Cattle slaughter remained around 45,000 head

Cattle slaughter rose moderately last week, staying around the 45,000-head mark recorded the previous week. INAC reported that 45,274 head of cattle were processed in the week ending June 28, an increase of 800 head (2%) from the previous week and 4,000 more than the same week last year.

Compared to the previous week, the main change was a drop in heifer slaughter, down to 5,400 head (-21%), the lowest level in 10 weeks, since the third of April. This was more than offset by an increase in steers (up 1,137 to 21,699) and cows (up 852 head to 17,322).

The most active plants were Urgal-Ontilcor (4,318), and two of Minerva’s facilities: Canelones (3,969) and Pulsa (3,708). With four active plants (including Tacuarembó, which is running only one shift), Marfrig slaughtered 12,200 head (+1,525 on the week), Minerva processed 10,692 head at three plants (+126), and the Urgal family processed 7,650 head (-564 weekly).

With just one business day left in the month, 183,461 cattle had been slaughtered in June, which was 2% more than during the same days of June 2024. This will close out the first half of the year with slaughter up in all six months, totaling 1.22 million head for the semester, about 64,000 more than in the first half of 2024, a 5.2% increase.