After leaving Mendoza, we will head towards Rosario, Santa Fe province. However, we will make a stop to visit Cactus Argentina and Ser Beef, the two largest grain-fed beef operations in Argentina which are located in Villa Mercedes, San Luis province.

San Luis Province

Applied Economics and Statistics

APEC 490 — International Agribusiness Study Tour of Argentina

Cactus Argentina is a subsidiary of Cactus Feeders of Amarillo, Texas. Most of the animals hosted at their facilities are third-party owned and are charged a fee for yardage, feed and sanitation.

 

The most common breeds are Angus and Hereford which will be destined for the export markets in Europe and Asia.

Cactus Feeders’ feeding rations are set weekly and is composed of soybean meal, hay, corn and nutritional supplements.

Ser Beef is an investment form Radicci Group, an Italian petrochemical conglomerate. It has five farms in San Luis that produce corn, wheat, sorghum and soybeans under pivot irrigation.

 

In the beginnings, Ser Beef used to own all the livestock at the feed-yards. Nowadays the livestock is not owned by Ser Beef as the only provide yardage, feed and sanitary control.