In the first quarter of 2012, a total 7.219 million cattle head were slaughtered, representing decrease of 2.0% in relation to the immediately previous quarter and increase of 1.6% over the same period in 2011. The slaughter of 8.744 million hogs and pigs, from January to March, represented decrease of 2.8% versus the immediately previous quarter and increase of 6.9% in relation to the first three months of 2011. The quarterly series of hogs and pigs slaughter in the last five years shows evolution when annual comparisons are concerned.  It is also possible to observe that the slaughter of hogs and pigs in the first quarter usually records the smallest figures in the year, being also below those of the two immediately previous quarters.  The slaughter of 1.363 billion chickens evidences increase of 3.2%, compared with the immediately previous quarter, and of 4.3% over the same period in 2011. The quarterly slaughtering of chickens in the last five years has recorded growing results, versus those relative to equivalent quarters each year. The acquisition of milk remained on an upward trend compared with the same period of 2011, with significant increase, especially in the months of February and March, of 6.3% in each one of them. The total whole leather pieces acquired in the 1^st quarter of 2012 amounted to 8.444 million units, indicating decrease of 3.9% over the same period in 2011 and increase of 0.5% over the 4^th quarter of 2011. The difference between the total whole leather pieces acquired in the 1^st quarter of  2012 and the total animals slaughtered in the period was 16.9%.  In Q1 2012, 671.176 million dozens of hen’s eggs were produced, representing increase of 8.2% and of 1.4% relative to the 1^st and the 4^th quarters of 2011, respectively. 

The complete publication is available at

https://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/indicadores/agropecuaria/producaoagropecuaria/default.shtm

The weight of cattle carcass accumulated in the first three months of year 2012 (1.681 million metric tons) was 3.9% below that recorded in the 4^th quarter of 2011 and 2.4% above that recorded in the same period of 2011. The average weight of carcasses (232.9 kg/carcass unit) was 4.5 kg below that of the previous quarter and 1.7 kg above that of the 1^st quarter of 2011.

In the 1^st quarter of 2012, a total 1,365 cattle slaughtering informants, distributed among all the Federation Units, took part in the survey. The Central West region accounted for 38.5% of the slaughter, being ahead of the North (20.8%), Southeast (19.2%), South (11.4%) and Northeast (10.2%). This is the second consecutive semester in which the Northeast region surpasses the Southeast in terms of cattle slaughter, mainly due to the successive decreases in São Paulo and to the increase of slaughter in Rondônia. 

Slaughter of hogs and pigs decreased by 4.9% overt the Q4 2011

The weight of carcasses accumulated in the 1^st quarter of 2012 (830.106 thousand metric tons) was 4.9% lower than that of the immediately previous quarter and 4.4% higher than that of the same period of 2011. A total 818 informants took part in the survey. Rondônia, Amazonas and Amapá were the only Federation Units where the slaughter of hogs and pigs was not under any kind of sanitary inspection.

The South region accounted for 66.4% of the national slaughter of hogs and pigs, followed by the Southeast (16.7%), Central West (15.7%), Northeast (1.2%) and North (0.1%).  All the Federation Units of the South, Southeast (except Espírito Santo) and Central West recorded increase of cattle head slaughtered in the comparison between first quarters in 2012 and 2011.  

South Region leads slaughter of chickens with almost 60% of the national total

The weight of carcasses accumulated in the 1^st quarter of 2012 (2.949 million metric tons) was 3.2 and 6.2% bigger than in the immediately previous quarter and in the 1^st quarter of 2011, respectively. A total 416 informants took part in the survey. Roraima, Amapá, Maranhão and Rio Grande do Norte are the only Federation Units lacking a record of chicken slaughter under sanitary inspection.

From January to March 2012, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul represented 58.8% of the total slaughter, and were the three main Federation Units in the national ranking. The biggest absolute increases in relation to the same period in the previous year were recorded in Paraná, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais, which produced an increment of, respectively, 29.2, 10.5, 10.1 and 9.5 million carcasses of chicken.  

Acquisition of milk: 4.4% more than in Q1 2011

The acquisition of milk, in quarter 1 2012, was 5.731 billion liters, with increase of 4.4% over the same period in 2011 and decrease of 2.9% compared with the 4^th quarter of this same year.  Minas Gerais represented 25.6% of the national total, followed by Rio Grande do Sul, with 15.3% and Paraná, with 13.1%.

The Northeast, Southeast and Central West Region recorded decreases of, respectively, 2.6%; 0.1% and 2.8%. In the Northeast, there was decrease in Bahia only (15.3%). In the Southeast, only Minas Gerais recorded increase of purchases of this product (1.1%).  In Goiás, the main state of the Central West in terms of acquisition of milk, there was decrease (3.3%).  In the South of the country, there was significant increase in all the states, mainly in Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.

Acquisition of milk remained on an upward trend compared with the same period of 2012, with significant increase especially in the months of February and March, of 6.3% in each one of them.   

A total 2102 informants, from all over the national territory, except for Amapá, took part in the survey.

Acquisition of leather recorded increase throughout Q1 2012  

Acquisition of leather remained on an upward trend throughout the 1^st quarter of 2012. It was observed that only 26.9% of all the product acquired was received for rendering of tanning services.  Most of the leather came from slaughterhouses (63.0%) and only 7.2% from intermediaries. 

In terms of state results, the biggest acquisition of whole cattle leather pieces occurred

in Mato Grosso (18.4%), São Paulo (12.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (10.3%), in the 1^st

quarter of 2012. In the comparison of state results with the same period in 2011, there was significant decrease of total acquisition in Rio Grande do Sul (-25.0%), by about 289.510 units.  

Production of hen’s eggs increases by 8.2% over Q1 2011

In Q1 2012, the production of hen’s eggs, 671.176 million dozen eggs, represented increases of 8.2% and 1.4%, relative to the 1^st and 4^th quarters of 2011.  There has been growing production throughout the series starting from the 1^st quarter of 2006, except for the period which covers from the 3^rd quarter of 2006 to the 1^st one of 2007. São Paulo is the state with the biggest production, representing 29.3% of the national total; Minas Gerais is the 2^nd main producer, with 11%.

The biggest positive change in production took place in February (9.1%).  In terms of number of chickens on the last day of the month, January recorded the biggest monthly change, and that result remained positive in all the months of the quarter.

All the Major Regions recorded significant increase of production of eggs, with the biggest positive change (16.6%) in the Central West (Mato Grosso recorded 27.0% of this increase). The state of Rio de Janeiro held the biggest increase of production, despite the small national participation (0.2%).  São Paulo recorded increment of 10.1% (18 million dozens of the product), above all the North Region (16 492 thousand dozens). Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal District were the only ones to record decrease in production, respectively, of 0.9% and 1.2%.

A total 1 552 informants distributed among all the Federation Units, except for Amapá, Tocantins and Maranhão, took part in the survey.