South Africa vs South America Who’s the best?

While Brazilian and Argentinian farmers can teach us about running cattle on lucerne and shortening the supply chain, they could do themselves a favour and come and see how we diversify and manage moisture. That’s the opinion of Johan Mouton, Senwes senior animal and grassland scientist, who visited South Africa’s great agricultural competition last year.
Issue date : 20 February 2009

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While Brazilian and Argentinian farmers can teach us about running cattle on lucerne and shortening the supply chain, they could do themselves a favour and come and see how we diversify and manage moisture. That’s the opinion of Johan Mouton, Senwes senior animal and grassland scientist, who visited South Africa’s great agricultural competition last year.

The central northeastern part of Argentina is similar to the summer grain production region of South Africa where the majority of Senwes clients are situated. Argentina gets an average summer rainfall of no less than 500mm, but up to 800mm, with cold, dry winters. The area is relatively flat with isolated mountain ranges.
Soya beans are the main cash crop, cultivated on a rotational basis. Subtropical grass species planted to permanent pastures form the basis of the cattle industry.
No-till and pasture

No-till cultivation is used for all cash crops with soya beans as the main crop. A small percentage of maize and wheat is also produced. Permanent pasture is planted to a number of South African grass species imported from Australia. Combinations of Digitaria eriantha, Cenchrus ciliarus and Panicum maximum pasture are common and thrive. Lucerne plays a crucial role in the cattle industry, often used as permanent grazing – unlike in South Africa. In certain parts, lucerne is cultivated in a cash crop rotation.

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Expert bloat management
Cattle are moved to fresh pasture after short periods of intensive grazing in small paddocks. The Argentinians are good at managing bloat. Anti-bloating products are widely used and lucerne is only fed on a full rumen. The animals are also brought to water daily and forced to walk at least a kilometre a day. Senior animal and grassland scientist at Senwes, Johan Mouton, says it’s a system that could be investigated and implemented in South Africa. “The Argentinians could learn a lot from us about the science of cattle farming,” says Johan. “They know we’re ahead of them in certain fields. South African expertise and technology are highly sought after. Our animal scientists are well-known and play an important role in developing their livestock component. It feels like home visiting a cattle ranch in Argentina. The breeds would be familiar to South Africans and include Bonsmara, Santa Gertrudis and Sussex for stud and crossbreeding. I’m not impressed by the indigenous Brazilian Nelore breed. It is, however, well adapted to the tropics.”

Johan says around 70kg of red meat are consumed yearly per capita in Argentina, compared to less than 20kg in South Africa. “I believe easy accessibility to cooked and raw red meat is an important factor. It’s found in virtually all small street corner cafes and similar businesses. The majority of Argentinian red meat is grassfed, with only 20% coming from feedlots. I’m very impressed by the traceability systems they have in place, especially with meat exported to the EU.”

Marketing and value
Argentinian products are marketed through small cooperatives and under free-market conditions. South African farmers could learn a lot from their South American counterparts about shortening the value chain. “Co-ops are usually relatively small, but they control marketing from farmgate to consumers,” says Johan. “Middlemen are cut out and value is added to the benefit of producers every step of the way. Competition for agricultural products in Argentina is strong, to the benefit of farmers.”
Farmers work very hard and are excellent labour managers and even manual labourers are usually well-schooled. The farms are not particularly mechanised, yet very few labourers are employed. They work extremely hard, but work cleverly. Time is managed to ensure optimum productivity.

Johan says Argentinian farmers don’t get government support and are highly taxed, the equivalent of 35 cents to every rand. There was little diversification on the farms visited in Argentina and Brazil. “They could learn a lot from us about diversification and moisture management,” says Johan. “Those guys are not under the same financial pressures we are and it seems as if there’s no need for diversification. One of the reasons might be the huge possibility for expansion. For example, an additional 80 million hectares is available for crop production in Brazil.

“The agricultural sector in Argentina is strongly supported by government and the private sector with research, technology development and the distribution of information,” he continues. “All agricultural products are underpinned by independent research. Farmers have ample access to research, giving them the power to make informed choices.

Also, there are only 40 farmers for every agronomist in the country, compared to a ratio of one agronomist to 300 farmers in South Africa.”
Contact Johan Mouton on (056) 212 4241.     |fw