Cattle slaughter in Brazil in the 1st quarter of 2015 was of 7.732 million head, registering drop of 9.3% over the previous quarter (8.522 million head) and a drop of 7.7% in the comparison with Q1 2014 (8.373 million head).

In Q1 2015, the slaughter of chickens (1.380 billion head) posted a decrease of 1.9% over the previous quarter and a rise of 2.1% over the 1st quarter of 2014. As to the slaughter of hogs and pigs (9.170 million head), it decreased 3.4% in relation to the 4th quarter of 2014 and increased 4.2% against the 1st quarter of 2014. The production of hen eggs hit a record of 730.156 million dozens, an increase of 1.6% over the 4th quarter of 2014 and of 6.2% over the 1st quarter of 2014.

The purchase of raw milk was of 6.128 billion liters, drops of 6.2% over the 4th quarter of 2014 and of 1.0% in relation to the 1st quarter of 2014. 8.111 million units of rawhide were purchased, registering decrease of 7.7% over the previous quarter and of 11.9% over the 1st quarter of 2014.

This and further information are available in the results of the 1st quarter of 2015 of the Quarterly Surveys of Animal Slaughter and Production of Milk, Leather and Hen Eggs. The complete publication of the survey is available at: https://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/producaoagropecuaria/default.shtm

Cattle slaughter registers 7.7 million and falls in two comparisons

In Q1 2015, a total 7,732 million cattle head were slaughtered. This figure was 9.3% smaller than in the previous quarter (8.522 millon head) and 7.7% smaller than in Q1 2014 (8,373 million head).

The cumulative weight of carcasses in Q1 2015 (1,837 million metric tons) was 10.8% smaller than in the previous quarter (2,058 million metric tons) and 5.9% smaller than in Q1 2014 (1,952 million metric tons).

At national level, in Q1 2015, slaughter fell by 641,098 cattle head in comparison with the same period last year,; the main highlights: were Mato Grosso (-179,260 head), Mato Grosso do Sul (-118,023 head), Goiás (-105,748 head), Minas Gerais (-72,018 head), São Paulo (-70,402 head) and Paraná (-43,186 head). Increases in other Federation Units made up for part of these results, mainly the increments registered in Pará (+ 48,749 head) and Maranhão (+13,590 head). Mato Grosso remains in the leadership of the national cattle slaughter ranking, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo.

Chicken slaughter surpasses 1.3 billion head and increases 2.1% versus Q1 2014

This result represented decrease of 1.9%. In Q1 2015, the slaughter of chickens (1,380 billion head) fell by 1.9% in comparison with the figure in the previous quarter and increased by 2.1% versus Q1 2014. The cumulative weight of carcasses was 3,162 million metric tons, which meant a decrease of 0.6% versus the previous quarter and increase of 2.6% versus the equivalent period in 2014

The South Region accounted for 59.2% of the national slaughter of chickens in Q1 2015, being followed by the Southeast (20.5%), Central West (15.1%), Northeast (3.7%) and North (1.5%). The comparison between the first quarters of 2015/2014 shows that the South Region reduced its participation in national slaughter by 0.9%, despite the increase of 0.5%, in the number of head slaughtered, according to results of Paraná, which surpassed the decreases occurred in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. The Southeast Region kept the same level of participation, even with the increase of 2.2% in the volume of chickens slaughtered, due to the positive performance of Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. In the Central West, bigger slaughter figures in Goiás, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul contributed to the change of 8.1% in the number of head slaughtered in the Region, increasing its participation to the national aggregate by 0.8%.

Slaughter of hogs and pigs increases 4.2% in comparison with the same quarter in 2014

In Q1 2015 a total 9,170 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, representing decrease of 3.4% in relation to the previous quarter and increase of 4.2% versus the same period in 2014. The cumulative weight of carcasses reached 794,214 thousand metric tons, which meant a decrease of 1.0% in comparison with the previous quarter and increase of 4.9% versus the same quarter in 2014.

The South Region accounted for 66.0% of the national slaughter of hogs and pigs, followed by the Southeast (18.7%), Central West (14.1%), Northeast (1.1%) and North (0.1%). In the comparison between the first quarters of 2015/2014, the South Region recorded increase (5.1%) in the number of head slaughtered. The region increased its participation in the national slaughter by 0.6%, mainly due to the increments in Santa Catarina and in Paraná. The South Region kept the same level of participation (18.7%), although São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo recorded positive performance, resulting in increase of 3.9% of the number of head slaughtered in the Region. The Central West had its participation reduced by 0.5%, despite the increase of 0.4% in the number of hogs and pigs slaughtered, in which the positive performance of Mato Grosso do Sul and of the Federal District, together, surpassed the negative result of Mato Grosso.

Com mais de 730 milhões de dúzias, produção de ovos bate recorde

The production of hen eggs reached the record figure of 730.156 million dozens in the 1st quarter of 2015 - considering the time series by quarter initiated in 1987. This amount was 1.6% bigger than that recorded in the previous quarter and 6.2% above that in Q1 2014. It is observed that consecutive increases have occurred in comparisons with first quarter results since 2004.

In terms of regional distribution, São Paulo leads the ranking of egg production, with 32.1% of the national output. It was also the state with the biggest absolute increase in egg production (29,873 thousand dozens) in the comparison between the Q1 2014 and Q1 2015.

Purchase of milk falls 1.0% versus Q1 2014 figure

In Q1 2015, the milk processing industry purchased 6,128 billion liters of milk, with decreases of 6.2% versus the previous month and of 1.0% versus Q1 2014.

By area, the comparison between Q1 2014 and Q1 2015 points to reducation by 60,959 million liters of milk presents as main highlights: Goiás (-44,500 million liters), Minas Gerais (-23,041 million liters), São Paulo (-19,141 million liters) and Pará (-18,142 million liters). Increases in other Federation Units made up for part of these increases. The main highlights were Santa Catarina (+50,098 million liters), Paraná (+22,275 million liters) and Mato Grosso do Sul (+ 11,091 million liters). In the national ranking of milk purchase, Minas Gerais remains as the leader, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná.

Purchase of leather falls by 11.9% versus Q1 2014 result

The purchase of leather was 8,111 million pieces in Q1 2015. This figure was 9.3% smaller that that in the previous quarter (8.522 million head) and 7.7% smaller than in Q1 2014 (8,373 million head). As for the origin of leather, most of it came from refrigerated slaughterhouses, followed by rendering of services, and accounting, together, for 91.3% of the total obtained in the period.

The decrease observed at national level in the comparison between Q1 2014 and Q1 2015 was seen almost all over the country. Among the 20 Federation Units with tanneries entitled to take part in the survey, only Rondônia and Roraima recorded increase of the volume of rawhide purchased.