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In this lesson we are going to discuss about Organization of Beef Farming in Kenya and Argentina

Answer Text:
Organization of Beef Farming
Kenya
- 90% of beef cattle are reared by subsistence farmers and pastoralists and the rest by commercial ranching.
- Pastoralists constitute the greatest majority.
- There is small scale farming distributed all over the country and large scale farming carried out in the ranches in Rift Valley, Laikipia, Nakuru,
Trans Nzoia, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Kitui and Machakos.
- The main indigenous breed kept is Zebu while imported breeds include Aberdare Angus, Hereford, Galloway, Short horn and Charolais.
- Animals are fed on natural grass in pastoralism and nutritious drought resistant pasture introduced in some ranches to improve beef
quality.
- Fertilizers are being applied on the pasture to improve its quality.
- Cattle are frequently inoculated against fatal diseases like anthrax.
- Cattle dips and veterinary services are provided by the government to improve farming activity.

Argentina
- There are large scale ranches known as Estancias.
- Each Estancia has a manager.
- Farms are paddocked.
- The animals are reared mainly on natural pasture though there are areas which have been sown with alfalfa.
- Cowboys called gauchos drive horses around farms to look after the cattle.
- There are quarters for stockmen at strategic points of the farm.
- Farming is mechanised and aeroplanes, jeep and land rover cars are used.
- There are cattle dips and wind pumps to provide water in some farms.
- Calves enter pastures with about 180kg.
- They are branded, fattened using cultivated pastures and supplementation for 16-17 months.
- They are slaughtered and taken to meet packing plants and put in cold storages and packed into tins or taken by rail to slaughter houses of
main towns such as Buenos Aires and Rosario.

Marketing of Beef Products Kenya
- Small scale farmers sell their animals to butchers who slaughter and sell to consumers after it’s inspected.
- Livestock Marketing Division is in charge of marketing beef from pastoral areas.
- It acts as a co-operative society and buys beef cattle and puts them in holding grounds.
- The animals are vaccinated against diseases and then sold to individual butchers or to slaughter houses through auction.
- Pastoralists sell to middlemen who transport livestock to big towns like Nairobi.

Argentina
- Most beef is consumed locally although there is a large surplus for export.
- Marketing channels are mainly found in urban areas such as Buenos Aires and Rosario.
- Beef and beef products undergo stringent sanitary tests and certification before exportation.
- Chilled or corned beef is exported to European countries such as Germany.

Role to the Economies
a) It’s a source of foreign exchange when beef and beef products are exported.
b) Provides employment to people working in ranches, slaughter houses, butcheries etc.
c) Saves foreign exchange by supplying beef for local consumption.
d) Provides income to farmers and butchers raising their standard of living.
e) Has promoted development of industries by providing raw materials e.g. shoe making.
f) The governments earn revenue from tax levied on beef products.
g) In Argentina it has led to infrastructural improvement from the interior to the coast to ease transportation.

Problems Facing Beef Farming
Kenya
- Refer to problems facing pastoralism and improvements by the government.
Argentina
- Diseases such as rinderpest, African swine fever, foot and mouth.
- Stringent sanitary conditions which have to be fulfilled before exporting beef and beef products.
- International trade barriers due to diseases such as mad cow diseases which has restricted exportation to processed beef only.
- Economic and political crisis.