In the first quarter of 2020, 7.25 million cattle head were slaughtered, 8.5% less than in the first quarter of 2019 and 10.2% less than in the previous quarter. This result was the lowest since 2012. The slaughter of chickens, with 1.51 billion head, was a new record in the time series and grew in both comparisons: 5.0% and 2.8%, respectively. The slaughter of hogs and pigs, with 11.88 million head, was a historical record for a first quarter, with an increase of 5.2% in relation to the same period of 2019 and a decrease of 0.2% in comparison with the 4th quarter 2019.

The acquisition of raw milk was 6.30 billion liters, an increase of 1.8% in relation to the 1st quarter of 2019, and a decrease of 5.5% against the previous quarter.

The production of chicken eggs was 965.11 million dozens, a record in the time series for a first quarter, 3.9% above the result of the 1st quarter of 2019 and 2.5% below the fourth quarter of 2019.

Cattle slaughter in Q1 records lowest result since 2012

In Q1 2020, a total 7.25 million cattle head under some type of sanitary inspection were slaughtered. That number was 8.5% smaller than in Q1 2019 and 10.2% below the figure in the previous month. It is the lowest quarterly result since 2012.

The slaughter of minus 672,49 thousand cattle head in Q1 2020 against the same period in the previous year was pushed by decreases in 20 of the 27 Federation Units (UFs). Considering a participation above 1.0%, the most significant decreases took place in Goiás (-157,68 thousand head), Mato Grosso (-120,70 thousand head), Mato Grosso do Sul (-90,56 thousand head), Rio Grande do Sul (-65,49 thousand head), Tocantins (-56,09 thousand head), Pará (-48,65 thousand head), São Paulo (-47,15 thousand head), Bahia (-45,36 thousand head), Rondônia (-22,18 thousand head) and Maranhão (-9,82 thousand head). The main positive contributions came from: Santa Catarina (+15,26 thousand head) and Acre (+8,35 thousand head).

In the ranking of Federation Units, Mato Grosso is still the leader in terms of cattle slaughter, accounting for 17.0% of the national figure, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (11.1%) and São Paulo (10.1%).
Slaughter of hogs and pigs hits record figure for a Q1: 1,88 million head

In Q1, 2020, 11,88 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, accounting for an increase of 5;2% against the same period in 2019 and a decrease of 0.2% against Q4. That is a record figure for a Q1 in the time series initiated in 1997.

The slaughter of 583,89 thousand head of hogs and pigs more in Q1 2020, against the same period in the previous year, was pushed by increases in 17 of the 25 Federation Units surveyed. Among the states with a participation above 1.0%, the following ones recorded increase: Santa Catarina (+352,09 thousand head), Mato Grosso (+91,95 thousand head), Minas Gerais (+79,66 thousand head), Mato Grosso do Sul (+41,34 thousand head), Paraná (+31,55 thousand head), Goiás (+30,01 thousand head) and São Paulo (+21,27 thousand head). On the other hand, the main decrease took place in: Rio Grande do Sul (-68,13 thousand head).

In the ranking of Federation Units, Santa Catarina remained as the leader of the slaughter of hogs and pigs, with 28.3% of the national output, followed by Paraná (19.7%) and Rio Grande do Sul (17.4%).

Chicken slaughter hits record figure: 1,51 billion head

The slaughter of chickens in Q1 2020 amounted to 1,51 billion head, a new record in the time series that started in 1987. The result was 5.0% above the previous quarter. 

The slaughter of 72,44 million head of chickens more in Q1 2020, against the same period a year ago, resulted from the increase in slaughter in 17 of the 25 Federation Units that were part of the survey. Among those with a contribution above 1.0%, there were increases in:  Paraná (+38,31 million head), Rio Grande do Sul (+10,02 million head), São Paulo (+8,67 million head), Santa Catarina (+8,38 million head), Minas Gerais (+7,43 million head), Mato Grosso do Sul (+5,40 million head) and Bahia (+3,12 million head). On the other hand, there were decreases in: Goiás (-4,15 million head) and Mato Grosso (-2,47 million head).

In the ranking of Federation Units, Paraná remains as l overall, followed by Rio Grande Sul (14.0%) and Santa Catarina (13.9%).

Acquisition of raw milk hits record figure for a Q1: 6,30 billion liters 

In Q1 2020, the acquisition of raw milk by establishments under some type of sanitary inspection was 6,30 billion liters, a record for a Q1 in the time series that started in 1997, with an increase of 1.8% against Q1 2019 and a decrease of 5.5% against the previous quarter. The milk sector had a cyclical behavior, with decreases in the first quarters against the last period of each year. The month with the biggest volume in Q1 2020 was January, with 2,23 billion liters of milk. 

In the comparison between Q1 2020 with the same period in 2019, the  increase by 108,55 million liters of milk obtained at national level was due to increases registered in 17 of the 26 Federation Units that are part of the Quarterly Survey of Milk. At the level of Federation Units, the most significant increases occurred in Santa Catarina (+61,12 million liters), Minas Gerais (+58,85 million liters), Paraná (+26,08 million liters), São Paulo (+21,45 million liters) and Bahia (+16,27 million liters). On the other hand, the most significand decreases were those of Rio Grande do Sul (-51,41 million liters), Goiás (-28,80 million liters) e Rio de Janeiro (-10,48 million liters).

Minas Gerais remained as the leader of the milk acquisition ranking, with 26.0% of the national volume, followed by Paraná (13.1%) and Rio Grande do Sul (11.8%).

Acquisition of leather is 11.3% below that in Q1 2019

In Q1 2020, the tanneries visited by Quarterly Survey of Leather - those that treat at least five thousand cattle rawhide pieces a year  – reported having received 7,52 million pieces. That total represents a decrease of 11.3% in comparison with the amount acquired in Q1 2019 and of 3;7% against Q4 2019. In the comparison, January recorded the biggest decrease in relation to the same period in the previous year, with a reduction in the pieces acquired by 18.5%. 

The comparison between Q1s in 2019 and 2020 had a negative change of 955,93 thousand pieces in the total acquired by the establishments, due to the reduction in 13 of the 19 Federation Units that have tanneries in conditions of being included in the survey. The most significant negative changes occurred in Paraná (-187,94 thousand pieces), Mato Grosso (-166,65 thousand pieces), São Paulo (-122,78 thousand pieces), Pará (-113,78 thousand pieces), Mato Grosso do Sul (-100,25 thousand pieces) and Rio Grande do Sul (-98,85 thousand pieces). The only state with a contribution above 5.0% in the acquisition of national leather to register increase was Rondônia (+74,24 thousand pieces).

Mato Grosso is still the leader in the ranking of Federation Units that receive  rawhides for processing, with 16.0% of the national overall, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (14.1%) and São Paulo (11.1%).

Production of hen eggs hits record figure for a Q1 

In 2020, the production of hen eggs was 965,11 million dozen, a record in a Q1 since the beginning of the time series, in 1997. That result was 3.9% bigger than in Q1 2019 and 2.5% smaller than the total in the previous quarter. 

The production of 36.11 million dozen eggs more, at national level, in the comparison of first quarters in 2020/2019, was pushed by hikes in 16 of the 26 Federation Units with UFs in broiler farms in the survey of the universe. The main increases occurred in São Paulo (+18,72 million dozen), Santa Catarina (+5,04 million dozen) and Mato Grosso (+4,92 million dozen). On the other hand, the main decreases were those of Goiás (-4,33 million dozen) and Rio Grande do Sul (-4,19 million dozen).

Throughout Q1 2020, the state of São Paulo remained as the main producer of eggs among the Federation Units, with 29.6% of the national output, followed by Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, both accounting for the same proportion of 9.3%, and by Paraná, with 9.1% of the output.