753 



Importation of Live Stock into Brazil, [jan., 



They hold its ungainly appearance up to ridicule, and speak 

 of the invasion of the consecrated beasts as a return to the 

 Stone Age in the breeding of cattle. The opinions of two 

 authorities have been given to the Press, and contain much 

 that is of interest. 



Views of Experts. — Sehor Manoel Bernardez, an Argentine 

 enjoying a considerable reputation as an expert in cattle, has 

 written in a very convincing manner on the requirements of 

 Brazil. After comparing its pastures favourably with the 

 Plate, he points out irrefutably the advantages of importing 

 the cattle from the latter from the point of view of freights, 

 the cost of transport from the Plate to Brazil being only £4 

 per head, as against £30 to £60 per head from Europe, 

 according to the place. Further, he argues that the 

 best all-round animal is the Devon of Uruguay, asserting that 

 this breed alone of the many introduced from Europe has 

 proved capable of withstanding the droughts and the ticks, 

 the reason for its being unaffected by the latter being that it 

 has been born and bred for generations on the Uruguayan 

 pampas, where the same ticks abound. According to him, 

 too, the Devon is hardy, and in places w T here he has known 

 Durhams, Herefords, Holsteins, Zebus, and some other 

 breeds degenerate, Devons do well. He is sending 30 

 Devons to the Rio Exhibition with the intention of submitting 

 them to various tests to prove their immunity against Texas 

 fever.* 



On the other hand, the recognised Brazilian expert, Dr. 

 Carlos Botelho, late Secretary of Agriculture of the State of 

 Sao Paulo, speaking from the results of his own experiments 

 covering a number of years, gives it as his opinion that 

 although he is inclined to favour English breeds (Shorthorn 

 and Hereford) for the pastoral regions in the South of Brazil, 

 and French and Swiss breeds for the States of Sao Paulo and 

 Minas Geraes, he is convinced that there is no reason for 

 regarding any one breed as more suitable than another for 

 the requirements of Brazil. He contends that when one breed 

 is lacking in one thing it makes up for it in another, each of 



* In this connection, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Board observes that 

 Devon cattle are often reared on " Red water " farms at home, and such cattle 

 are very resistant to Red water (Texas fever or Tristeza). 



