Cattle Rearing in Mexico. 



215 



Cattle Rearing in Mexico. 



Among the industries of Mexico, the rearing and feeding 

 of cattle, which at present is only in a rudimentary condi- 

 tion, is said to be capable of considerable development. 

 According to the Journal OfficicL lands suitable to cattle 

 rearing are plentiful, but the great obstacle is the water 

 supply. Notwithstanding the torrents of rain which usually 

 fall between May and September, thousands of cattle die of 

 thirst every year, and at least one harvest in two is wholly 

 or partially lost owing to drought. It is believed, how- 

 ever, that these difficulties could be overcome by the con- 

 struction at a small expense of reservoirs both for watering 

 the cattle and for purposes of irrigation. 



The native cattle are worth on the average from 15 to 25 

 pesos when three years old. Eight to eleven months are 

 necessary to fatten them for the butcher, and they are then 

 worth from 30 to 36 pesos, and weigh from 700 to 800 lbs. 

 There is a considerable trade with the United States in store 

 stock, which are fatted in that country for the St. Louis and 

 Chicago markets. 



It appears that there has been some movement among 

 Mexican breeders in favour of opening up an export trade 

 in cattle with Europe, either alive or in the form of 

 refrigerated beef, but inquiry has shown that in the present 

 state of the industry such a speculation could not succeed. 

 The cattle are too small for exportation alive to be remunera- 

 tive, and the quality of the meat is too inferior to be saleable 

 in any European market. 



As regards the capabilities of the Mexican dairy cattle, the 

 native cow yields 10 pints of milk a day as a maximum, 

 w^hilst an imported Dutch cow will give from 10 pints to 6 J 

 gallons daily. The price, however, of an imported cow is 300 

 to 350 pesos, against 25 to 30 pesos for a native animal. 

 The production of milk is very profitable to proprietors whose 

 farms are near to towns. Nearly all the large coffee and 

 sugar planters are also cattle breeders. There are generally 

 large numbers of banana trees in the coffee plantations, the 

 green fruit of which when cut-up makes excellent fodder for 

 cows. The leaves of the sugar-cane also are used for feeding 

 bullocks. 



