Cattle alone for breeding, and young bulls ($6.00 each) 8,000,000 $48,000,000 Oxen ($15.00 each) 690,000 10,350,000 Horses ($6.00 each) 599,000 3,594,000 Asses and mules ($12.00 each) 11,000 132,000 Sheep ($0.60 each) 23,000,000 13,800,000 Goats ($1.00 each) 24,000 24,000 Pigs ($6.00 each) 23,000 138,000 ---------- ----------- Animals 32,347,000 $73,038,000
If we distribute the 32,347,000 of live stock of all kinds over the 186,920 kilometres which is the total superficies of the Republic, we find for each square kilometre 173.05 animals; if we distribute them among the 708,168 inhabitants, we find that 45.67 animals of all kinds correspond to each inhabitant.
As regards the value represented by live stock and corresponding to each inhabitant, we find $103.13 for each.
The following table shows what place the Republic occupies among other nations:
======================+============================= | Heads of Cattle for every | 1,000 inhabitants. |---------+----------+-------- | Cattle. | Sheep. | Horses. ----------------------+---------+----------+-------- Uruguay Republic | 11,299 | 32,485 | 846 Argentine Republic | 5,464 | 27,955 | 1,868 Germany | 375 | 595 | 80 Spain | 185 | 1,404 | 43 France | 307 | 646 | 77 Italy | 130 | 324 | 37 Great Britain | 292 | 946 | 86 ======================+=========+==========+========
The rather cruel experience acquired during the crisis of the year 1890, the effects of which are still to be felt, has opened new ways to the economical activity of the country, and has given a new impulse to all agricultural pursuits. Notwithstanding the scarcity of capital and the difficulties of the ways of communication, the cattle feeding has improved a great deal, with the sowing of hay and pasture of all kinds, and with the crossing of the best varieties cattle imported from Europa or bred in many important national farms.
The improvement of the varieties, in order to obtain better flesh, fat, milk, butter, wool and hides, and the taming of all the native animals, is absolutely necessary, and therefore is a powerful attraction for those who would come over to this country and dedicate themselves to cattle feeding and breeding, being sure, beforehand, of getting good profits by exporting live animals and also dead animals, by the frigorific system, to the Brazilian and European markets.