After contracting 0.7% in 2012, cattle herds show a modest growth for the second year in a row (0.3%) in 2014. The inventory reached 212.3 million heads, an increase of 569 thousand animals in relation to 2013, when the growth fell 0.2%. As a result, Brazil remained in the second position in the world rank, just behind India. The Central-West Region is the main producer, responsible for 33.5% of the national cattle herd. Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and Pará accounted for more than half of the national inventory (54.0%). That is what the Municipal Livestock Production (PPM) 2014 shows.

PPM reveals, also, that fish farming in Brazil in 2014 grew 20.9% in relation to the previous year, reaching 474.3 thousand metric tons. The North Region led the contribution among the Major Regions, with 139.1 thousand metric tons. This growth was leveraged by Rondônia, which ranked first, with a removal of fish (gathering of tank-raised fish) of 75.0 thousand metric tons of fish. Mato Grosso fell to the second position, with a removal of fish of 60.9 thousand metric tons. In 2014, aquaculture was present at the 27 Federation Units and in 2,871 municipalities. The total production value was of 3.87 billion reais, most of it (70.2%) coming from fish farming, followed by shrimp farming (20.5%).

Brazil, the fifth in the world rank of milk production, showed growth of 2.7% in 2014, reaching 35.2 billion liters. Out of this total, almost 70.0% corresponds to inspected production (24.7 billion liters), surveyed by the Quarterly Milk Survey of the IBGE. Quail farming also grew (11.9%), reaching 20.3 million head. As a result, the production of quail eggs was of 392.7 million dozens, 14.7% more than in 2013.

PPM 2014 also brings information on the herds of buffaloes, horses, hogs and pigs, goats, sheep and poultry, besides aquaculture, for Brazil, Major Regions, the states and municipalities. Click here to access the complete publication.

Cattle herd grows 0.3% in 2014

The inventory of cattle herd in 2014 was of 212.3 million head, an increase of 0.3% in relation to 2013. Brazil held the second largest herd in the world, just behind India. The Central-West Region showed the largest number of head among the Major Regions (33.5%). Between 2013 and 2014, there was a growth of inventories in the North (2.5%), Northeast (1.4%) and Central-West (0.2%) Regions, and reductions in the Southeast (-2.1%) and South (-0.8%).

In absolute terms, in the North, there were increases in Pará (from 19.2 million heads to 19.9 million), Rondônia (from 12.3 million to 12.7 million) and Acre (from 2.7 million to 2.8 million). In the Northeast, the most significant increase occurred in Maranhão (7.6 million to 7.8 million). In the Central-West, the increase happened only in Mato Grosso (from 28.4 million to 28.6 million). In the Southeast, the drop was influenced especially by Minas Gerais (from 24.2 million to 23.7 million) and, to a lesser degree, by São Paulo (from 10.5 million to 10.1 million). In the South, only Santa Catarina presented an increase in the inventory of cattle herd (from 4.2 million to 4.3 million).

Mato Grosso (13.5%), Minas Gerais (11.2%), Goiás (10.1%), Mato Grosso do Sul (9.9%) and Pará (9.4%) had the largest inventories of cattle in 2014, representing together 54.0% of total. Among the municipalities, the largest inventories were located in São Felix do Xingu (PA), with 2.2 million head, Corumbá (MS), with 1.8 million, and Ribas do Rio Preto (MS), with 1.1 million. Among the 20 municipalities with the highest inventories, eleven are located in the Central-West Region, six in the North and only two in the South.

In the inventory of cattle in 2014, 10.9% were milked cows, an increase of 0.7% compared to the previous year, with the Southeast  (34.3%) and Northeast Regions (20.5%) presenting greater participation in the national total. Minas Gerais (25.1%), Goiás (11.7%) and Bahia (8.9%) presented the highest inventory of milked cows. As a result, Brazil ranked, in 2014, second in the world scenario in relation to the inventory of milked cows, just behind India.

North Region leads the ranking of pisciculture

In 2014, the 27 states and 2.871 Brazilian municipalities had aquaculture production. The total production value was of 3.9 billion reais, the majority (70.2%) coming from fish farming, followed by shrimp farming (20.5%).

The total production of the Brazilian pisciculture in 2014 was of 474.3 thousand metric tons, representing an increase of 20.9% in relation to the previous year. In the Major Regions, the North was the leader. This growth was driven by Rondônia, which rose to the first position in the ranking with the removal (gathering of tank-raised fish) of 75.0 thousand metric tons of fish. Mato Grosso fell to the second position, with the removal of 60.9 thousand metric tons.

The municipality of Sorriso (MT) remained as the main fish producer of Brazil, in 2014, registering the fish removal of 21.0 thousand metric tons, 2.4% less than recorded in 2013. Jaguaribara (EC) remained in the second position, with the fish removal  of 16.9 thousand tons, 16.0% greater than that recorded in 2013.

The tilapia remained the most raised species in 2014, with 198.5 thousand metric tons removed, equivalent to 41.9% of the pisciculture total. The species had an increase of 17.3% in its production in relation to 2013. The tambaqui maintained the second position in the ranking of the species of fish, with the removal of 139.2 thousand tons, or 29.3% of the national total. The species had an increase of 56.9% in its production, especially due to the increase of 90.3% in the North Region, main producer, which accounts for 76.1% of the production.

The production of shrimp in Brazil is concentrated in the Northeast Region (99.3%). In 2014, Ceará remained as the leader, with the production of 35.4 thousand metric tons of shrimp, followed by Rio Grande do Norte, with 18.3 thousand metric tons. Together, the two states accounted for 82.6% of national production. Aracati (EC) remained as a highlight in 2014, with a production of 8.8 thousand metric tonnes of shrimps.

South Region surpasses the Southeast and becomes the main producer of milk

In 2014, the production of milk was of 35.2 billion liters, an increase of 2.7% over the previous year. Thus, Brazil has occupied the fifth position in the world ranking of milk production, behind the European Union, India, the United States and China.

In 2014, the South Region occupied the first position in the ranking of the major regions, with 34.7% of the national production. Despite this, Minas Gerais followed as the main producing state, with 9.3 billion liters, which corresponds to 77.0% of the entire production of the Southeast Region and 26.6% of the national overall. In the second place is Rio Grande do Sul (13.3% of the national overall and 4.7 billion liters), followed by Paraná (12.9% and 4.5 billion liters). Conversely, the Central-West participated with 14.5%, Goiás being the fourth largest national producer. Concerning the municipalities (the others are ok too), the first position has remained with Castro (PR), with 239.0 million liters.

The average price of the liter of milk was of R$ 0.96, generating a production value of R$ 33.78 billion in 2014. The highest average price was found in the Northeast, R$ 1.11 per liter, and the lowest in the North, R$ 0.82 per liter.

The difference between the total of milk produced in Brazil established by PPM (35.3 billion liters) and the quantity of raw milk gained by dairy products under sanitary inspection, raised by the Quarterly Survey of Milk Production (24.7 billion liters of milk) reflects the production of milk that was not approved by health surveillance. Contrasting the time series of these two variables of the last 10 years, it is observed that, in general, they present very similar trends. The lowest difference observed in the period was 29.6%, in 2014, and the largest, 34.4%, in 2006.

The milk average production per cow was of 1.525 liters per year, in 2014, a growth of 2.2% in relation to 2013 (1.492 liters).

Herd of hogs and pigs grows 3.2% in 2014

The inventory of hogs and pigs was of 37.9 million head in 2014, an increase of 3.2% in relation to 2013. The Brazilian production of hogs and pigs in 2014 was the fourth largest in the world. The first three were China, the European Union and the United States.

Almost half of the inventory of hogs and pigs (49.3%) were in the South Region, followed by the Southeast (18.5%), Northeast (14.9%), Central-West (13.8%) and North (3.4%). In relation to 2013, the Major Regions did not present considerable changes. Concerning the municipalities, Uberlândia (MG), Rio Verde (GO) and Toledo (PR) held the largest inventories of hogs and pigs.

While herd of buffaloes drops, herd of horses and goats grow in 2014

The buffalo inventory was of 1.3 million head in 2014, 1.0% lesser than in 2013. This inventory is concentrated in the North of the country (66.5%), being the largest herds found in Pará (37.4%) and in Amapá (21.7%). The Southeast Region appears in the sequence, with 11.3% of the inventory, located mainly in São Paulo (6.2%), and in Minas Gerais (4.3%). The Northeast Region has the third largest herd (9.1%), being Maranhão the main representative (6.1%). The South participated with 8.1%, with the inventory located mainly in Rio Grande do Sul (5.1%). The Central-West had the remaining 5.0%, with the greatest participation of Goiás (2.5%). In comparison with 2013, all geographical regions showed a reduction in the absolute number of buffaloes.

The horse inventory (raising of horses, mares, foals and fillies) was of 5.4 million head, an increase of 2.6% in relation to 2013: 24.2% were in the Southeast; 22.9%, in the Northeast; 19.2%, in the Central West; 17.7%, in the South, and 16.1% in the North. Minas Gerais (14.0%), Rio Grande do Sul (9.9%) and Bahia (8.6%) were the states with the highest concentration of horse inventory.

The goat inventory (raising of goats, does and kids) was of 8.8 million head in 2014, change of 0.8% in relation to 2013. The Northeast Region held 91.6% of the herd.  Bahia had 26.7% of the inventory, followed by Pernambuco (23.6%) and Piauí (13.9%).

Sheep inventory grows 1.9% in 2014

Sheep inventory (raising of rams, sheep and lambs) was of 17.6 million units, an increase of 1.9% over the number obtained in 2013. The largest concentration was in the Northeast Region (57.5%), followed by South (29.3%), Central West (5.6%), Southeast (4.0%) and North Regions (3.6%).

The total number of sheep: 22.6% were sheared in 2014, mainly in the South of the country (98.0%), with greater representativeness in Rio Grande do Sul (88.7%). Compared to 2013, there was a fall of 1.8% in total fleeced sheep.

Of the wool production generated by shearing in 2014 was of 11.8 thousand tonnes, a drop of 1.6% in relation to 2013. The production value was of R$ 84.26 million, indicating a drop of 4.4%. The average price of the kilo of wool was of R$ 7.10, with the greatest record in Rio Grande do Sul (R$7.50) and the lowest in São Paulo (R$ 3.30). The production occurred in seven Federation Units: Rio Grande do Sul (92.0%), Paraná (4.7%), Santa Catarina (2.2%), Mato Grosso do Sul (0.9%), São Paulo (0.2%), Minas Gerais (0.06%) and Goiás (0.01%).

Poultry grows 6.6% in 2014

The poultry inventory (roosters, hens, chickens and chicks) was of 1.3 billion head in 2014, an increase of 6.6% in relation to 2013.

The majority of the poultry inventory was located in the South Region (46.0%), 22.7% in Paraná. The Southeast participated with 28.8% of the national inventory (15.9% in São Paulo and 9.4% in Minas Gerais). The Central-West Region showed 11.4% of participation, having a greater weight in the states of Goiás (5.2%) and Mato Grosso (3.5%). The Northeast registered 10.8% of participation, with the higher effective located in Bahia (2.5%), in Pernambuco (2.4%) and Ceará (2.1%). The North has had the participation of 3.0%. Pará had the greatest weight in the region. Between 2013 and 2014 there was an increase in the poultry inventory in all Brazilian regions, the largest in the South (6.0%).

Out of the total poultry inventory, 17.0% corresponded to the hens, totaling 226.62 million head, an increase of 2.1% on the registered in 2013. The Southeast Region participated with 36.4%, followed by South (28.1%), Northeast (18.9%), Central-West (12.3%) and North (4.3%). The hen inventory was located in its majority in the states of São Paulo (21.3%), Paraná (10.8%) and Rio Grande do Sul (9.4%).

The production of hen eggs was of 3.7 billion dozens, an increase of 3.2% over the rate registered in 2013. The production value in 2014 had an increase of 12.7% in the same comparative. The average price was around R$ 2.50 a dozen, the highest one was in Tocantins (R$ 5.40) and the lowest, in Sao Paulo (R$ 2.00). The Southeast Region represented 42.7% of the hen egg production, followed by the South (26.1%), Northeast (15.5%), Central-West (12.2%) and North (3.4%). São Paulo was the state with the highest production (25.8%), followed by Paraná (10.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (9.7%).

Raising of quail grows 11.9% in 2014

The quail inventory was of 20.34 million head, an increase of 11.9% compared to 2013. Observing the series of quail inventories in the last ten years, it was observed great and constant increase.

The high concentration of this inventory was in the Southeast Region (78.2%), being São Paulo the major producer, with 54.5% of the national total.

The production of quail eggs was 392.7 million dozens, registering an increase of 14.7% compared to production of 2013. The increase in the egg production has remained constant in the last ten years, following the increase of the quail raising in the country. The production value was of R$ 306.2 million, a high of 8.8% over the result established in 2013. The production was located mainly in the Southeast (82.1%).

Production of honey grows 8.8% in 2014

The quantity of honey produced in 2014 was of 38.47 metric tons, an increase of 8.8% compared to the previous year. After a sudden drop in the 2012 production, this is the second consecutive year with increase in production. The South Region remains as the main producer, with 42.8% of the national production. Rio Grande do Sul, in spite of the drop of 17.8% in comparison with 2013, remained the leader in the production of honey, with 5.99 metric tons produced.