In Q4 2014, chicken slaughter (1.406 billion head) was 3.7% above the result recorded in the same quarter of 2013. In the comparison with the previous quarter the result remained stable (-0.1%). In the cumulative result over the four quartered of 2014, 5.496 billion chickens were slaughtered, registering an increase of 1.9% over 2013. The slaughter of hogs and pigs in Q4 2014 (9.495 million head) had decrease of 1.6% in relation to the previous quarter and a rise of 5.3% in the comparison with the same period in 2013. In the cumulative index in 2014, 37.118 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, accounting for an increase of 2.3% in relation to 2013. In the fourth quarter of 2014, cattle slaughter (8.525 million head) was 0.7% higher than the record of the previous quarter. In the comparison with Q4 2013, there was a 4.1% drop. In 2014, 33.907 million cattle heads were slaughtered, accounting for a decrease of 1.5% in relation to the historical record in the previous year.

The production of hen eggs was of 718.732 million dozens in the fourth quarter of 2014. In comparison with the same period in 2013, there was decrease of 3.2%. Comparing with Q3 2014, there was an output reduction (-0.2%). The production of hen eggs recorded increase of 3.1% in the comparison between 2013 and 2014. The annual output was 2.826 billion dozens in 2014, the highest number reached in the series initiated in 1997. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the acquisition of raw milk was 6.528 billion liters, representing an decrease of 0.2% over the fourth quarter of 2013 and a rise of 4.8% over the third quarter of 2014. The purchase of raw milk all over the year of 2014 added up to 24.741 billion liters, an increase of 5.0% over the figure registered in 2013. The acquisition of rawhides was of 8.789 million units in the fourth quarter of 2014. This figure was 4.6% lower than that of the previous quarter and 8.4% below that of Q4 2013. In the cumulative index of the 2014, 36.380 million of cattle rawhide units were purchased, a downfall of 5.3% comparing with the previous year.

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

Chicken slaughter up 3.7% over Q4 2013

In Q4 2014, 1.406 billion chicken head were slaughtered. This result was stable (0.1%) when compared with the previous quarter and it was 3.7% higher than that of Q4 2013. The cumulative weight of carcasses was of 3.177 million metric tons. It represented a drop of 1.3% over the previous quarter and an increase of 4.6% against the same period in 2013.

In the comparison between the fourth quarters of 2014 and 2013, the South Region increased its participation in the slaughter overall, moving from 59.7% to 60.0%, a rise of 4.2% in the number of slaughtered chicken head. In the comparison between Q3 and Q4 2014, the South Region registered a drop of 1.7% in the volume of slaughtered head. Conversely, the other areas recorded rises: 1.9% in the Southeast, 3.5% in the Central-West, 0.5% in the Northeast and 7,7% in the North.

In the cumulative index of the year of 2014, 5.496 billion units of chicken were slaughtered, a rise of 1.9% in relation to the year of 2013, reaching a new record. The cumulative weight of carcasses as a result of the slaughter of chickens in 2014 reached 12.520 million metric tons, representing an increase of 4.6% in relation to the previous year. The South Region accounted for 60.4% of the national chicken slaughter. There was a rise of 1.0% in its national contribution in comparison to 2013, a reflex of the 3.6% increase in the volume of slaughtered head. The three states of the Region gave an important positive collaboration for such a performance, mainly, Paraná, leader of the national ranking of producers and presented a rise of 75.291 in the number of slaughtered head.

Slaughter of hogs and pigs increases 5.3% over the same period in 2013

In Q4 of 2014, 9.495 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, a drop of 1.6% in relation to the previous quarter and a rise of 5.3% in the comparison with the same period of 2013. The cumulative weight of the carcasses reached 802.448 thousand metric tons, representing a fall of 3.8% over the previous quarter and an increase of 6.0% against the same period in 2013.

The South Region accounted for 65.3% of the overall slaughter of hogs and pigs in the 4th quarter of 2014, followed by the Southeast (19.6%), the Central-West (13.8%), the Northeast (1.2%) and the North Region (0.1%). In the comparison between the fourth quarters of 2014 and 2013, the South Region registered an increase of 5.8% in the number of slaughtered head of hogs and pigs, enhancing its contribution to the overall slaughter by 0.3%, including the increment of 8.7% in the volume of slaughtered head in Santa Catarina and 6.2% in Paraná. In the comparison with the third quarter of 2014, the South Region registered a negative change (-2.7%) in the volume of slaughtered head.

In the cumulative index in 2014, 37.118 million head were slaughtered, accounting for an increase of 2.3% in relation to 2013. The annual series showed a continuous increase of this activity since 2005, culminating in the new record level in 2014. The cumulative weight of carcasses of hogs and pigs in 2014 reached 3.192 million metric tons, representing an increase of 2.4% in relation to the previous year.

Cattle slaughter down 4.1% over the same period in 2013

In the 4th quarter of 2014, 8.525 million cattle heads were slaughtered. This figure was 0.7% higher than that of the previous quarter and 4.1% lower than that of Q4 2013. The production of 2.059 million metric tons of cattle carcasses registered in the 4th quarter of 2014 was 0.9% higher than the one obtained in the previous quarter and 3.7% lower than that of the 4th quarter of 2013.

At national level, there were 362,704 less cattle head slaughtered than in the 4th quarter of 2014, in the comparison with the same period a year ago. And the highlights were: Mato Grosso, Rondônia, São Paulo, Goiás and Tocantins.

In 2014, 33.907 million cattle head in Brazil were slaughtered. This number was 1.5% lower than the historical record reached in 2013. In 2014, 8.063 million cattle carcasses were produced, 1.3% lower than the historical record reached in the previous year. The slaughter of 505,271 less cattle head slaughtered in 2014 had as highlights Mato Grosso, Rondônia, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás, Piauí and Tocantins.

Milk acquisition by industries drops 0.2%

In the 4th quarter of 2014, 6.528 billion liters of milk were purchased by milk processing industries, a decrease of 0.2% over the 4th quarter of 2013 and an increase of 4.8% over the third quarter of 2014. 6.517 billion liters of milk were manufactured, representing an increase of 0.1% over the same period in 2013 and of 4.8% over the third quarter of 2014.

In the comparison between the 4th quarter of 2014 and the previous quarter, there was a rise of milk acquisition in all regions, except for the South, where there was a drop of 3.4%. In the South, the highest decrease was in Rio Grande do Sul (-10.2%). The Southeast, Central-West and North Region presented the highest positive changes, respectively: 7.1%; 18.5% and 17.1%. Milk acquisition registered increase in the Northeast (11.2%), Central-West (2.0%) and in the South (0.4%) in the comparison between the fourth quarters of 2013 and 2014. The Southeast and the North reduced their acquisitions relatively by 2.5% and 3.9%.

The purchase of milk in 2014 added up to 24.741 billion liters, an increase of 5.0% over the figure registered in 2013. Taking the last 15 years, milk production more than doubled, keeping an upward trend. In regional terms and still comparing 2013 and 2014, all areas recorded increase in the acquisition of milk, except for the North, with a relative reduction of 3.2%.

Production of hen eggs rises 3.2% over 2013

The production of hen eggs was of 718.732 million dozens in the fourth quarter of 2014. The comparison with the same period of 2013 pointed out an increase of 3.2%. Comparing with Q3 2014, there was an output reduction (-0.2%).

In the comparison between the third and the fourth quarters of 2014, the Southeast and South Regions led the reduction of hen eggs. The Northeast was the region which most increased the production (3.1%). That was registered in all its states, except for Rio Grande do Norte.

Still comparing the fourth quarters of 2013 and 2014, there were output rises in all Regions, except in the North and Central-West Regions. The Southeast increased 4.4% of its production. In the Northeast all states increased their productions of hen eggs, principally Ceará and Pernambuco. In the South, there was an increase of 2.9%.

The production of hen eggs recorded increase of 3.1% in the comparison between 2013 and 2014. The annual output was 2.826 billion dozens in 2014, the highest number reached in the series initiated in 1997.

In the annual comparison with 2013 there were significant drops in the production of hen eggs in Goiás (-4.8%), Santa Catarina (-3.7%) and Amazonas (-3.9%). On the other hand, São Paulo and Espírito Santo recorded significant growth in their outputs. The same behavior was seen in Rio Grande do Sul.

Rawhide acquisition shrinks 8.4% in the comparison with the same period in 2013

In the fourth quarter of 2014, the acquisition of cattle rawhide stayed at 8.789 million pieces. This figure was 4.6% lower than that of the previous quarter and 8.4% lower than that of Q4 2013. As to the hide origin, the greatest part came from slaughterhouses and cold stores, followed by services rendered, accounting together for 91.3% of the total seen in the 4th quarter of 2014.

In the 4th quarter of 2014, 8.888 million pieces were tanned, representing drops of 3.6% and 7.3% in relation to the total manufactured in the previous quarter and in the 4th quarter of 2013, respectively. The main tanning method used was chrome (96.81%), followed by titanium (3.15%) and other tanning methods (0.04%).

In 2014, tanneries declared having received 36.380 million whole pieces of cattle rawhide. This number was 5.3% lower than that of the previous year. As to hide origin, the greatest part came from slaughterhouses and cold stores, followed by services rendered, accounting together for 90.9% of the total acquisitions of 2014. As to the contribution of the Federation Units, Mato Grosso, the leader of cattle slaughter, kept its position and continued to lead the national ranking of hide acquisition in 2014.

In 2014, 36.488 million whole pieces of rawhide were manufactured, representing a drop of 4.7% in relation to the whole volume manufactured in 2013. The main tanning method used was chrome (95.32%), followed by titanium (3.84%) and other tanning methods (0.83%). Chrome was used in 20 Federation Units.