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Ranching is the practice of raising herds of animals on large tracts (pieces) of land. Ranchers commonly raise grazing animals such as cattle and sheep. Some ranchers also raise elk, bison, ostriches, emus, and alpacas. The ranching and livestock industry is growing faster than any other agricultural sector in the world.
South America enjoys an enormous ranching culture. The largest beef-producing company in the world is the Brazilian multinational corporation JBS-Friboi. The South American ranching industry continues to grow. Many South American countries, led by Brazil and Argentina, are rapidly developing.
Ranching is common in temperate, dry areas, such as the Pampas region of South America. Livestock raised on ranches are an important part of a regions agriculture. Livestock provide meat for human and animal consumption. They also supply materials, such as leather and wool, for clothing, furniture, and other industries.
Ranching was only firmly established in the New World of the Americas. When the first Spanish explorers came to the Americas, they brought cattle and cattle-raising methods with them. A variety of ranching traditions developed in the Americas, depending on the region the settlers came from and the characteristics of the land where they settled. Gauchos are cowboys of the grasslands (or Pampas) of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.
EFFECTS OF RANCHING
EFFECTS OF RANCHING
Several problems have developed with ranching in South America:
- One was caused by the invention of barbed wire in 1874. Farmers began to fence off their fields to protect them from being destroyed by livestock. This limited access to grazing land. Farmers and ranchers often came into conflict over land and water rights.
- Overgrazing is also a problem. As more and more ranchers grazed their animals on the open range, the quality of the land became degraded. Cattle are not native to South America, and had to compete with native grazing animals, such as bison. Grasses did not have time to grow on the open range, especially in winter.
- As the land deteriorates (gets worse) from overgrazing, fewer plants can grow. This leads to less oxygen in the atmosphere.
- Ranching is also a major contributor to global warming. In fact, livestock are responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation. Carbon is released when forests are cleared for pastureland. Manure produces gasses, which has 296 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide.
SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS
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