August 31, 2007

Argentinean beef quality may decline as crops take over pastures

As more pastures in Argentina are planted soy and corn, cattle is driven to the lowlands of poorer pastures where swamps and scrubland abound. 

Demand for grains from rapidly growing countries such as China has led to a 50-percent growth in Argentina's grains industry in the last four years. The growth meant that increasingly, pastures would have to give way to soy and cornfields.

Without pastures, Argentina's cattle herds, traditionally fed on grass, would have to be driven to the lowlands in the north where swamps, drought, pests, heat and other factors would likely have an effect on meat quality and mortality, ranchers said.

To help the herds adjust to the heat, ranchers are cross-breeding Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle, with Brahma strains from India and Brazil.

This has caused worries that the quality of the famous Argentinean beef is going south.

The low lying lands also meant that cattle are vulnerable to floods. A recent flood in the country killed as many as 40,000 cattle, many dying through starvation or piranha bites.  

Meanwhile the country has been criticised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for  over-farming. The WWF also said Argentina, through the reckless expansion of farmland, is destroying native grass and endangering wildlife.