Argentina: Cattle slaughter fell 5% year-on-year in May: what's the situation in the sector?

While this figure also represents a 1% decrease compared to April, activity since the beginning of the year has shown greater stability. In the first five months, 5,461,069 animals were slaughtered, which is only 1.3% less than in the same period in 2024 .

The report highlights a change in slaughter composition, with an 11% increase in bulls and a 6.4% increase in heifers. A more pronounced decline in cow (-15%) and bull (-12%) numbers is also observed. In terms of livestock numbers, the total number of cattle slaughtered this year represents 10.6% of the herd. This is the third-highest level for this period since 1990, after peaks recorded in 2022 (11.1%) and 2008 (11.5%).

On the other hand, gross profits from feedlot production plummeted by 63% over the past month. According to estimates from the Argentine Chamber of Feedlots (CAF), profit per animal fell from $90,793 to $33,226 per HEAD. This equates to a loss of purchasing power of 28 kg for light steers and 10 kg for light bulls, respectively.

Nevertheless, compared to the previous year, activity shows a 45% improvement, as the margin a year ago was only 7 kilograms per head. In terms of productivity, May marked a historic record. The average weight per head of slaughtered cattle reached 232.3 kilograms, the highest figure for this month in 35 years. According to the Directorate of Agri-Food Markets, the MEAT processing industry produced 259,682 tonnes of bone-in beef, highlighting increased efficiency in the value chain.

Foreign trade

Regarding foreign trade, SENASA-certified beef exports showed a 9% monthly increase in May, with 50,362 tonnes authorized. However, year-on-year, this represents a 6.6% decline. So far in 2025, certificates have been issued for 221,596 tonnes of cuts and 43,140 tonnes of bones with meat, a 19.4% decrease compared to the same period last year.

On the international front, beef prices reached new all-time highs. The FAO Beef Price Index reached 138.2 points in May, up 11.8% year-on-year and 1% compared to the previous month. Robust demand and tight EXPORT supplies in major producing countries continue to push up prices on global markets.