Paraguay cuts cow and heifer slaughter by more than 35% to rebuild cattle herd

Paraguay has sharply increased financing for its cattle breeding herd preservation program in 2026. According to Senacsa, around $42.8 mln has already been allocated to livestock producers, 18 times more than in the whole of 2025.

The program currently covers 427 producers, mainly small and medium-sized farms. Financing is provided through banks and producer cooperatives with repayment terms of up to eight years and grace periods of up to two years.

At the same time, slaughter of breeding females has fallen significantly. In January–August 2026, cow slaughter declined by 35.2%, while heifer slaughter fell by 35.9%. These categories accounted for around 77% of the overall decline in cattle slaughter.

Senacsa links the trend to efforts to retain females for breeding and strengthen the national cattle herd. The measures are expected to support herd rebuilding and the production potential of Paraguay’s beef sector in the coming years.

Paraguay has also launched a $5 mln financing program to support sheep production. The funds will be used for genetic improvement, purchases of breeding animals, infrastructure, equipment and working capital.

Tags: cattle, Paraguay