In 2004, Brazil still kept the major commercial herd of cattle in the world, reaching a total number of 204.512 million animals in 31/12/2004, which represented an increase of 4.58% in relation to the previous year. The herd that presented the major positive variation in the Country was goats (4.86%), followed by quails (4.39%). The herd of roosters, pullets, one-day old chicks increased by 2.98%, reaching 759.512 million animals.

The data comes from the survey Municipal Livestock Production 2004, which portrays a profile of the Brazilian production of animals and of animal-origin products. For the products of animal origin, the quantities produced along the year were surveyed. The CD ROM enclosed with the publication brings tables with all the data by Federative Unit, Geographic Micro Regions and Meso Regions and Municipalities.

Table 1 – Number of animals in 2004 comparatively to 2003 - Brazil

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Agropecuária, Pesquisa da Pecuária Municipal 2003 e 2004.

Mato Grosso reaches leadership in cattle breeding

The Central West Region concentrated, in 2004, 34.80% of the cattle herd in Brazil, followed by the North (19.45%), Southeast (19.26%), South (13.79%) and Northeast (12.70%). The state of Mato Grosso, with 12.67% (of the total of the Country), surpassed the number of Mato Grosso do Sul (12.09%), obtaining the national leadership.

Among the ten greatest municipalities with cattle herd in Brazil, eight were in the Central West Region: five in Mato Grosso do Sul and three in Mato Grosso. Also stood out the municipalities of São Félix do Xingu, with the second major herd, and Marabá, with the ninth, showing the growth and the gain of importance of livestock in the state of Pará.

Map 1: Spatial distribution of cattle herd, highlighting the ten main municipalities – Brazil – 2004

Bastos, in São Paulo, is the main municipal producer of hens

Regarding the number of hens, Bastos, in São Paulo, was the main municipal producer of Brazil, in 2004, maintaining the position also obtained in the previous year. The Southeast Region continues with the major number of hens, 36.90%, with São Paulo accounting for 21.89% of the national total. The smallest number was found in the North Region, 5.03%.

Table 3, below, brings a summary of the main municipalities producers of hens, being considered only those animals that are already in reproduction age, even if they are not necessarily laying hens.

Table 3: The ten major municipal producers of hens – Brazil - 2004

The main producing municipality was Pará de Minas in Minas Gerais, where is located a great slaughterhouse. The municipality of Rio Verde, in Goiás, remained in second place in the total of animals, being also the tenth in the production of soybeans and the twenty-second in the production of corn, according to data of the Municipal Agriculture Production (PAM, 2004). It is worth pointing out that soybeans is an important component of animal ration, which makes the localization of its production a strategic factor in the planning of animal production.

Table 4: The ten major producing municipalities of roosters, pullets, one-day chicks – Brazil - 2004

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Agropecuária, Pesquisa da Pecuária Municipal, 2004.

Uberlândia - MG

392,285

Toledo - PR

368,380

Concórdia - SC

342,050

Seara - SC

316,607

Rio Verde - GO

311,500

Xavantina -SC

200,764

Braço do Norte - SC

186,780

Diamantino - MT

161,468

Videira - SC

154,400

Marechal Cândido Rondon - PR

145,400

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Agropecuária, Pesquisa da Pecuária Municipal 2004.

Northeast concentrates about 93% of goats in the Country

About 93% of the goat herd (10,040,888) registered in the Country, in 2004, could be found in the region. Among the 10 main municipalities with the major number of goats, eight were in the state of Bahia, which concentrated 39% of the national herd. The state of Pernambuco is also important in the composition of the herd.

Number of goats

Casa Nova – BA

403,410

Remanso – BA

397,620

Jazeiro – BA

360,213

Floresta – PE

231,300

Curaçá – BA

205,523

Uauá – BA

180,000

Campo Alegre de Lourdes – BA

172,029

Monte Santo – BA

144,000

Pilão Arcado - BA

105,863

Carnaubeira da Penha - PE

81,000

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Agropecuária, Pesquisa da Pecuária Municipal 2004.

Products of animal origin

Regarding the products of animal origin, in the year of 2004 compared to 2003, there were increases in the quantity of produced milk (5.49%), hen’s eggs (2.85%), quails eggs (8.34%) and honey (7.55%). Considering the production of cocoons of silkworm it fell almost 20%, relatively to the previous year. The main reason was the reduction in the state of Paraná, the main national producer, with slightly more than 90% of the total of production. The states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul also had decrease in the production of cocoons of silkworm.

Another product that had reduction was wool (-1.24%). The production of wool is mainly concentrated in the South of the Country. Rio Grande do Sul was the main state considering fleeced sheep with 88.69% of the total. In second place comes Paraná with 6.14%.

The production of bees, with the objective of producing honey exists in almost all the country. It is in the South Region where the major production can be found (47%). The state of Rio Grande do Sul is the main national producer, with 22.66% of the production. The Northeast Region is the second major national producer with 32% of the totality, standing out the State of Piauí, the third major national producer.

Table 2: Quantity of products of animal origin – Comparison 2003 and 2004 - Brazil

Source: IBGE, Diretoria de Pesquisas, Coordenação de Agropecuária, Pesquisa da Pecuária Municipal 2003 e 2004.