The female retention phase is beginning to consolidate in Brazil's leading cattle-producing state. In Mato Grosso, female slaughter declined 8% year-on-year during the second quarter, a clear indication that herd rebuilding is underway.
According to the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), 8% fewer females were slaughtered between April and June than during the same period in 2025. Over the first half of the year, female slaughter declined 4.3% to 1.85 million head, while male slaughter increased 13.1% to 1.81 million head.
Despite the lower share of females, total cattle slaughter reached a record for a first half, totaling 3.65 million head, up 3.6% from the same period last year. The higher volume of finished males reflected strong demand for beef, particularly in export markets.
Imea noted that the acceleration of shipments to China ahead of the exhaustion of the tariff quota intensified competition among processors for finished cattle. Looking ahead, the expectation is that tighter cattle supplies will continue to support fat male prices throughout 2026, although some easing could occur during the third quarter as shipments to China slow down.
