We have stated that the number of cattle in the Argentine Republic is over 29 millions; this number may be analysed, according to sex, age, etc., in the following manner:——
Male calves 3,820,443 Heifers 3,511,412 Bulls 886,450 Bullocks 4,687,027 Cows for breeding 12,825,904 Milch cows 2,163,900 Oxen 1,221,489 —————————— 29,116,025 ——————————
It now remains to consider the value of the animals registered as existing in the Republic in the year of census 1908.
In 1895 this value was estimated at 1,136,780,411 piastres (paper), which with the exchange at 300 per cent. was equivalent to 378,926,803 piastres (or dollars) in gold, or £75,785,360, 12s., while the latest census gives a value of 1,481,282,245 piastres in paper, which with exchange at 2·27, is equivalent to 651,764,187 piastres in gold, or £130,352,835.
If now we analyse these figures, dividing them among the various species of animals, as given by the censuses of 1895 and that of 1908, we obtain the following table:——
Species. 1895. 1903. Cattle £44,568,493 £82,604,353·4 Horses 5,099,281·4 18,112,761·4 Mules 666,159·6 1,985,374·6 Asses 131,914 251,235 Sheep 24,525,101 25,287,598·6 Goats 389,139 732,322 Swine 405,272 1,379,192 ------------- -------------- £75,785,360 £130,352,837
We see from this that, in spite of the moderate valuation of the stock in 1908, its value had increased, in thirteen years, by nearly £54,600,000.
Knowing the numbers and the value of the live stock of the Argentine Republic, a last question arises of the highest interest. What place does the Argentine hold among those nations in which stock-raising has reached its highest development?
To answer these questions, we have resorted to the most authoritative publications available, with the result that we are enabled to draw up the following table:——
States. Cattle. Horses. Sheep. Swine. The Argentine Republic 29,116,625 7,531,376 67,833,112 1,403,501 The United States 69,438,758 21,216,888 61,837,112 64,694,222 Canada 5,376,451 1,577,493 2,510,239 2,353,828 Australia 9,349,409 1,765,186 83,687,653 813,569 Cape Colony 2,000,000 300,000 11,800,000 400,000 India, Burmah, E. Indies, etc. 91,700,000 1,300,000 18,000,000 —— European Russia 39,000,000 22,600,000 42,900,000 11,200,000 Germany 20,600,000 4,300,000 7,700,000 22,100,000 France 14,000,000 3,200,000 17,500,000 700,000 Austria 9,500,000 1,600,000 2,000,000 4,700,000 Great Britain 7,000,000 1,600,000 25,400,000 2,700,000