The slaughter of females and, in particular, pregnant cows is again raising concern within Paraguay’s cattle sector at a time when the industry is seeking to rebuild the herd and increase calf production.
Egon Neufeld, president of Expo Rodeo Trébol and a former industry executive in Filadelfia, warned that sending pregnant cows to slaughterhouses represents a significant productive and economic loss for the system. “Today any female sent to industry is worth between US$ 900 and US$ 1,100 per head, but inside there is a calf worth another US$ 700 to US$ 800. With current calf prices, sending pregnant cows to slaughter has no justification,” Neufeld said in remarks to the radio program Valor Agregado on Asunción 1250 AM.
According to the producer, the phenomenon has been observed for several years and responds to a combination of factors, including reproductive management issues and short-term financial decisions. In some cases, pregnancy checks are not conducted before cows are sold to slaughterhouses, while in other, producers opt to sell pregnant females because they regain weight more easily. He also mentioned accidental pregnancies in intensive systems or due to weak reproductive control on farms.
Neufeld warned that this dynamic directly affects the country’s calf output. “Our already low productivity level is being hit by the high sale of females and pregnant females, which means fewer calves born in each generation,” he said.
At the same time, the market is beginning to show some signs of change. High calf prices have increased awareness about the need to retain breeding females, while in the Chaco there is growing demand for cows to rebuild herds, supported by good pasture availability and limited cattle supply.
Source: Valor Agregado – Radio Asunción 1250 AM.
