PRODUCTION

The total volume of  cattle production   in 2020  was estimated at 25,137 metric tons, liveweight. This was 10.99 percent lower than  the 28,239 metric tons liveweight, output in 2019. Production on both 1st semester and 2nd semester 2020 showed decreases of 11.60 percent and 10.36 percent respectively.

The   decline of cattle production in 2020 was contributed by all the provinces in the region. It was observed that lesser stocks  were slaughtered and sold live during the period. This may be attributed to the COVID 19 restrictions wherein there were lesser animal movements as well as restrictions on social gatherings.

In  2020, the  number of butchered cattle  in slaughterhouses was 43,489 heads. This was lower by 6.44 percent over its 2019 level. Both the 1st and 2nd semesters recorded decreases in the number of slaughtered cattle in slaughterhouses by 6.39 and 6.47 percent respectively.

INVENTORY

The inventory of cattle as of January 1, 2020 in Ilocos Region was 311,106 heads. Said inventory had a meager increase of 2.85 percent compared  to the 2019 number of 302,494 heads. All provinces recorded increases in cattle headcount on January 1, 2020.

PRICES

The monthly average  farmgate  prices of cattle in backyard farms for slaughter  in 2020 were generally higher than the price levels in 2019. The annual average farmgate price of cattle for slaughter in 2020 was ₱126.85 per kilogram, liveweight, about  6.77 percent higher than the 2019 farmgate price of ₱118.81 per kilogram, liveweight.  In 2020, the highest farmgate price was recorded  in May at ₱129.97 per kilogram, liveweight, while the lowest was in July  at ₱122.45 per kilogram, liveweight.