In Q1 2021 a total 6.56 million head of cattle were slaughtered, an amount 10.6% smaller than in Q1 2020 and 10.9% smaller than in Q4 2020. That is the lowest level since Q1 2009.

A total 12.62 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered in Q1 2021, with increases of 5,7% against the same period in 2020 and of 0.6% against Q4 2020. That is the lowest level for a Q1 recorded since 1997.

In Q1 2021, a total 1,57 billion head of chickens were slaughtered, that is, 3.3% more than in the same period of 2020 and 0.7% more in comparison with Q4 2020. It is a new record for the time series that started in 1997.

Acquisition of raw milk, in Q1 2021 reached 6.56 billion liters, with an increase of 1.8% from Q1 2020 and a decrease of 3.5% from the immediately previous quarter. That was the highest level of milk acquisition in a Q1 since 1997, having exceeded the record figure of 2020.

In Q1 2021, production of hen eggs amounted to 978.25 million dozen, a new record for a Q1 since 1987. This result is 0.3% above that of Q1 2020 and 1.3% below that of the previous quarter.

Cattle slaughter reaches lowest level since 2009

In Q1 2021, 6.56 million head of cattle were slaughtered, a figure 10.6% below that in Q1 2020 and 10.9% below that in the immediately previous quarter. Such low levels had not been seen since 2009.

In terms of monthly results, January recorded the lowest slaughtered figures (2.12 million head, 14% below that of January 2020), whereas March had the best performance (2.27 million, 8.5% below March 2020).

Retention of breeders, as observed in 2020, remained in the beginning of 2021. The total number of females slaughtered (2.41 million) was the lowest for a Q1 since 2003.

Slaughter of cattle, reduced by 774.92 thousand head in Q1 2021, against the same period in the previous year, was influenced by decreases in 23 of the 27 Federation Units. Among those with contributions above 1%, the most significant decreases were recorded by: Mato Grosso (-208.92 thousand head), Rondônia (-131.09 thousand), São Paulo (-71.45 thousand), Mato Grosso do Sul (-68.17 thousand), Paraná (-46.22 thousand), Minas Gerais (-44.70 thousand), Bahia (-40.25 thousand), Maranhão (-27.21 thousand) and Acre (-24.64 thousand). On the other hand, the biggest changes were those of: Goiás (+25.13 thousand) and Santa Catarina (+7.06 thousand).

In the ranking of Federation Units, Mato Grosso remains as the leader in terms of cattle slaughter, with 15.7% of the national production, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (11.7%) and São Paulo (10.2%).

Slaughter of hogs and pigs is the highest for a Q1 in the time series initiated in 1997

In Q1 2021, a total 12.62 million head of hogs and pigs were slaughtered, with increases of 5.7% against the same period of 2020 and of 0.6% against Q4 2020.

In the monthly comparison, there were the best results for January, February and March, so that we had the best Q1 in the entire time series, since its start in 1997. March 2021 also marked the best monthly figure for slaughter in the entire survey, added to the record result of pork, according to the Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex), ruled by the Ministry of the Economy.

The slaughter of another 677.3 thousand head of hogs and pigs in Q1 2021, against the same period in 2020, was influenced by increases in 14 of the 25 Federation Units participating in the survey. Among the states accounting for a contribution above 1%, there were increases in: Santa Catarina (+223.97 thousand head), Paraná (+211.03 thousand), Rio Grande do Sul (+126.95 thousand), Mato Grosso do Sul (+83.26 thousand) and Minas Gerais (+42.63 thousand). São Paulo (-23.24 thousand), Mato Grosso (-13.57 thousand) and Goiás (-1.64 thousand) recorded decreases.

In the ranking of Federation Units, Santa Catarina still leads the slaughter of hogs and pigs, with 28.9% of the national production, followed by Paraná (20.3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (17.5%).

Slaughter of chickens reaches record level in the time series initiated in 1997

In Q1 2021 a total 1,57 billion head of chickens were slaughtered, recording increases of 3.3% against the same period in 2020 and of 0.7% against Q4 2020. As a result, the survey has now a new record for the time series initiated in 1997.

The slaughter of another 50.34 million head of chickens in Q1 2021, against the same period in the previous year, was a consequence of the rise of slaughter in 19 of the 25 Federation units that participated in the survey. Among those accounting for contributions above 1%, there were increases in: Goiás (+16.48 million head), Paraná (+12.06 million), São Paulo (+6.56 million), Rio Grande do Sul (+6.45 million), Mato Grosso do Sul (+3.80 million), Minas Gerais (+2.61 million), Pernambuco (+1.82 million and Bahia (+1.38 million). On the other hand, Santa Catarina (-2.54 million), Mato Grosso (-1.16 million) and Pará (-928.63 thousand) recorded decreases.

In the ranking of Federation Units, Paraná is still number one in terms of chicken slaughter, accounting for 33.1% of the national production, followed by Rio Grande Sul (13.9%) and Santa Catarina (13.3%).

Acquisition of milk hits record for a Q1 since 1997

In Q1 2021, acquisition of raw milk by establishments under some type of sanitary inspection (federal, state or municipal) reached 6.56 billion liters, equivalent to an increase of 1.8% against Q1 2020, and a decrease of 3.5% from the previous quarter. By analyzing the annual performance of the survey, we notice that first quarters are regularly down in terms of output in comparison with the last quarter of the year before.

In spite of that, the result represents the biggest amount of milk obtained for a Q1, exceeding the previous record of Q1 2020. The volume registered in January (2.34 billion liters) has added to that figure, being a record in terms of monthly acquisition in the entire time series, that is, since 1997.

The comparison between Q1 2021 with the same period in 2020 shows that the increase by 114.64 million liters of milk at national level results from increases in 11 of the 26 Federation Units taking part in the Quarterly Survey of Milk Production. The most significant increases were those in Rio Grande do Sul (+52.17 million liters), Santa Catarina (+38.36 million), Paraná (+32.10 million), Goiás (+28.14 million) and Bahia (+20.65 million). The main decreases, in turn, took place in São Paulo (-38.09 million), Mato Grosso (-14.31 million) and Minas Gerais (-10.58 million).

Minas Gerais still leads the ranking of milk acquisition, with 25.3% of the national total, followed by Paraná (13.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (12.8%).

Acquisition of leather is the smallest for a 1st quarter since 2002

In Q1 2021, tanneries reported having received 7.07 million pieces of rawhide. This result represents decreases of 6.6% from Q1 2020 and of and 8.0% from Q4 2020, respectively. Retention of animals also affected slaughter activity in the quarter, leading to a reduced number of pieces for the period since 2002. Tanneries investigated by the Quarterly Survey of Leather are those that treat at least 5 thousand pieces of cattle rawhide per year.

The comparison between Q1in 2020 and 2021 points to a negative change of 499.49 thousand pieces in the total acquired by the establishments, resulting from a decrease in 11 of the 19 Federation Units with investigated tanneries. The most significant negative changes took place in Rondônia (-219.15 thousand pieces), Mato Grosso (-104.60 thousand), Goiás (-102.28 thousand), São Paulo (-101.51 thousand) and Mato Grosso do Sul (-99.35 thousand). The main positive changes, in establishments with more than 5% of participation in leather acquisition came from Paraná (+131.36 thousand) and Rio Grande do Sul (+56.22 thousand).

Mato Grosso is still number one among the Federation units that received pieces of rawhide for processing, with 15.5% of the national production, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (13.6%) and Paraná (11.5%), which is now in the position formerly occupied by São Paulo (10.4%).

Production of hen eggs reaches 978 million dozen, a record for a Q1

In Q1 2021, production of hen eggs amounted to 978.25 million dozen That mean an increase of 0.3% from Q1 2020 and a decrease of 1.3% from the immediately previous quarter.

The result was a record for a Q1, with a peak registered in March. The output of 340.09 million dozen was the biggest for the month, considering the entire time series. Despite a rise in production costs, demand remains heated up due to the reasonable prices of the protein.

National output of 3.31 million dozen eggs more in the comparison between Q1 in 2020 and in 2021 shows increases in 18 of the 26 Federation Units surveyed. In quantitative terms, the biggest increases occurred in Mato Grosso do Sul (+5.87 million dozen), Bahia (+5.34 million), Ceará (+4.84 million) and Amazonas (+3.59 million). The biggest decreases occurred in São Paulo (-16.85 million) and Paraná (-3.52 million).

Despite the decrease, São Paulo remained as the main producer of eggs in Q1 2021, with 27.6% of the national production, now followed by Minas Gerais (9%) and Espírito Santo (9%). Paraná fell from the second to the 4th position, with 8.6% of the national overall.