The Global Livestock Report

Cattle slaughter in Brazil reached 10.95 million head in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a 13.1% increase compared to the same period in 2024, but a 2.9% decline from the third quarter of the year, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).

The share of exports as a destination for Brazilian beef production has grown steadily in recent years. In 2025, the sharp increase in output and strong international demand meant that nearly 4 out of every 10 kilos produced were shipped to foreign markets (39%), up from 35% in 2024 and 32% in 2023.

Total cattle slaughter in the state of Mato Grosso reached 641.04 thousand head in January 2026, a record for the month and a 5.45% increase compared to December, according to INDEA data reported by the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea).

Female cattle slaughter fell 13% year-on-year in January, contributing to shorter slaughter schedules and supporting finished male prices in the first half of February. The data comes from Datagro, based on preliminary figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa).

Brazil reached 9.25 million cattle on feed in 2025, a 16% increase from the previous year, according to the 2025 Feedlot Census released by DSM-Firmenich.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s upcoming Asian tour will include discussions on a potential agreement to allow Brazilian beef exports to South Korea. The president will begin his trip in India, where he is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will then travel to Seoul, where he will be received by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.