6.2 billion liters of raw milk were purchased in the first quarter of 2014, representing an increase of 8.9% over the same period in 2013 and a drop of 5.5% over the last quarter.

Cattle slaughter (8.4 million head) registered an increase of 2.9% over the first quarter of 2013, a record for first quarters in the time series of the survey. The same occurred with the cumulative weight of the carcasses (2.0 million metric tons), an increase of 2.8% over the first quarter of 2013.

By increasing 5.5% over the first quarter of 2013 and dropping 1.7% over the fourth quarter that year, chicken slaughter (1.4 billion head) was also a record for first quarters in the time series of the survey.

The slaughter of pigs and hogs (8.7 million head) dropped 1.4% compared with the first quarter of 2013 and 3.6% in relation to the immediately previous quarter.

9.2 million rawhide pieces were purchased, changing 0.4% (stability) over the first quarter of 2013 and falling 4.5% over the fourth quarter that year.

The production of hen eggs was of 686.3 million dozens, an increase of 2.4% over the first quarter of 2013 and a drop of 1.4% over the fourth quarter of 2013.

This and more information is available in the results of the first quarter of 2014 of the Quarterly Surveys of Animal Slaughter and Production of Milk, Leather and Eggs.   The complete publication can be accessed on page https://www.ibge.gov.br/english/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/producaoagropecuaria.

Record cattle slaughter for 1st quarters in time series

In the first quarter of 2014, 8.4 million cattle head were slaughtered, registering a decrease of 5.9% over the record reached last quarter (8.9 million head) and an increase of 2.9% over the first quarter of 2013 (8.1 million head). In the annual comparisons of the same quarters, the first quarter of 2014 was the tenth consecutive quarter of increase in the number of cattle slaughtered, recording a record among the first quarters.

It was also the tenth consecutive quarter of increase in the production of bovine carcasses, another record among the first quarters. 2.0 million metric tons of bovine carcasses were produced, posting an increase of 2.8% over the same quarter in 2013 and a decrease of 8.7% over the last quarter.

Compared with the same period a year ago, more 238.9 thousand cattle head were slaughtered in the first quarter of 2014, highlighted by Minas Gerais (more 122.2 thousand head), Goiás (102.6 thousand) and Pará (63.9 thousand). Despite the drop of 3.4% in the number of head slaughtered in the same comparison, Mato Grosso remained the national leader of cattle slaughter. Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Goiás ranked in the first three positions in the quarter, accounting for 38.9% of the overall cattle slaughter.

Record chicken slaughter in time series for 1st quarters

1.4 billion chicken head were slaughtered in the first quarter of 2014, posting the best performance among the first quarters since the creation of the survey in 1997. This figure represented a drop of 1.7% over the last quarter and an increase of 5.5% in the comparison with the same period in 2013. In the first quarter of 2014, the cumulative weight of the carcasses reached 3.2 million metric tons, representing an increase of 0.5% over the last quarter and of 11.7% against the same period in 2013.

When compared with the same quarter of 2013, the figures of the first quarter of 2014 registered an increase from 59.7% to 61.5% in the overall participation of the South Region. The growth of the South Region (8.6%) was the result of the increased number of chicken head slaughtered in Paraná (more 30,5 million head), Rio Grande do Sul (23.4 million) and Santa Catarina (13.8 million). Paraná was the leading state in the Brazilian ranking of chicken slaughtering.

Hogs and pigs slaughter drops 1.4% over 1st quarter of 2013

8.7 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered in the first quarter of 2014, representing a decrease of 3.6% over the last quarter and of 1.4% over the same period in 2013. Considering the annual comparison among the first quarters, the result of the first quarter of 2014 halted a sequence of positive changes started in 2004.

The cumulative weight of the carcasses in the quarter reached 747.6 thousand metric tons, representing a fall of 1.2% over the last quarter and of 0.5% over the same period in 2013.

The South Region accounted for 65.1% of the overall slaughter of hogs and pigs in the first quarter of 2014, followed by the Southeast (18.8%), the Central-West (14.8%), the Northeast (1.2%) and the North Region (0.1%). In the comparison between the first quarters of 2014 and 2013, the South Region registered a drop (-0.1%) in its participation, as well as a negative change (-1.7%) in the slaughtered volume. Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul together reduced the slaughtering of hogs and pigs at a higher volume than the increase recorded in Santa Catarina. The Southeast Region posted an increase (0.7%) in its participation, whereas the Central-West Region registered a reduction (-0.6%). Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, in this order, led the national ranking of hogs and pigs slaughter.

Purchase of milk rises 8.9% over Q1 2013

6.2 billion liters of milk were purchased by milk processing industries in the first quarter of 2014, accounting for an increase of 8.9% over the first quarter of 2013 and a decrease of 5.5% over the fourth quarter of 2013. 6.7 billion liters of milk were manufactured, representing an increase of 8.9% over the same period in 2013 and a drop of 5.2% over the fourth quarter of 2013. In terms of the participation in the production, 92.9% of the milk were purchased by establishments under federal inspection, 6.3% by establishments under state inspection and the remaining by establishments under municipal inspection.

The Southeast Region was responsible for purchasing 41.4% of the milk in the quarter, the South for 33.8% and the Central-West for 14.7%. The North and Northeast Regions accounted for 5.0% each. Compared with the first quarter of 2013, the Southeast, Northeast and Central-West Regions gained participation, whereas the others reduced their participation.

Purchase of rawhide stable (0.4%) over Q1 2013

9.2 million units of rawhide were purchased in the first quarter of 2014. The purchase of rawhide was stable (0.4%) when compared with the same quarter in 2013 and dropped 4.5% over the last quarter. As to the rawhide source, 63.3% came from refrigerated slaughterhouses, 6.5% came from intermediaries or salters, 2.3% came from municipal slaughterhouses and 0.7% came from other tanneries or other sources. 27.2% of the rawhide were received to provide tanning services. Of the total, 38.4% were purchased by the Central-West, 20.4% by the South, 17.1% by the North, 16.6% by the Southeast and 7.6% by the Northeast Region. In terms of the overall purchase of rawhide, Mato Grosso (16.1%) stood out, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (12.6%), São Paulo (11.5%) and Rio Grande do Sul (10.9%).

Production of hen eggs grows 2.4% over Q1 2013

In the first quarter of 2014, the production of hen eggs was of 686.3 million dozens, representing an increase of 2.4% over the first quarter of 2013 and a drop of 1.4% over the fourth quarter of 2013. Of the total, 48.6% came from the Southeast, 21.6% from the South, 13.8% from the Northeast, 13.4% from the Central-West and 2.6% from the North.