The slaughter of cattle in meatpacking plants registered a decrease of 21% between January and August 2026, according to official statistics from the National Service for Animal Health and Quality (Senacsa).
During that period, 1,240,389 head of cattle were processed, while in the first eight months of 2025, 1,561,496 animals had been slaughtered.
The monthly comparison shows that the reduction occurred during all the months analyzed. In January, the slaughter fell from 206,422 head in 2025 to 148,627 in 2026, a negative variation of 28%.
In February, meatpacking plants processed 160,776 cattle, compared to 215,302 in the same month of 2025, equivalent to a drop of 25%.
The decline was smaller in March, when 159,963 head were recorded, compared to 163,566 the previous year, representing a variation of -2%.
The largest decrease of the period occurred in April, with 105,315 cattle slaughtered, compared to 171,323 in April 2025. The difference represents a drop of 39%.
In May, the slaughter reached 143,866 head, compared to 222,068 in the same month of the previous year, a reduction of 35%. In June, the figure was 172,532 animals, 13% less than the 198,426 head of June 2025.
During July, meatpacking plants processed 190,839 cattle, compared to 203,383 in the same month of 2025, which meant a decrease of 6%, the smallest negative variation after March.
Finally, in August 2026, 158,471 head were slaughtered, while in August 2025, 181,006 animals had been registered.
The year-on-year change was -12%.
In the cumulative total from January to August, the difference between the two years reaches 321,107 fewer head slaughtered, going from 1,561,496 cattle in 2025 to 1,240,389 in 2026, according to data recorded by Senacsa.
321,107 fewer head of cattle were slaughtered between January and August of this year, according to figures from Senacsa.
