In the first quarter of 2010, 7.075 million cattle heads were slaughtered, 5.3% less than in the previous quarter...

In the first quarter of 2010, 7.075 million cattle heads were slaughtered, 5.3% less than in the previous quarter, the fourth quarter of 2009. There was also reduction in hogs and pigs slaughter (1.4%). In the first quarter, 5, 214 billion liters of milk were acquired, 4.8% less than in the previous quarter, and 8.503 million entire cattle rawhide pieces (a 4.9% decrease considering the previous quarter). On the other hand, the production of hen’s eggs (600.704 million dozen) and chicken slaughter (1.206 billion units) kept a certain stability in relation to the previous quarter.

In the first quarter of 2010, 7.075 million cattle heads were slaughtered, a 9.0% increase in relation to the first quarter of 2009 and a 5.3% reduction in relation to the fourth quarter of 2009. Since 2007, the volume of cattle slaughtered in the first quarter of the year had been decreasing yearly. In 2010 this trend was halted. The volume slaughtered in the first quarter of 2010 is similar to that verified in the same period of 2006.

Considering weight of carcasses, 1.691 million tons were recorded, resulting in an increase of 11.5% in relation to the first quarter of 2009 and a decrease of 5.6% in relation to the fourth quarter of 2009.

The survey counted on the participation of 1,443 informants on cattle slaughter. The state with the highest number of informants (270) is Rio Grande do Sul, although contributing with just 6.1% of the total slaughtered volume. In terms of number of slaughtered animals, Mato Grosso remained as the principal Brazilian state, with 14.4% of the whole national production of supervised establishments. São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul hold the second place, each one with 12% of total.

In the first quarter of 2010, 1.206 billion chicken units were slaughtered, indicating stability in relation to the immediately previous quarter. In relation to the same period of 2009, the increase was 7.3%. The production of chicken carcasses was 2.529 million tons, presenting a practically nonexistent change (0.1%) in relation to the previous quarter and an increase of 7.9% in relation to the first quarter of 2009.

The survey counted on the participation of 319 informants. São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul are the states with the highest number of informants. Paraná slaughtered 27.0% of the total of animals in the country, followed by Santa Catarina (17.9%) and Rio Grande do Sul (15.2%).

A total of 6.6% more hogs and pigs were slaughtered than in the same period of 2009, but in relation to the fourth quarter of 2009 there was a reduction of 1.4%. The production of hogs and pigs carcasses was 724.829 thousand tons, 4.0% larger than that of the first quarter of 2009, but 0.8% smaller than the result of the immediately previous quarter.

The survey on hogs and pigs slaughter counted on the participation of 894 informants. Rio Grande do Sul has the highest number of informants and accounts for 22.1% of the volume slaughtered nationally, following only Santa Catarina, which leads with 27.7% of this total.

In the first quarter of 2010, the inspected industrial establishments acquired 5.214 billion liters of milk, a volume 5.7% larger than that of the same quarter of 2009 and 4.8% smaller than that of the fourth quarter of 2009. The amount of raw milk destined to industrialization was 5.171 billion liters, a volume 5.4% larger than that recorded in the first quarter of 2009 and 5.1% smaller than that of the immediately previous quarter.

The Southeast region represents 41.1% of the national acquisition of Milk. Minas Gerais was the main state in acquisition of milk, with 27.4% of the national total. Rio Grande do Sul holds the second position, acquiring 13.3%, followed by Goiás, which accounts for 11.9%.

The survey counted on the participation of 2,037 informing establishments.

The acquisition of entire cattle rawhide in the first quarter of 2010 was 8.503 million pieces: increase of 10.4% in relation to the same period of 2009 and decrease of 4.9% in relation to the fourth quarter of 2009. The main sources of acquired leather (63.1%) were slaughterhouses. Just 26.4% were obtained from a third party, whereas the other sources amounted 10.5%.

São Paulo was the main state in acquisition of leather, with 18.9% of total. Mato Grosso comes next, with 14.6%, followed by Rio Grande do Sul, with 12.0% of purchases of the product. The survey counted on the participation of 135 informants.

Regarding effectively industrialized leather, production was 8.450 million pieces, 8.0% larger than that of the first quarter of 2009 and 5.8% smaller than that of the fourth quarter of 2009.

The production of hen’s eggs in the fourth quarter of 2010 was 600.704 million dozen, a 3.5% production increase over the same period of 2009 and a certain stability (0.1%) in relation to the fourth quarter of 2009.

The largest production of hen’s eggs occurred in São Paulo, which concentrates 30.4% of national production. In state terms, the highest production increase occurred in Mato Grosso, with an increased production of 84.1% in relation to the first quarter of 2009. The survey counted on the participation of 1,543 informants.