The Stock Industry
Cattle raising is beginning to be very profitable in Paraguay as in the neighboring countries; and here there is a chance for the small capitalist. Formerly some live cattle were exported, but ten times as many hides; also dried meat from saladeros. During the Great War operations were carried on by three American companies. A plant at San Salvador, nearly three hundred miles above Asunción, for slaughtering cattle and putting up canned meat, was conducted by Morris; another by Swift 5 miles above the Capital, where over 900,000 six-pound cans of meat were put up in 1918. But with the conclusion of the War the demand fell off so rapidly that both plants are closed and dismantled.
A third establishment, however, at San Antonio, 15 miles below the Capital, is actively engaged and about to increase its output. The International Products Company has a thoroughly modern equipment, a real frigorifico, for the export of frozen meat, with a capacity of 175,000 head of cattle a year, to be shipped to Buenos Aires and Europe. The cattle are in part purchased from individual farmers, but the Company has a large property where its own production is increasing. Nearly 300 leagues of land are owned back of Puerto Pinasco in the Chaco: one half for cattle grazing and half quebracho lands. They have 600 miles of barbed wire and a herd of 70,000 with some blooded stock. The western section is used for young cattle which are moved east the third year for fattening. The Company besides tugs and lighters for the transport of the cattle has two refrigerating steamers to carry the frozen meat to Buenos Aires. The hides increase the value of the production.
The native cattle are far better than the Texas Longhorn, but not equal to the blooded stock of Argentina. They weigh 850-1000 pounds and afford excellent beef. The Argentine is heavier but called coarser than that of the United States. The Paraguay stock is now being improved especially with Herefords. A 50 per cent increase of the herd is general. It is estimated that the number of cattle in Paraguay is now 5,000,000, and that 40,000,000 may be easily supported. The native grasses are good, and the jaraguá from Brazil is used. Stock may be bought at $15 a head, perhaps less in large numbers, affording the best possible opportunity for the small capitalist. The dairy industry is slight, the native cows being poor milkers.
The Chaco land near the River is liable to floods but few cattle are lost as there is usually time to drive them back 20-30 miles to the second and higher zone beyond the danger. It has been said that cattle covered with ticks east of the Paraguay on crossing into the Chaco soon become free of them. A French company in 1919 had 150,000 head of cattle with over 500 Hereford bulls, a breeding stock of more than 100,000. One thousand miles of pasture were enclosed. The Company makes use of 130 telephones, has shops, a tannery, etc. Besides Herefords there are Durhams and Polled Angus. Two hundred men are in charge of the stock. The natives make good cowboys, better I was told than some Americans who went down from here a few years ago.
Other Stock. As to other stock, horses are comparatively few, not one tenth of the number of cattle, hardly enough for home use. They are liable to disease and do not thrive in the Chaco, better east of the River. Mules serve well though smaller than in the United States. Horses are outnumbered by sheep, which are valuable for meat, though mutton is not favored by the natives. The climate is obviously warm for sheep and their fleece is light. New stock must be introduced. Hogs and goats thrive better.
Mining
Iron, 34 per cent pure, was produced at Ibicuy, 1863-69. Indications of it are widespread near the Alto Paraná, and near Caapacá, Quiquió, and Paraguarí.
Manganese runs 63 per cent in beds of 60,000,000 tons. Copper exists near Encarnación and Caapacá. There are large beds of good stone, talc, graphite, kaolin. Probably petroleum will be found in the Chaco.