Cattle slaughter fell by just over 2,000 head as a direct consequence of lower cow activity. INAC reported that in the week ending August 16, 45,989 head of cattle were processed, 2,130 fewer (-4%) than the previous week and 3% below the same period last year.
The decline was exclusively in cow activity, while steers and heifers, with the last full production week for the EU 481 quota, remained stable in the case of the former and increased in the latter. Cows totaled 12,628 head, a weekly drop of 17% and the lowest number since the first week of the year. Steers were 25,127 head (54.6% of the total) and heifers 7,518. Despite the sharp drop in cow slaughter, it was 725 head more than in the same week last year.
The most active plant was Marfrig-Tacuarembó (6,186 head), followed by Las Piedras (5,983) and Urgal-San Jacinto (4,705). Across three plants Marfrig processed 12,077 head and Minerva, also in three plants, 9,886. The Urgal family, in two plants, processed 8,520 animals.
The first half of August is confirming the expectation that it will be the first month of the year with a slaughter number below that of the same period in 2024. In the first 16 days of August, 105,497 head of cattle were processed, 8.1% fewer than in the same days last year.
