and- dairying in, the 1 Argentine, stating that the lands • there were all under companies with I English or American capital. The first dairy factory was started by a, I New Zealander, a brother of Mr Richard Reynolds, of Cambridge, and who now ran 14,000 milking Shorthorns. There was no such, thing in the country as co-operation, the holdings being run by "big men," and, for one to have a 10,000 acre farm was to be just on the very lowest rung of the ladder. Some had as big a herd as 200,000 breeding cows, and turning, out 1000, stud bulls a year in beef. It was a beef cattle country entirely, steers there being the most valuable property in season. Dairying was in a primitive state, the trouble being, the labour, question. Immigrants were not only swarming there, but they were being invited by any means, though nevertheless, it was. found that they were not the type that was required, those from Southern Europe going in for cropping on shares, for which the country was admirably suited. Successes of Sheep.

"Sheep are doing very well in Argentine," went on Mr, Robertson. "The New Zealand Lincoln is a suitable type, being much more economical in type of flesh than the English strain, which is too coarse. We ar # e trying to get Romneys into the country, while Corriedale are also getting a footing. However, I do not think we-are going to make much headway there with our smaller breeds."

In the United States, taking the cattle all over, they are not as con T sistently good as New Zealand but in a vast country like that there are many beasts we would like to have, and which would do us good; There has been a great deal of money sent out of this country that has not brought us any good. It is better to get the best, or failing that, to develop our own lines." In America to-day, he said, it was a popular hobby, for the wealthy man to have a country house and go in for pedigree stock. The undertaking was conducted on magi? flcent scale, but whole scope of thing was ridiculous, tn our point of view Hundreds of children in the country were starving, said Mr Robertson, yet each of these calves had. a keeper—almost. If these millionaires did less with their stock and more with their money, it could be used to better advantage.