Argentina: The drought raised bovine mortality to 46% and will sharply reduce the supply of calves

A report by the Sociedad Rural Argentina estimates that the drought caused Argentine livestock to lose around US$3 billion. The Argentine Rural Society (SRA) prepared a report in which it listed the various impacts that the drought has caused in livestock activity. Among them, he mentioned an increase in bovine mortality up to a rate of 46% and affirmed that the supply of calves will be reduced between 1.3 and 1.6 million copies at weaning in 2024, as a consequence of the sharp fall in the pregnancy rate, due to the poor body condition of the animals. Likewise, another damage to the producers was that, on average, the calves sold weighed about 20 kilos less than normal, also a product of poor nutrition due to lack of forage and thermal and water stress conditions. This resulted in a lower slaughter weight (10 kilos per animal) and farmers also suffered the forced liquidation of cows. Finally, the SRA calculated that 38% of the area implanted with perennial and annual forages was ...