CATTLE-RAISING in URUGUAY.

Western Star, Issue 997, 7 November 1885, Page 4

CATTLE-RAISING in URUGUAY.

The Republic of Uruguay is devoting itself to cattle-raising on an extraordinary wholesale scale. One of the leading raisers, recently interviewed at Yew York, has given statistics of a character most depressing to our farmers at home. Eight million horned cattle, twenty million sheep, and a million and a-half horses constitute the stock-in-trade of this model but extensive republic. The export returns show what a heavy customer England continues to be. We take 25 per cent, of the total exports, Brazil being debited to 20, France to 17, the United States to 11, and all others to the remaining 27. The country is most prosperous, and the tide of immigration steady—2o,224 last year; women, however, in an alarming minority, and constituting less than a quarter of the arrivals. Four thousand vessels sailed the same year from the port of Monte Video, with a registered tonnage of over a million and a half. Next comes statistics about the cattle. The average uovillo, the steer most used for fattening, gives 1501 b of jerked beef, 6Slb of salted hide, and 401 b of grease, and besides that there are the bone ash, hair, and the horns. Business is done on such a wholesale scale that everythgis utilised. All his constituent parts thus counted up and allowed for, the novillo brings in 20dol a head, while the commission for bringing to the packers the cost of killing and preparing for market, is about 4dol leaving the net proceeds at 16dol. It will be seen that such a business as this is necessary extremely profitable. In the slaughter-houses called “ saladeros, ” 500 cattle a day are killed, and the process might afford hints to the projectors of London abattoirs. It seemspxtremely simple, rapid, and effective. A lasso, one end of which is attached to a steam winch, is thrown oyer the victim, and the winch set working ; the beast is summarily hauled up against a bridge upon which stands the slaughman, who with a stab back of and between thehorns with a large dagger knife cuts tho spinal cord, and the animal drops dead without a struggle.”— * Pall Mall Gazette.”