In 2005, the Brazilian cattle herd summed 207.2 million animals, which represented an increase of 1.3% in relation to 2004. The result confirms the deceleration observed between the years 2000 and 2003.  The migration of livestock to other agricultural activities, such as sugar cane and soybeans, is one of the reasons for this rate.   Nonetheless, Brazil maintained the position of major cattle herd in the world, followed by India and China (FAO).  Foot-and-mouth disease in some localities of the Central West and of the South Region of the country did not influence significantly the national livestock.

In 2005, the number of quails (9.5%), followed by pullets (7.0%) increased.   The production of hen’s eggs reached 2.8 billion dozens.  The avian influenza made some countries restrict the purchases of Brazilian meat, which was counterbalanced, partly, by redirecting them to the inner market or to new foreign markets.

Among the products of animal-origin, stood out in the comparison 2005/2004, the variations in quail eggs (13.0%) and honey (4.5%); and there was decrease of 7.4% in the production of cocoons of silkworm.  The production of cow’s milk, in 2005, presented increase of 4.7% in relation to 2004, as well as increase in productivity from 1,172 to 1,191 liters/cow/year.

These data come from the survey Municipal Livestock Production 2005 - PPM, which presents a profile of the Brazilian production of animals and animal-origin products.  The total of the herd in 12/31/2005 was recorded.   For the animal-origin products, the quantities produced during the year were considered.  The CD-ROM enclosed with the publication brings tables with all the information by Federative Units, Geographic Meso and Micro Regions and Municipalities.

The North and Northeast Regions present the major growing rates in the cattle herd in 2005 compared to 2004, although the Central West Region still has more than one-third (34.7%) of the national cattle herd.  In those regions stood out the states of Amapá (17.5%), Acre (12.1%), Roraima (10.5%), Pernambuco (12.0%), Alagoas (10.2%), and Maranhão (8.8%).  The major reductions in the cattle herd, in the comparison 2005/2004, were in the Federal District (-10.8%), followed by Rio Grande do Sul (-2.9%) and São Paulo (-2.5%). The major herds of the country are in the municipalities of Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul (1,957,141 heads); São Félix do Xingu, in Pará (1,581,518) and Ribas do Rio Pardo, also Mato Grosso do Sul (1,340,646).  Among the ten main producing municipalities of cattle, eight are in the Central West Region.

Production of cow’s milk presents major productivity in 2005

Regarding the production of cow’s milk in 2005, 24.6 billion liters were produced, an increase of 4.7% in relation to 2004.  Minas Gerais is the main national producer of cow’s milk, with 28.1%, followed by Goiás (10.8%), Paraná (10.3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (10.0%).  The productivity of cow’s milk increased from 1,172 liters/cow/year, in 2004, to 1,191 liters/cow/year, in 2005.  The Brazilian municipality that most produced milk in 2005 was Ibiá (Minas Gerais), with 104,427,194 liters and a productivity of 2,300 liters/cow/year.

Hogs and pigs increased by 3.0% and Santa Catarina continues to be the major state producer

In 2005, the number of hogs and pigs registered an increase of 3.0% in relation to 2004, reaching 34 million units. Amapá and Rondônia presented the major rates of growth in the production of hogs and pigs in 2005, respectively, 30.4% and 20.7%.  The major reductions were observed in Acre (-10.5%) and Espírito Santo (-8.5%).  The main state producer, in 2005, continued to be Santa Catarina (18.5%), followed by Paraná (13.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (12.4%). Uberlândia (Minas Gerais) is the main producing municipality.

Brasília reaches the leadership in the production of pullets (1)

The number of pullets and hens registered an increase of 7.0% and 1.0%, respectively, in the comparison 2005/2004, summing 812.5 million pullets and 186.6 million hens.  São Paulo was the main producer of hens, and the municipality of Bastos (SP) was the major national producer.  Paraná was the state which most produced pullets in 2005; Brasília (Federal District) changed from the third position, in 2004, to the first position in 2005.

The production of hen’s eggs was 2.8 billions in 2005, with the Southeast Region concentrating 45.2% of the national production.  The main state producer was São Paulo, where the municipality of Bastos led with   169,790,588 dozens.

Number of quails increased while the number of rabbits decreased

Comparing the number of animals of 2005 in relation to 2004 among the other herds that were surveyed stood out the increase of 9.5% in the number of quails, which changed from 6,243,202 heads, in 2004, to 6,837,767 heads in 2005.  The major increases in the number of these animals were registered in Pernambuco (26.4%) and Espírito Santo (15.8%) and the major decrease in Paraíba (- 30.6%). The states with the major number of quails were São Paulo (36.8%) and Espírito Santo (10.0%).  The negative highlight of Other Herds was rabbits, which registered change of -6.5%, with the major decreases occurring in Alagoas, Federal District and São Paulo.  The main state producer of rabbits, in 2005, was Rio Grande do Sul (33.3%).

Production of cocoons of silkworm decreases and the production of honey increases

For the products of animal-origin, in 2005, compared to 2004, there was reduction in the production of cocoons of silkworm (- 7.4%) and of raw wool (-3.54%), with a decrease in the number of fleeced sheep (-1.69%).  The production of quail’s eggs presented a considerable growth (13.04%), coherent with the increase in the number of quails registered by the survey.  The production of honey in Brazil  also increased in 2005, being that in the North and Central West Regions significant growths were observed  (25.9% and 19.7%, respectively), concentrated in the states of Roraima, Pará, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul.  The main state producer was Rio Grande do Sul, whose production represented 22.0% of the national production of honey.

(1) Includes roosters, pullets, chicks.