For the second consecutive week, cattle slaughter remained below 40,000 head. INAC reported that in the week ending September 27, 39,737 cattle were processed, 785 more than the previous week and 12% above the same week last year.
There was a moderate weekly increase in the slaughter of steers and cows, partially offset by a decrease in the number of heifers. A total of 18,746 steers were slaughtered (+540 week-on-week), 14,639 cows (+952), and 5,722 heifers (-797). On an annual basis, the increase continues to be driven by cows (+23%).
The most active plants were Marfrig-Tacuarembó (7,103), Las Piedras (4,053), and Urgal-San Jacinto (3,985). Marfrig, across three plants, slaughtered 11,424 cattle (a weekly increase of 500 head), while Minerva and the Urgal family, each operating two plants, slaughtered 6,615 and 7,300 head, respectively.
As a highlight, Clay, Uruguay’s main horse processing plant, which in recent years has invested to incorporate cattle slaughter, processed 90 heifers.
With only two business days left to complete the month, 163,667 cattle were slaughtered in September, 13.3% more than in the same days last year. The month is likely to close with slaughter close to 180,000 head, about 27,000 more than in the same month of 2024. In this way, the upward trend resumes after being set aside in August, when industrial activity decreased 1.5% year-on-year.
As of September 27, a total of 1.78 million cattle had been slaughtered this year, 6.8% more than the 1.67 million at the same date last year.
