Wednesday, December 31, 2014

First Day in Argentina - Visiting Largest Feedlot


Hola from Argentina

We arrived safely to Buenos Aires.  It seemed like a long trip but we did fly around 6,000 miles.  After we went through customs we met our guide Alejandro and our bus driver Miguel.  Alejandro works in the livestock industry for Bayer Animal Health.  He has organized farm visits for several previous years classes. He knows English and Spanish very well.  He can answer every question we ask.  Miguel is a good driver which is important in Argentina. 

We then traveled to the farm La Candelaria.  It is the largest cattle feedyard in Argentina.  It has capacity for 50,000 head and has 37,000 head currently.  They bring calves in at 160 kg.  They sell them at 420 kg.  They butcher at much smaller size than in the US.  At La Candelaria they have primarily British breeds, Angus and Heerfords.  There were also 30,000 hectares of cropland.  The manager, Juan told us that their corn averaged 145 bu/ac and their soybeans averaged 60 bu/ac.  We have to do a little math on the bus to convert from the metric system so we can compare numbers.  

We left La Candelaria for our hotel in Santa Rosa.  We saw flamingos and many other birds.  We stopped at a restaurant in Trenque Lauquen and ate some authentic Argentine food.  Some of the food was quite interesting but was very good. 

John Elverson 


Taylor Jensen and Brian Van De Stroet at La Candelaria Feedlot

John Elverson and feedlot manager Juan Lopez conversing about the feedlot with John Elverson

Our guide Aeljenadro translating for Juan Lopez to John Elverson, Curt Nagorske and Taylor Olson. 

 Ty Littau an SDSU Ag graduate traveled with the group as he had spent time in Argentina so served as our translator. Here he is translating (far right) to the students information about the country's largest feedlot

The group with Juan Lopez at the feedlot


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