SHORTHORN
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Shorthorns were the first pure breeds to
arrived in the country and thus initiate crossbreedings with Creole cattle. It all
started when British born rancher John Miller imported "Tarquin", a bull
from his native country, for his stablishment "La Caledonia"
(Cañuelas, Buenos Aires).
In their home country, Great Britain, and in others like Australia,
Canada, USA and South Africa, some of the Shorthorn herds were selected for beef and
other for milk. |
The same happened in Argentina. In 1937,
for example, from a total 2.847.000 dairy cows, 63% were Shorthorn. But these
figures started fallingwith the arrival of specifically dairy breeds. Shorthorn
beef-herds then up graded dairy ones and obtained an outstanding maternal ability which
yields high weaning weghts in calves. And this is the great advantage of Argentine
breeders over producers from countries where bofh types of Shorthorns are reared.
The main qualities of the Argentine Shorthorn, with a very productive biotype
for pastoral farming, are maternal ability, toughness, fertility, calving ease and carcass
quality.
Shorthorn beeders -hornes and poller- pass down all the advantages of hybrid
vogour to their progeny. They are therefore deemed remarkably useful in improving
crossbreeding. This has been proved in several national evaluations carried out by
renowned organisations such as INTA-SAGPyA. both these abd other research projects have
shown that steers with Shorthorn blood produce beef with exceptional tendernees and
outstanding marbling. This guarantees unusual palatability in consumer cuts.
The Asociación Argentina Criadores de Shorthorn (AACS; Argentine Shorthorn
Breeders Association), founded in 1921, proved vital for the promotion the breed in
the country. It organises shows and auctions and during the past years has provided the
German market with Shorthorn beef, within the Hilton Quota establishment by the
Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentación de la Nación
(SAGPyA).
In Argentina, Pure Breed Herd Books are not kept by Breeders Associations, as
in most cattle-rearing countries. They are under the care of the Sociedad Rural Argentina,
founded in 1866. AACS, on the other hand, keeps Grade-up Herd Books. It includes pure
breed bulls and cows (not entered in the Argentine Herd Book) which have been
approved by a breed association inspection according to their phenotypic characteristics.
These Grade-up bulls are used in commercial herds over the country. They pass down all the
original traits to their progeny because the introduction of other breeds in this herd
book is forbidden.
ASOCIACION ARGENTINA CRIADORES DE
SHORTHORN
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