THE TRUE ORIGIN OF THE ARGENTINEAN CATTLE INDUSTRY

 I will firstly mention to the author of this article, Nelvar Esteban Raffin, he is fourth generation of ranchers in the North of Santa Fe. He born in Reconquista, however, his childhood and teenage year rolled in Arroyo Ceibal (Santa Fe). He was director in the Union, 40 years ago.Into his antecedents, he was the very President of the Rural Society of Reconquista, in that institution had worked in almost all the posts. He was Secretary of Govern in the Administration of Carlos Fabrissin. He also mediated as Vice-president of CARSFE (Confederation of Rurals Association of Santa Fe). He was Co-Founder of CORENOSA (Regional Council of the North Santa Fe) with others notorious leaders of the North, as Ireneo Faccioli.

Nowadays, he is pro-secretary of the Rural Society in Reconquista, Second Chair and Delegate of the National Council of CRA (Argentineans Rurals Confederations.)

Among many other activities, he always affords the inquiries which moves around the Cattle Industry in our zone. In this opportunity, he takes to us to the origins of that one. This kind of industry is a rich source, so valued to our use.

The story then born in the middle of 16 Century, into the bounds of an imperialist Spain, but, at the same time, was passing through a special economical situation. At those times the finances were pitiful, after the last War against France, and its debt was about 7 millions Ducats.

By other hand, in America, between 1540 and 1550 the Spaniard presence was extend since California to Rio de la Plata, though the colonization was superficial enough whether in the  Rio de la Plata estuary or the peninsula Florida and the Caribbean, when was eminent the Cartagena de Indias port, today Colombia.  

Around 15.000 of emigrated people were the estimated quantity. The population in France was at that time about 15 millions and in Spain 6,5 millions.

At this way starts the story about the fatidic travel, in this, the apparition of the cattle in our lands that famous chapter of the story is told by a woman.  [Editor/s]

 I am convinced that the origin of the cattle business in Argentine, is due to an extraordinary and brave woman called Doña Mencia Calderón de Sanabria, and we must to forget that so common supposition: by the escape of some cows from the ruined settlement founded by Don Pedro de Mendoza, where is Buenos Aires. This poor enclave with the length of a full square, took place in 1536 March, and was called Puerto de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Aire.

This one was threatened and bounded by the Querandies, aborigines of that region, and such was the famine they suffered, that many of them practiced anthropophagi, cannibalism. Two men sacrificed a horse and for it were condemned to the gallows. In such circumstances, results impossible that some cows could escape from the fortress, having the notion that this one was bounded by high wood fences.

At then was a population of Spaniards in Asuncion, Paraguay, compounded by adventurers had reached to these lands seeking the golden city: Eldorado, Some people believed that existed huge reserves of silver and gold, according to versions by aborigines of the époque.

The settlers Asunción refused the orders of the Monarchy Government of Spain. They hardly subsisted according to their own rules, was a true anarchy.  To give a solution to this situation, Rey Carlos I, bestowed the mission to Juan Sanabria. Juan Sanabria must lay down the authority of the King, in Asuncion, but he died before to start the voyage. His son Diego, an adolescent, was the heir of the naming, but who truly would command that expedition was Doña Mencia, his own mother.

They set sail in April 10th of 1550, with three ships commanded by Don Juan Salazar y Espinosa (Founder of Asuncion del Paraguay, in August 15th, in 1537, he also took part in the expedition with Pedro de Mendoza). That weird travel was compounded by women, 50, and had the goal to bring Spaniard women to the Asuncion Settlement, and the settlers copulated with the natives. That evidently was a motive of scandal to the Spaniard Court.

The expedition was compounded by his two daughters and by her respective husbands. They carried in that mission 7 cows and a bull to start the cattle business in Asuncion, when they would just be reached. Nine months had long took the voyage across the sea. Strong storms and many diseases punched to the adventurers in those ships. Two of those were left in the way. In such circumstances the major in which travelled Doña Mencia, decided not to continue. They abandoned with the members of expedition, in the Santa Catarina coasts, territory occupied by Portugal.  

This extraordinary woman decided to advance by foot the whole 1300 kilometers: jungle, mountains, heat, hostile Guaranies, dangerous beasts appeared through their way. To be safe, she contracted to a man who knew the region, called Diaz, in the early 1552.

In the travel born two of her grandsons, Hernando de Trejo y Sanabria, this one, was going to be the Bishop, founder of the University of Cordoba, of Tucuman, and Hernando Arias de Saavedra (who later was going to join in marry with the sister of his brother-in-law, called Jerónima de Garay y Becerra Contreras Mendoza, daughter of Juan de Garay, founder of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires, the main city of Argentina. This last, in its definitive foundation). Hernando, known as Hernandarias, was governor of the Colonial Area of the Rio de la Plata, being the first native in America designed to this charge. Hernandarias kept this one through three periods.

Doña Mencia and her caravan delayed two long years to reach to Asuncion, she carried with herself, her “herd”. When they reached, she was put in jail for a while. She had loosened in free, but they not recognized to her son Don Diego as an Adelantado. With the time, the circumstances changed, she and her family was recognized, and admired. It worth it, because of her audacious and brave.

With this point of view, this is the origin of the cattle industry which descended from Paraguay to our Pampas. Creole cattle developed through 400 years in our lands, and adapted y acquired immunity to the deadbeats as ticks, this cattle bring more resistance to diseases as foot and mouth disease, and competes with the Bos Primigenuis Indicus. He resists days with high temperatures, can graze without difficult in flood grounds, can carry walking during days looking for food, and in many cases, even today, do not obtain another crossbreed as Hereford and Shorthorn.

This fact turns to our “Creole” cattle in a breed perfectly adapted to our North of Santa Fe, day in day out more tropical. At these times, INTA is working very hard to rescue these topics, in a recent project to isolate the gen from these immunities, studying advantages of adaptation, to finally insert them genetically in crossbreeds of major capacity in the meat industry. [Nelvar Esteban Raffin]

Thanks: Translation Andrés Ugueruaga.-