Throughout 2021, a total 27.54 million cattle head were slaughtered, a decrease of 7.8% from the previous year. The result represents the second consecutive year of decrease, in a sequence to the scenario of animal retention observed since 2020.

In Q4 2021,6.0 million head of cattle were slaughtered, a decrease of 6.4% in comparison with Q4 2020 and a decrease of 0.9% against Q3 2021. That is the lowest result for a third quarter since 2008.

As for slaughter of chickens, in the cumulative index of 2021, a total 6.18 billion chickens were slauhtered, with an increase of 2.8% (+169.87 million) against 2020. This result reached a new record in the time series initiated in 1997.

In Q4 2021 1.54 billion chickens were slaughtered, recording a decrease of 1% in relation to the same period of 2020 and an increase of 0.5% in comparison with Q3 2021.

As for hogs and pigs, thecumulative index in 2021 registered a record slaughter of 52.97 million head, representing an increase of 7.3% (+3.61 million) in relation to 2020.

In Q4 2021a total 13.38 million head were slaughtered, with an increase of 6.5% in relation to the same period in 2020 and a decrease of 2.7% in comparison with Q3 2021. That is the best Q4 in the entire time series (since 1997).

The cumulative acquisition of raw milk in 2021 was of 25.08 billion liters, a decrease of 2.2% against the amount registered in 2020. That is the first decrease after a four-year period of increases in a row, observed between 2017 and 2020.

In Q4 2021, acquisition of raw milk amounted to 6.46 billion liters, a decrease of Q4 2020 and a drop of 4.1% against the previous quarter.

The cumulative production of hen eggs in 2021 reached 3.98 billion dozens, an increase of 0.2% against the previous year. Although that was not a significant increase, it resulted in a new record in the survey time series.

In Q4 2021, production reached 991.38 million dozens, a decrease of 0.5% in comparison with the same quarter in 2020 and a decrease of 1.5% versus the result of the immediately previous quarter.

The IBGE will also release from this edition on, the price of raw milk paid to the producer within the scope of the Quarterly Survey of Milk. The result is published as experimental statistics, with monthly data for the period 2019 - 2021, for Brazil, Federation Units and Category of sanitary inspection, on the page of the survey at the IBGE website. Portal do IBGE.

Animal slaughter, Acquisition of Milk, Acquisition of Rawhide and Production of Hen Eggs - Brazil - Q4 2021

Cattle slaughter falls again and decreases by 7.8% from 2020

In 2021 a total 27.54 million cattle head were slaughtered under some type of federal, state or municipal sanitary inspection, meaning a decrease of 7.8% in relation to the previous year. The result represents the second consecutive year of decrease, in a sequence to the scenario of animal retention observed since 2020. The only month to record a positive change in the comparison between 2021 and 2020 was December (+39.89 thousand head), whereas the most significant decrease was registered in September (-650.79 thousand head), due to the embargo against Brazilian exports after cases of spongiform encephalopath were detected.

The record appreciation of average prices of calves and cattle contributed to the practice of female retention for reproductive activities. The total number of females slaughtered throughout 2021 (9.31 million head) was the lowest since 2004.

The decrease by 2.34 million head in cattle head slaughtered in the annual comparison was caused by retrogression in 23 of the 27 Federation Units. Mato Grosso (-633.91 thousand head), Mato Grosso do Sul (-433.89 thousand), Rio Grande do Sul (-299.46 thousand), Paraná (-238.96 thousand), São Paulo (-228.78 thousand) and Minas Gerais (-74.08 thousand) recorded the most significant decreases. On the other hand, the most relevant positive changes were those of Goiás (+176.46 thousand), Tocantins (+55.13 thousand) and Pará (+40.90 thousand).

Mato Grosso still led the ranking of Federation Units regarding cattle slaughter, with 16.2% of the national share, followed by Goiás (10.8%) and Mato Grosso do Sul (10.7%)

In Q4 2021, a total 6.90 million head of cattle under some type of sanitary inspection were slaughtered. This amount was 2.1% bigger than that obtained in the third quarter of 2018 and 7.0% above that registered in the immediately previous quarter. The result had not reached such low levels for a 4th quarter since 2008.

Slaughter of hogs and pigs increases by 7.3% from 2020

As for hogs and pigs, the cumulative index in 2021 ergistered a record slsughter of 52.97 million head, representing an increase of 7.3% (+3.61 million) in relation to 2020. Considering the time series since 1997, the period 2004/2003 was the only one not to record increase of the activity of slaughter of hogs and pigs.

In the monthly comparison, all the periods in 2021 recorded positive changes in relation to the previous year, with the biggest increase recorded in March (+475.09 thousand head). “The performance of exports helped in the chain of pork, due to a challenging scenario caused by the rise of production costs,” Mr. Viscardi highlights.

The slaughter of 3.61 million hogs and pigs more in 2021, against the previous year, was was leveraged by rises in slaughter in 14 out 21 of the 25 Federation Units that take part in the survey. Among those with a contribution above 1.0%, there were increases in: Rio Grande do Sul (+909.57 thousand), Santa Catarina (+821.72 thousand), Paraná (+786.36 thousand), Minas Gerais (+552.80 thousand), Mato Grosso do Sul (+242.69 thousand), São Paulo (+143.80 thousand) and Goiás (+49.45 thousand). On the other hand, Mator Grosso (-34.84 thousand) recorded a decrease.

Santa Catarina kept leading the slaughter of hogs and pigs in 2021, with 28.4% of the national contribution, followed by Paraná (20,3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (17.5%).

In Q4 2021, a total 13.38 million head were slaughtered, with an increase of 6.5% in relation to the same period in 2020 and a decrease of 2.7% in comparison with Q3 2021. Considering a month-based comparison, these were the best results for October, November and December, leading to eh best 4th quarter in the times series of the survey, that is, since 1997.

Slaughter of chickens is the second biggest for a Q4 since 1997 and a record in the year

Considering the cumulative index in 2021, a total 6.18 billion chickens were slaughtered, with an increase of 2.8% (+169.87 million) from 2020, reaching a record in the time series initiated in 1997.

In the monthly comparison, January, July, October and December recorded decreases in relation to the previous year. Among the other months of the year in which increases in slaughter, May (+44.83 million) and June (+46.39 million) stood out. Both domestic consumption and the foreign market benefited the sector.

The slaughter of 169.87 million chicken head more in 2021, against the previous year, was determined by increases in slaughter in 19 out of the 25 Federation Units analyzed in the survey. Among those with a contribution above 1.0%, there were increases in: Paraná (+67.89 million), Goiás (+47.10 million), São Paulo (+12.60 million), Mato Grosso do Sul (+10.57 million), Rio Grande do Sul (+10.40 million), Santa Catarina (+8.59 million), Bahia (+7.87 million), Minas Gerais (+6.15 million) e Pernambuco (+4.84 million). On the other hand, Mato Grosso (-20.77 million) recorded a decrease.

In the ranking of Federation Units, Paraná remained leading by a wide margin the slaughter of chicken in Brazil, with 33.6% of the national participation, followed by Santa Catarina (13.4%) and Rio Grande do Sul (13.4%).

In the 4th quarter of 2021, 1.54 billion chickens were slaughtered, accounting for a decrease of 1% against the same period in 2020 and a decrease of 0.5% in relation to Q3 2021. This result is the best for a fourth quarter in the time series, that is, since 1997.

InQ4 2021,a total of 1.54 billion chickens were slaughtered, reprewenting a decrease of 1% against the same period in 2020 and if 0.5%from Q3 2021. That is the second best Q4 in the time series initiated in 1997.

Acquisition of milk drops for the first time after four years of increase

In 2021, dairy products under some type of sanitary inspection obtained 25.08 billion liters, which is equivalent to a decrease of 2.2% against the amount registered in 2020. That is the first decrease after a four-year period of increases in a row, observed between 2017 and 2020.

In spite of that, the result was the second best registered for a year, taking into consideration the survey’s time series, which started in 1997.

“Year 2021 was characterized by the occurrence of frosts and by a more intense dry period, and were a contribution to damage pastures in some of the main producing areas,” says Viscardi. Also, the rise of costs together with reduced demand resulted in fewer investmensts by the productive chain.

There was a decrease by 561.92 million liters of milk, at national level, in the comparison 2021/2020, related to the reduction of the volume obtained in 18 of the 26 Federation Units taking part in the Quarterly Survey of Milk Acquisition. the most significant absolute negative changes were those of Minas Gerais (-324.88 million liters), São Paulo (-182.72 million), Goiás (-77.24 million), Rondônia (-49.23 million) and Mato Grosso (-39.42 million). On the other hand, eight states recorded increases, the main ones were: Santa Catarina (+52.55 million), Sergipe (+41.78 million), Rio Grande do Sul (+35.78 million) and Bahia (+26.88 million).

Minas Gerais remained the leader with 24.8% of the national share, followed by Rio Grande do Sul (13.9%) and Paraná (12.6%).

Acquisition of raw milk in Q4 2021 reached 5.82 billion liters, with a decrease of 1.0% in relation to Q4 2020 and a drop of 11.4% against the previous quarter. Ressalta-se o comportamento cíclico do setor, em que os 4º trimestres regularmente apresentam pico de produção em relação aos trimestres anteriores, impulsionado pela melhor condição das pastagens com o retorno da primavera e das chuvas em algumas das principais bacias leiteiras.

Acquisition of leather drops 4.8% in 2021

In 2021, the tanneries investigated in the Quarterly Survey of Leather - those that carry out the tanning of at least 5,000 whole pieces of raw hide per year - reported to have received 29.34 million of whole cattle rawhide. That amount was 4.8% smallet than in the previous year, influenced by the decrease of cattle slaughter throughout the period.

The reduction by 1.47 million rawhide pieces, in the comparison between 2021 and 2020, was influenced by retrogression in the reception of rawhide in 11 of the 19 Federation Units that have at least one active tannery that fit in the survey universe. Considering the Federation Units with more than 5% of national participation, the main negative changes were those in Rondônia (-638.27 thousand pieces), Mato Grosso do Sul (-346.42 thousand), Mato Grosso (-248.32 thousand), São Paulo (-211.44 thousand) and Goiás (-153.85 thousand). On the other hand, the most significant increase took place in Pará (+66.51 thousand).

Holding 16.5% of the national production, Mato Grosso remained leading the reception of cattle hides by tanneries, followed by Mato Grosso do Sul (13.1%) and São Paulo (11.1%).

In Q4 2021,tanneries reported to have received 7.21 million pieces of rawhide, a decrease of 6.4% against the amount acquired in Q4 2020, and a decrease of 3.6% against Q3 2021.

Production of hen eggs changes by 0.2% in 2021 and hits new record

The cumulative production of hen eggs in 2021 reached 3.98 billion dozens, an increase of 0.2% against the previous year. Although that was not a significant increase, it resulted in a new record in the survey time series.

The production of 8.92 million dozen eggs more, at the national level, in the 2021/2020 comparison, was a consequence of the increase in the production of 15 of the 26 FU with eligible chicken farms. The most significant increased were observed in: Ceará (+18.70 million dozen), Mato Grosso do Sul (+16.45 million) and Bahia (+15.52 million). Among the Federation Units that recorded decreases in production, São Paulo stood out with a reduction by 40.93 million dozen, but, given the size of the state production, that amounted to -3.6%.

The size of production in the state of São Paulo is so relevant that, despite the decrease, it still leads the annual ranking of states regarding production of hen eggs, with 27.7% of the national output, followed by Paraná (9.0%), Minas Gerais (8.8%) and Espírito Santo (8.8%).

The survey also shows that more than half of the chicken farms, 1,056 (53.8%), produced eggs for consumption, accounting for 81.0% of the egg production, whereas 907 chicken farms (46.2%) produced eggs for incubation, accounting for 19% of the total produced.

In Q4 2021, production reached 991.38 million dozens, a decrease of 0.5% in comparison with the same quarter in 2020 and a decrease of 1.5% versus the result of the immediately previous quarter.

IBGE releases “Price of rar milk paid to the producer” as experimental statistics

The IBGE will also release from this edition on, the price of raw milk paid to the producer within the scope of the Quarterly Survey of Milk. The result is published as experimental statistics, with monthly data for the period 2019 - 2021, for Brazil, Federation Units and Category of sanitary inspection, on the page of the survey at the IBGE website.

Number of informants and Amount of raw milk, cooled or not, acquired and processed, in the month and in the quarter, by type of inspection

Since 2019, the survey questionnaire adopted a consultation to the enterprises about the average price paid, monthly, by the raw material acquired (raw milk, cooled or not).

Since then, the variable investigated has been used only internally to provide material for collection and data editing of the Municipal Livestock Survey (PPM).

For additional information about the IBGE’s experimental statistics, click here. To see the other tables, click here.