The importance of the livestock sector to the economy of Uruguay can hardly be overstated. Livestock related exports averaged 83.7 percent of the country's total exports in the period 1967-1973 (Munoz Duran). In recent years, however, the country has faced a problem of a relatively slow rate of adoption of production increasing technologies on the part of livestock producers. This has resulted in low levels of livestock productivity, a low rate of growth in the economy and a deteriorating balance of payment position (Vazquez).