In 2015, a total 30.64 cattle head were slaughtered, with a decrease of 9.6% versus the 2014 figure. In the same year, 39.26 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, accounting for an increase of 5.7% in relation to 2014. This activity has recorded steady increase since 2005. The slaughter of chickens increased 5.4% and reached a new record, with 5.79 billion head.

The acquisition of milk (24.05 billion liters) in 2015 fell 2.8%, whereas the acquisition of leather by tanneries (32.55 million entire pieces of rawhide) fell by 10.5%. The production of hen eggs (2.92 billion dozens) increased 3.5%, also in relation to 2014. The survey presents details on the status of these products in the fourth quarter of 2015, verus the previous quarter and the same quarter in 2014. The complete publication is available here.

In 2015, cattle slaughter fell by 9.6%

In 2015, a total 30.64 million cattle head were slaughtered in establishments under some kind of sanitary inspection. That figure represents da ecrease of 9,6% in relation to the previous year (33.91 million head).

The production of 7.49 million metric tons of cattle carcasses in 2015 was 7.1%, lower than in the previous year (8.06 million metric tons). The avearage weight of carcasses was 244.5 kg/animal in 2015, being 6.7 kg bigger than in the previous year.

The slaughter of minus 3.27 million cattle head in the 2015/2014 comparison resulted from the decreases recorded in 23 of the 27 Feferation Units. The main falling results occurred in Mato Grosso (-811.42 thousand head), Mato Grosso do Sul (-532.31 thousand head) and São Paulo (-471.46 thousand head). The state of Mato Grosso, in spite of the decrease of 15.2%, remained as the leader in the ranking of Federation Units in 2015, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás.

In Q4 2015 the number of cattle head slaughtered amounted to 7.69 million cattle head under some type of sanitary inspection. This number was 1.5% above that in the previous quarter and 9.8% below that of Q4 2014.

Slaughter of hogs and pigs increases 5.7% and hits a new record in 2015

In 2015, 39.26 million hogs and pigs were slaughtered, accounting for an increase of 5.7% in relation to the previous year. The annual series shows a continuous increase of this activity since 2005, culminating in a new record level in 2015.

The cumulative weight of hogs and pigs carcasses reached 3.43 million metric tons in 2015, with increase of 7.4% in relation to the previous year.

Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná were the main Brazilian states in terms of slaughter of hogs and pigs in 2015. Em relation to 2014, Santa Catarina and Paraná recorded increase of the number of head slaughtered, whereas Rio Grande do Sul recorded decrease. The participation of the South Region in the total slaughtered rose from 65.6% to 66.0%.

In the 4th quarter of 2015, 10.22 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, with increases of 0.3% versus the previous quarter and of 7.6% versus the same period in 2014. This result represents a new record since the start of the survey in 1997.

In 2015, the slaughter of chickens increased 5.4% and hit a new record

The cumulative result of chicken slaughter pointed to an increase of 5.4% versus 2014, with a total 5.79 billion head of chickens slaughtered. A new record level was reached with these figures.

The cumulative weight of carcasses as a result of chicken slaughter in 2015 reached 13.14 million metric tons, representing an increase of 5.0% over the previous year. Chicken production increased continuously from 1997 to 2015, with a single instance of inflection in 2009.

The South Region accounted for 59.6% of the national slaughter of chickens. There was decrease of 0.7% in the national participation in relation to 2014 figures, despite the increase of 4.1% in the number of head slaughtered. Paraná leads the national ranking in terms of chicken slaughter, having recorded the biggest absolute change.

In Q4 2015, 1.51 billion head of chickens were slaughtered, representing a new record for the time series initiated in 1997. This result meant increases of 0.2% in comparison with the previous quarter and of 6.9% in comparison with the same period in 2014.

Acquisition of Milk falls 2.8% in 2015

Acquisition of milk in 2015 reached 24.05 billion liters. There was decrease of 2.8% in versus the 2014 figure. From the total milk delivered, 92.4% came from establishments under federal, 6.9% under state and 0.7%, under municipal inspection. Minas Gerais accounted for 26.8% of the acquisition of milk, followed by Rio Grande do Sul with 14.5%.

In relation to 2014, the decrease of milk acquisition occurred in 21 of the 27 Federation Units. Increases were recorded only in Pernambuco (6.1%), Rio de Janeiro (5.5%), São Paulo (3.3%), Santa Catarina (0.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (1.7%).

In Q4 2015, the total amount of raw milk delivered to establishments under some type of sanitary inspection (at federal, state or municipal level) amounted to 6.28 billion liters. In relation to the 4th quarter of 2014, there was a decrease of 3.9% and a rise of 4.8% in relation to Q3 2015. Processing of milk in Q4 2015 reached 6.26 billion liters, with a decrease of 4.0% relative to the same period in 2014 and increase of 4.7% to Q3 2015.

Leather acquisition by tanneries fell by 10.5% in 2015

In 2015, the tanneries surveyed by the Quarterly Survey of Leather - those which treat at least 5,000 entire units of rawhide per year - reported receiving 32.55 million entire pieces of cattle rawhide. This amount was 10.5% smaller than that in the previous year.

The decrease by 3.83 million enitre rawhide pieces, at national level, in the 2015/2014 comparison, was stimulated by the acquitition of rawhide in 16 of the 20 Federation Units which have at least one active tannery included in the survey universe. The main decreases were recorded by Mato Grosso (-751.26 thousand piece), Paraná (-699.42 thousand pieces), Rio Grande do Sul (-564.36 thousand pieces) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-522.31 thousand pieces). However, Mato Grosso continua liderando amplamente a recepção de peles pelos curtumes, seguidremains as the absolute leader in trms of leather received by tanneries, followed by São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul.

In Q4 2015, taneries surveyed by the Quartely Survey of Leather reported receiving 8.28 million entire rawhide pieces. This amount was 2.4% bigger than in the previous quarter abd 5.8% smaller than in Q4 2014. As for the origin of leather, 90% of the pieces came from slaughterhouses, cold stores and service rendering.

Production of hen eggs increases 3.5% in 2015

The output of hen eggs was 2.92 billion dozens in 2015 and increased 3.5% versus the figure in 2014. The production of hen eggs was bigger in all the months of 2015 when compared to the months in 2014. In December 2015, for example, production was 4.9% bigger than in December 2014. Increase above 4.0% also took place in the months of June, July and August.

Also between 2014 and 2015, there was significant increase of output in states with relevant national participation, for example, Paraná (10.4%), Rio Grande do Sul (7.4%) and Espírito Santo (6.0%). However, in Mato Grosso, there was a first decrease (-0.8%) after ten years of growing results.

São Paulo led the production of hen eggs in 2015, accounting for 29.6% of the national output, with little loss of participation versus 2014 (-0.5 p.p.). Minas Gerais and Paraná come in following positions, with 9.8% of participation each.

In Q4 2015, the production of hen eggs amounted to 746.26 million dozens. This quantity was 0.5% smaller than in the previous quarter and 3.8% bigger than that of the same quarter in 2014. It is worth mentioning that Q3 2015 had the biggest production of eggs since 1987, when the survey started.