EN 
PT_BR 
Cattle slaughter in Mato Grosso reached 4.87 million head between January and August 2026, a volume practically stable compared to the same period last year. The increase was approximately 0.7%, according to a survey by the Mato Grosso Institute of Agricultural Economics (Imea), with data from the Mato Grosso State Agricultural Defense Institute (Indea-MT).
The compilation was presented by Geraldo Isoldi, an analyst at Terra Investimentos, and reveals an important change in the dynamics of supply. Although the accumulated total is still slightly positive, July and August recorded slaughters approximately 7% lower than those observed in the same months of 2025.
For cattle ranchers, the most relevant data point is the composition of this reduction. In August, 254,450 females were slaughtered, a decrease of 15.6% compared to the same period last year. They represented 41.7% of all slaughter carried out in the month, a share approximately four percentage points lower than that recorded a year earlier.
This decline reinforces the signal of cow retention. After a period marked by a high culling rate of cows and heifers, some producers seem to be reassessing the removal of females from the herd, especially given the recovery in calf prices and the expectation of greater appreciation for steers in the coming cycles.
However, this retention should still be viewed with caution. The movement may be related both to a deliberate decision to rebuild the herd and to the reduced availability of females for slaughter after several years of intense culling. Furthermore, its continuation will depend on the profitability of breeding, the cost of maintaining the breeding stock, pasture conditions, and the producer's access to credit.
Males expand their reach in slaughterhouses.
While the number of female cattle slaughtered decreased, the slaughter of male cattle increased. In August, 356,340 animals of this category were slaughtered, equivalent to 58.3% of the monthly total. In the accumulated total for the first eight months, males totaled 2.51 million head, or 51.5% of the slaughters, compared to 2.36 million females, corresponding to 48.5%.
The change in composition helps explain why the total volume in August, at 610,790 head, was close to that recorded in July, despite the sharp decline in females. In practice, the greater supply of males partially compensated for the reduction in the culling of cows and heifers.
For the industry, the reduced availability of female cattle could limit one of the main sources of supply in recent years. For the producer, this process tends to contribute to a firmer price support if demand follows suit. However, comfortable slaughterhouse schedules, weakened domestic consumption, or difficulties in exports could still limit price reactions in the short term.
The West leads regional movement.
In the accumulated period from January to August, the Western region led in slaughter in Mato Grosso, with 928,650 head, or 19.1% of the total. Next were the Central-South region, with 884,240 animals and a share of 18.1%, and the Southeast region, with 835,120 head, equivalent to 17.1%.
The North, Northeast, Northwest, and Mid-North regions accounted for 14.1%, 10.6%, 10.6%, and 10.4%, respectively, of the movement recorded during the period.
The survey considers cattle originating from Mato Grosso, including those destined for slaughter in other states. Therefore, the numbers help to assess not only the pace of the industry established in Mato Grosso, but also the effective availability of animals produced in the state.
According to Geraldo Isoldi's assessment, the data shows that the stability of the accumulated figures masks a recent slowdown. From the rancher's perspective, the central point will be to monitor whether the reduction in female slaughter will persist in the coming months. If this retention consolidates, the result could be a lower supply of animals in the future, higher calf prices, and a clearer transition to a high phase of the cattle cycle.
This process, however, does not happen immediately. Retaining breeding stock reduces the current supply, but requires capital, feed, and time until the new calves reach the market. Thus, even with a potentially positive outlook for prices, the producer needs to carefully assess the cash flow and carrying capacity of the property before expanding or rebuilding the herd.
* With the aid of AI
