354 



Argentine Agricultural Census. 



cattle-herds of the Republic. This decrease, even if it be 

 accurate, must, it is stated, not be regarded as an indication 

 of a decline in the cattle - rearing industry, because the 

 diminution is solely confined to the native cattle. The 

 number of pure-bred animals has increased by 34,358 head, 

 of cross-bred by 1,289,547, and of dairy cows and oxen by 

 1,793,377 head. Moreover, the improvement in the quality 

 of the animals as the result of cross-breeding compensates 

 largely for the decline in numbers. 



The principal breeds of cross-bred and pure-bred cattle 

 enumerated in 1895 were as follows: 



Cross-bred. Pure-bred. 



Bulls Cows 

 No. No. No. 



Durham - - - - 2,361,694 22,748 41,402 



Hereford - 304,395 2,838 7,320 



Polled Angus- - - - 18,421 390 511 



Relatively to the population there are 542 head of cattle 

 to each 100 inhabitants. 



With regard to sheep, there was an increase of 7,673,465 

 head in the 7 years between 1888 and 1895, as will be seen 

 from the following figures : 



1888. 1895. 



Native Sheep .... 24,322,214 17,938,061 

 Cross-bred Sheep - - - 42,002,871 56,106,187 

 Pure „ „ - - - - 381,012 335>3H 



Total 66,706,097 74,379,562 



After Australia, which possesses 99 millions of sheep, 

 Argentina has the largest flocks, relatively to the 

 population they represent 1,859 sheep per 100 inhabitants. 



The other descriptions of animals enumerated in the returns 

 are as follows : 



1888. 1895. 



Houses 4,234,032 4,446,859 



Asses and Mules - 417,494 483,369 



Goats 1,894,386 2,748,860 



^g 8 . , 393, 758 652,766 



Ostriches - - - - - - 176,125 82,497 



Poultry ------ 5,299,877 9,111,322 



The total value of all the live stock in the Argentine Republic 

 was estimated in 1895 at £76,000,000, of which the cattle 

 represented about £45,000,000 and the sheep £24,000,000. 



