Reduction in females sustains livestock prices in 2025

Brazilian beef cattle farming recorded a recovery in prices throughout 2025, with greater intensity in the second half, mainly driven by the increase in the slaughter of females. According to information from Emater-MG, this movement reduced the future supply of animals and contributed to the maintenance of values in the market. Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), released in September, show that in the second quarter of 2025, the slaughter of females totaled 19.35 million head, a 16% increase compared to the same period in 2024. For the first time since 1997, the volume of females slaughtered exceeded that of males. Of the total, 33% were heifers, equivalent to 5.05 million head, a 23.1% increase compared to the annual comparison. With the reduction in the number of available breeding females, the sector expects a lower supply of calves in 2026 and greater retention of females for reproduction. This scenario tends to decrease the availability of ...