The Palitué Ranch - With his horse and his rebenque (a broad leather whip), the Argentine gaucho is similar to the North American cowboy. At the end of spring, he separates the calves from their mothers in order to brand, dehorn and castrate them. (Neuquén Province, Patagonia) - 1976

The "volteadores" throw the calves to the ground and hold them under the bite of the glowing metal. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén. - 1975

It took hours of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - Province Neuquén. - 1973

It took hours of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - Provinzce Neuquén - 1973

It takes a lot of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle out of the pampas into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - Province Neuquén - 1975

Troperos bring a herd intended for sale across the Alumine River in the Andean foothills. - Province Neuquén - 1973

Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

In the province of Buenos Aires, the Troperos drive cows and calves to the Estancia La Mimosa. - 1975

In the province of Buenos Aires, the Troperos drive cows and calves to the Estancia La Mimosa. - 1973

Cows from the Palitué estancia (province of Neuquén), which have just given birth to their young, are gathered in the corral. The gauchos will soon make their appearance in order to carry out work of the utmost importance. It is a matter of separating the heifers from their mothers, which is not without its difficulties. Then the cows are taken back by the gauchos to their respective pastures where they will eventually gain the necessary weight. To achieve this, they need to be perfectly quiet, hence the cruel necessity to take their offspring away from them. The pastures are chosen for the quality of their grass. Finally, the cows are sent by truck to the slaughterhouses and the meat is kept in the capital's refrigerators. These measures are justified by the fact that Argentines have a predominantly meat diet. But it should also be pointed out that the production and sale of meat abroad is one of the main economic activities of the Argentine nation. - 1973

The gaucho's task is both arduous and dangerous. It is the result of a long tradition which dates back to the beginning of the colonisation of the pampas. It requires skill, patience, endurance and a great deal of security of movement. These essential qualities are put to good use especially when sorting the animals inside the corral. The constant coming and going of the animals is not made to facilitate the movement of the gaucho. In addition, the dust that rises from the corral floor forms clouds in which people and animals seem to get lost. But the gaucho and his horse are one and the same, because they have been used to this kind of exercise for a long time. This agreement also exists between the different gauchos who work in an estancia. The daily task involves a lot of discipline on the part of the men. These conditions must be observed every time the animals are grouped together, taken to the pasture or sorted out. - 1973

The great rivers that run through Patagonia have their source in the Andes. The gradient is gentle, and the watercourses take their time before pouring into the Atlantic Ocean. But in the rainy season, when the storms rage in the peaks of the Cordillera, the rivers swell. Then floods threaten people, animals and crops. The inhabitants of both banks use the many fords as river crossings. The photograph shows a scene that used to be characteristic of life in the pampas, but is becoming increasingly rare today as a result of Argentina's economic development: A herd of four hundred Hereford cattle is being driven through the Río Alumine (Neuquén province) and taken to the next estancia. These transports are increasingly carried out with the help of trucks, at least where bridges allow the rapid crossing of Patagonia's rivers and streams. - 1973

The remate is in full swing in the Villa Maria estancia (Buenos Aires province). The event takes place inside a circular enclosure around which all the participants have gathered. The participants did not hesitate to travel several hundred kilometres to get to the remate. Most of them took a small plane to facilitate their travel. The large estates of Patagonia and the pampas are equipped with an airfield. Private planes allow fast connections between the estancias. They also make direct connections possible between the most remote estancias and the nation's capital. During the remate, the horned beasts are sold at public auction. The owners take their animals around the enclosure several times under the critical eye of the participants. The auctioneer leads the sale. He too is a great cattle connoisseur. Bulls are sold by piece or in pairs. In other cases, the owner gets rid of a whole lot of animals. Each remate is a feast, which is accompanied by a meal offered to the guests. - 1973

The «volteadores» throw the calf to the ground and hold it while the emerging horns are removed and the young animal is marked.- Estancia La Amalia, Province Entre Ríos - 1973

It took hours of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - 1973

Alberto Biocca, president of the Grupo tradicionalista of Ayacucho in the province of Buenos Aires, is a master of the lasso. - 1976

It took hours of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - Province Neuquén. - 1973

Night slowly descends on the estancia “La Mimosa” (Entre Ríos province). The moment has come to round up the cows that were separated from their calves a few months earlier. This segregation was done by the cattle farmers to ensure a quiet life for the cows on preferential pastures. The task is difficult, and many gauchos are involved. The same scenes take place on every estancia in the pampas. They show stages in a cycle of important work on which a large part of the national economy depends. - 1973

Hundreds of cattle have been brought by the gauchos from their pastures to the estancia. They are then loaded onto trucks bound for Liniers in Buenos Aires. Cows from almost all Argentine provinces can be seen at this assembly point. The herds pass in front of the experts in dense rows. You can recognise representatives of the Hereford, Shorthorn, Aberdeen Angus, Holando and Cruza breeds. An estimated 15 000 to 18 000 head of cattle are sold every day. - 1973

Aberdeen-Angus cattle, Estancia El Cardal, Ayacucho, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. - 1975

Separating the calves from their mothers. Tomorrow the «yerra» begins. Estancia de Palitué, Neuquén Province, Argentina. - 1975

It takes a lot of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle out of the pampas into the corral of the Estanzia of Palitué. - Province Neuquén. - 1975

The "volteadores" throw the calves to the ground and hold them under the bite of the glowing metal. - Estancia La Mimosa, Ayacucho, Province Buenos Aires - 1975

The "descornador" spends a day on his knees in the dust, using a chisel and hammer to remove the calves' emerging horns. Young bulls that are not intended for breeding are castrated in the same operation. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén. - 1975

The "descornador" spends a day on his knees in the dust to remove the emerging horns of the calves with a chisel and hammer. The kid leather leggings are not asking too much ... the branding is done at the same time. While the irons are red-hot in a makeshift brazier, the "volteadores" throw the calves to the ground and hold them under the bite of the red-hot metal. Young bulls that are not intended for breeding are castrated in the same operation. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén - 1975

Instead of branding, the veterinarian applies an ear tag. - Estancia La Amalia, Province Entre Ríos - 1973

It took hours of patience and tireless attention to drive the young cattle into the corral of the Estancia of Palitué. - Province Neuquén. - 1975

The troperos, who spent weeks driving the herds to the slaughterhouses on the coast, had to give way to more intensive cattle breeding, but every gaucho still knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. - Estancia Do Tigre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil - 1976

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia El Cardal, Ayacucho, Buenos Aires Province. - 1976

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Palitué, Neuquén. - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén. - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén. - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia El Dorado, Province Corrientes - 1976

Every gaucho knows how to master the lasso, even if today's methods no longer require it. Incidentally, these traditional skills also determine the somewhat self-evident hierarchy on the estancias. - Estancia El Dorado, Ayacucho, Province Buenos Aires - 1976

The 20th century gaucho has settled down and usually returns to the estancia in the evening, even if his daily work still involves adventure and danger. - Estancia Palitué, Province Neuquén. - 1973

Mastering his horse in any situation brings the gaucho "glory and honour", and so he puts his skill to the test again and again in the most diverse games and competitions. The rules of these competitions vary depending on the region, and for the huasos, as the gauchos are called in Chile, style counts as much as the result. Although the competition arena is reminiscent of the Spanish bullfighting arena, the aim here is only to manoeuvre the bovine against the board wall with the horse alone and "pin it down". The individual parts of the cow's body are divided into point values, with blocking the hindquarters earning the most. - 1975

Mastering his horse in any situation brings the gaucho "glory and honour", and so he puts his skill to the test again and again in the most diverse games and competitions. The rules of these competitions vary depending on the region, and for the huasos, as the gauchos are called in Chile, style counts as much as the result. Although the competition arena is reminiscent of the Spanish bullfighting arena, the aim here is only to manoeuvre the bovine against the board wall with the horse alone and "pin it down". The individual parts of the cow's body are divided into point values, with blocking the hindquarters earning the most.- Rodeo in Osorno, Chile - 1975

Troperos bring a herd intended for sale across the Alumine River in the Andean foothills. - Province Neuquén. - 1973

Arturo Fernandez has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

The cattle are the wealth of the pampas. There are buyers who travel by plane from one remate (auction) to another. The cows are traded as lots, bulls as heads. - Remate in Temuco, Chile - 1975

The cattle are the wealth of the pampas. There are buyers who travel by plane from one remate (auction) to another. The cows are traded as lots, bulls as heads. - Villa María, Province Córdoba - 1973

The cattle are the wealth of the pampas. There are buyers who travel by plane from one remate (auction) to another. The cows are traded as lots, bulls as heads. - Remate in Villa María, Province Córdoba. - 1973

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1973

Chacho Royo is one of the best gauchos in the Salta area and could demonstrate a lot of the younger ones in the campo. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1973

Arturo Fernandez, with mighty guardamontes on either side, has a finca near Salta where he tries to keep the traditional things alive. - Estancia Campo Alegre, Province Salta - 1975

In the province of Buenos Aires, the Troperos drive cows and calves to the Estancia La Mimosa. - 1973

Aberdeen Angus cattle on Estancia El Ombú, Ayacucho, Buenos Aires Province - 1975

At Don Emilio Solanet's Estancia «El Cardal», Ayacucho, Province of Buenos Aires - 1975

Fiesta Gaucha in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. - 1976

Fiesta Gaucha in Bagé, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil - 1976

The cattle are the wealth of the pampas. Remate (auction) in Villa María, Córdoba. The cows are traded as lots, bulls as heads. - 1973

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