ARGENTINE HOLSTEIN

Holsteins were brought from Holland into our country in 1880 by president Julio A. Roca. They settled in the north of Córdoba, Santa Fe and Pergamino, in the province of Buenos Aires. Back in 1890 they were exhibited in the 7th National Cattle Show, organised by Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA). A large number of the animals shown had been sent by the Dutch government itself. At that time, and for a good number of years, the breed was Friesian and it served a double purpose: beef and milk. At present, Holstein in Argentina, as in the rest of the world, is the dairy breed par excellence.
Producers prefer it because it warrants excellent profitability. The main dairy areas are located in the Pampa Húmeda formed by the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Entre Ríos and La Pampa. There are minor areas, albeit growing fast, in Salta, Tucumán, Formosa, Catamarca and Mendoza.

All of these are very different as regards their geography and climate. Argentina has most peculiar climatic characteristics, particularly convenient for cattle rearing in general. Conditions for production are very clearly defined: 60-70% of Holstein cattle feed is made up of roughage, either in grasslands or stored as hay or silage; 30-40% is made up of grain and other by products from various industries. Coupled with genetics incorporated throughout the years, Holstein cows in Argentina exhibit a modem, well defined type, with remarkable feed efficiency. The producer finds an ideal cost/benefit balance which turns milk production into one of the best business in this sector.

Holstein cows have medium frame, 1.40-1.50 metres, which a large capacity in their rib cage and rumen which ensures digestion of the large volume of roughage they sat. Adult weight reaches 600-650 k which, coupled with sound feet and hoofs, allows it to wander in search of food in pastures -cows in our country may walk up to 5 km/day- and then go into the dairy to be milked twice a day.
It has definite milk traits such as thin hide, flat bones, thin neck, wide muzzle and an excellent texture in its milking system: udder firmly attached to the body, a good middle ligament and nipples placed in the centre of each quarter.
Our cows match a long life span with a tendency to achieve an average of five calf crops during their adult life in order to increase profitability.
The herd book is open and, as in all other breeds, Full Blood is included in the Argentine Herd Book of Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA). To date, there are 211,132 males and 262,746 females. Since 1944, breeders belong to the Asociación Criadores de Holando Argentino (ACHA; Association of Holstein Breeders). It aims at promoting the breed and con- tributes the necessary technical knowledge and updating to achieve this purpose.
Among other things, this has led our Association to register "non-full blood" animals in the so called Grade Holstein Book. It includes Grade Holstein population with dairy records registered at the National Dairy Herd Improvement Programme of Argentina. Holstein cows with three generations of production records plus Type classified dams are eligible to be entered in the Holstein Herd Book.

This method is used exclusively through the Official Milk Control system which, on account of a government mandate issued in 1981, is under the cars of ACHA. Its 96 official institutions tactically spread all over the country carry out field work measuring and gathering data which is sent over to our central system.
All this information contributes to quantify milk production in the country. The breed also pioneered qualification: for over ten years all data on production and individual linear type information carried out by ACHA testers have been included in Progeny Tests of Production and Type. This is an official guarantee of the results obtained in the improvement of the breed.
In volume I of the 1997 edition, the average milk yield adjusted to 305 days and its equivalent in adulthood was 5,728 k of milk and 193 k of fat. That is why Holsteins are exported to neighbouring countries in order to incorpo- rate genetics which has given ample proof of its ability to fulfil its aim: produce more and better milk.

Asociación Criadores de Holando Argentino
Laprida 1818  -  Buenos Aires

 
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