According to IBGE’s Statistics of Livestock Production, in the third quarter of 2009 there was an increase of +4.6% in the number of slaughtered cattle heads, in comparison to the second quarter of the same year. By contrast with the second quarter of 2008, the increase was +1.0%. Data confirm the expected recovery of the sector. Chicken slaughter also recorded rises in the comparison to the second quarter (+8.5%) and the third quarter of 2008 (+1.4%). The slaughter of hogs and pigs grew, in both comparisons, by +6.8% and +10.4%, respectively. The acquisition of milk by industrial establishments recorded a rise of +14.1% in relation to the second quarter, and that of leather increased by +11.8%. The production of hen’s eggs had an increase of +9.7%.

Mato Grosso (15.4%), São Paulo (12.2%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (10.9%) presented the highest percentages in cattle slaughter. The South region concentrated 60.5% of chicken slaughter, with Paraná (26.1%) standing out. The South also stood out in the slaughter of hogs and pigs, with 68.2%. Minas Gerais was the leading state in milk acquisition (26.0%).

Figures of 2009 show a total 7,213 million cattle head slaughtered. The increase of total animals slaughtered compared to the same quarter in 2008 (+1.0%) and to the second quarter of the year (+4.6%) reinforce expectation of recovery of this segment, which has occurred since the previous quarter. The bigger number of animals slaughtered is a consequence, mainly, of the increasing consumption by the internal market.

In the third quarter, major companies in the meat market acquired plants which had been closed due to the world crisis, most of them located in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso. According to Cepea/Esalq, the indicator of live cattle prices faced slight fall in the beginning of the period, and in August even more. Partial recovery only started in the second fortnight of September.

Considering the weight of carcasses, there were 1,728 million metric tons, with rises of  3.3% and 6.2%, respectively, compared to figures in the third quarter of 2008 and second quarter of 2009. Mato Grosso is the main Brazilian state when it comes to volume of slaughtering, accounting for 15.4% of the national production; it is followed by São Paulo (12.2%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (10.9%).

Chickens

A total 1,267 billion chicken head were slaughtered in the third quarter, a figure 8.5% bigger than in the previous quarter. In relation to the same period in 2008, the increase was 1.4%. The south Region of the country accounted for 60.5% of the entire national slaughter of chickens, and Paraná was the main state (with 26.1% of the production).

The total weight of carcasses was 2.616 million metric tons, with rise of 6.6% compared to the figure in the second quarter and of 1.0% compared to the same period in 2008. The average weight of carcasses by animal slaughtered was 2,0 kilograms.

Hogs and Pigs

Hogs and pigs slaughtered in the third quarter outnumbered 8.103 million head, confirming the trend to rise of this product in spite of the financial crisis and the occurrence of swine influenza. The number of head slaughtered increased from 10.4% in relation to the third quarter of 2008 to 6.8% in relation to the second quarter.

The total weight of carcasses slaughtered was 770.404 thousand metric tons, with rise of 14.8% in relation to the 3rd quarter of 2008 and 5.4% compared to the 2^nd quarter of 2009. The average weight of hogs and pigs slaughtered was about 95 kilograms.

The South Region of Brazil concentrated 68.2% of the national volume of hogs and pigs slaughter, with Santa Catarina in the leadership (27.7% of the national production). However, Paraná was the only one to present higher absolute change in the amount of hogs and pigs slaughtered, 293,703 units more than in the third quarter of 2008, being equivalent to 24.8%.

Acquisition of Milk

Acquisition of milk reached 4,898 billion liters, being 4.7% above the figure observed in the same period in the previous year and 14.1% above the figure in the second quarter. Industrialization of this product, on the other hand, was 4,876 billion liters, with rises of 4.5% and 14.2%. Minas Gerais is the main state in terms of milk acquisition (26.0%).

Prices of milk and dairy products in the internal market fell in the third quarter of 2009 in all the localities surveyed, according to data of Cepea/Esalq. The main cause of tjis decrease was the increase of production as a consequence of the end of the period between harvests.

By observing milk acquisition in 2009 compared to data in 008, there was decrease in all the months from January to July. Considering figures accumulated in the year until the third quarter, there was fall of -26.8%. Recovery, even insufficient to reverse all the losses, did occur in August (4.4%) and September (12.7%).

Acquisition of Leather

In the third quarter, there was acquisition of 9,121 thousand entire pieces of cattle leather , both in relation to the third quarter of 2008 (+5.2%) and to the previous quarter (+11.8%). The main sources of this product were slaughterhouses (61.0%). Together, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul and Mato Grosso do Sul acquired 58.1% of the total in the country.

The leather tanned by establishments (8.867 million pieces), recorded increases of 3.9% in relation to the third quarter of 2008 and of 10.2% in relation to the immediately previous quarter. The main tanning method applied was the one using chromium. All the leather acquired throughout 2009 came from national sources. Despite the commentaries relative to a crisis in the sector, acquisition of leather has been on a rising trend since April.

Production of Hen’s Eggs

The production of hen’s eggs remained on up upward trend in the third quarter, amounting to 637,064 million dozens, with rise of 10.5% compared to the third quarter of 2008 and of 9.7% compared to  the previous quarter. São Paulo was the main national producer (32.3% of the total output).

The states of Mato Grosso and Amazonas had significant increases in production of hen’s eggs in the third quarter, compared to the same period in 2008, of 50.0% and 23.9%, respectively. Federal District, however, presented decrease of 30.4% in production.

    Slaughter of Animals, Acquisition of Leather, Production of Milk and of

             Hen’s Eggs - Comparison of quarters in 2008 and 2009 – Brazil