The Brazil Animal Feed market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 3.4%, reaching USD 29.4 billion in 2031 from USD 22.0 billion in 2026.
Brazil has the world's third-largest feed sector for animals, mostly due to the nation's high raw material output and increased meat consumption. The country is the center of meat production and has high domestic feed consumption. Animal feed is the food given to domestic animals, especially livestock. Good feeding for the animal or livestock generally results in the production of safe and high-quality animal products, like meats, eggs, and dairy products. There are two types of animal feeds: compound feed and fodder & forage. A compound feed is a mixture of different types of concentrated ingredients, like beans, grains, proteins, and others. Fodder is a type of feed that is harvested especially to feed the animal, and forage is the parts of plants leftovers, which are fed to the livestock.
Brazil is among the top exporters of meat and beef in the world. The nation exports various types of animal products, like casings, edible offal, and processed and fresh meats. One of the major drivers for the increase in the demand for animal feed products in the Brazilian market is the nation’s increasing export of meat and beef products. According to the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association, the nation exports beef from 1.846 million tons in 2021 to 2.290 million tons in 2023.
Some of the major companies are Tyson Foods, Altech, and Cargil Inc., among others.
Tyson Food, under Tyson Ingredient Solutions and others, offers animal feeds, especially with chicken as a raw material.
Alltech, under Hubbard Feeds, manufactures and supplies feed for all major forms of domestic and agricultural animals, like beef, swine, sheep, and goat, along with feeds for show animals.
Cargill, Inc., offers various types of feed for different species of animal, like for milking cows, and shrimp feeds.
The growing livestock population is boosting the animal feed demand.
The potential expansion of the industry is sparked by the increased production and import of animal feed in Brazil. According to a USDA report on Brazil's livestock and products, swine growers have started to boost their piglet production as pork and swine meat prices rose in 2020. As a result, the swine population surged in 2021, and the slaughter rate increased in both 2021 and 2022. However, Brazilian beef production declined from 10.1 million tons of Carcass Weight Equivalent (CWE) in 2020 to 9.5 million tons in 2021, a six percent decrease due to the lack of available slaughter and high cost. The growing price of beef in Brazil is influencing customers to switch to cheaper meat like pork and swine, which is helping surge the overall growth of animal feed in the country.
Many producers intend to speed up the adoption of some innovative production technologies into their manufacturing processes to increase competitiveness in the local market. For instance, Altech Brazil started using total replacement technology in animal feed. Alltech Brazil claims that despite an increase in grain prices worldwide, the business would continue to support the expansion of the animal protein supply chain. As technology improves the profitability and quality of output, the emphasis is made on collaborating with farmers to enhance feed optimization. In the interim, Trouw Nutrition intends to quickly continue implementing its merger and acquisition (M&A) program in the Latin American area and the Brazilian animal feed market.
Increasing meat consumption and investments by manufacturers are expected to fuel the growth.
The growing desire for more dietary variety and protein consumption has led to the demand for foods with better nutritional content and quality, such as meat, eggs, and milk. The entire market for animal products in Brazil has increased significantly because of these changes in consumption patterns and significant population expansion.
Brazil is one of the biggest animal meat and other products exporters in the world. The nation has a huge livestock and animal husbandry market size. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Brazil had about 193,780 cattle at the beginning of 2022, which increased to 194,365 cattle at the beginning of 2023. Similarly, the dairy cow stocks increased from 54.9 million in 2022 to 55.280 million in 2023. Similarly, the total supply of swine also increased in the nation from 80.54 million in 2022 to 81.30 million in 2023.
Brazilian chicken meat output may increase by 1% in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 14.5 million tonnes, according to the Brazilian Association of Animal Proteins (ABPA). It produced more chicken and pig meat in 2022, while sales of hog meat fell by 3%. Brazil's beef consumption is declining as people switch to less expensive protein options like chicken and eggs, and this is anticipated to persist in the upcoming years.
Animal meat and other products also increased significantly in the nation. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), the nation exported a total of US$19.6 million worth of milk in 2022, which was estimated at US$ 17.7 million in 2021. Similarly, the nation's export of bovine meat in 2022 was US$ 876 million, and the export of poultry meat reached US$ 8,950 million in 2022.
The poultry segment is expected to lead the market growth
Based on livestock, the Brazilian animal feed market is segmented into swine, aquatic animals, cattle, poultry, and others. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), poultry consumption for 2023 is forecast at 9.85 million metric tons, growing two percent. Furthermore, better socioeconomic factors and education levels have raised Brazilians' understanding of food safety. This has resulted in a shift in eating habits and prompted several regulatory agencies to establish rules for good animal feeding practices. With the government and international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) focusing on guaranteeing the safety of food for human use, the Brazilian animal feed business is expected to develop significantly over the coming years.
Additionally, the segment's rapid expansion can be attributed to an increase in Brazilian poultry product exports during the predicted period. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Brazil was the world's largest chicken exporter in 2022. The country exported poultry meat worth US$8.95 billion, the main destination for exports from Brazil was China, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. The demand for good quality feed rises as the demand for chicken increases in Brazil. The export of chicken from Brazil goes through various parameters to get authorization from various local governments. In order to meet the standards required in the export market, the feed demand is expected to increase during the projected period.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Brazil’s meat exports are increasing rapidly, making it the country's largest poultry meat exporter. In 2023, this export was 4.85 MMT, whereas in 2024, the poultry meat exports increased to 4.97 MMT.
Corn is expected to become the most popular raw material, boosting market growth
Based on the raw material, the Brazilian animal feed market is segmented into soy, corn, rendered meal, and others. Corn is a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, and essential minerals such as phosphorus and magnesium, making it an important feed ingredient in animal diets. According to a study published in the Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, corn is an excellent source of energy for pigs and is one of the most commonly used grains in animal feed formulations worldwide. Additionally, corn can be used in a variety of animal feed formulations, including poultry, swine, and ruminant diets. It is a relatively low-cost feed ingredient compared to other grains such as wheat and barley.
Furthermore, the adoption of feed automation technologies such as precision feeding and real-time monitoring systems is expected to increase the efficiency of animal feed production and improve the accuracy of feed formulations, which may further drive the demand for corn as a feed ingredient in Brazil.
Corn Production in Brazil was 1,16,000 tons in 2021/22 which increased to 1,37,000 metric tons in 2022. The area under harvest in 2021 was 21,800 (1,000 hectares), which grew to 22,400 (1,000 hectares) in 2022. Hence, the rising production of corn indicates the rising demand for corn in various end-user segments, such as animal feed, which is one of the biggest consumers of corn in the projected period.
Brazilian corn production has been exceeding expectations and setting record-breaking harvests in recent years, as evidenced by the projected increase in corn planted area and production is growing rapidly. This has provided an abundant supply of corn, which is a crucial component of animal feed formulations. The animal feed market in Brazil has grown, particularly in the poultry and swine sectors, which are the largest consumers of corn-based feed.
However, adverse weather conditions affecting the soybean harvest have led to delays in the planting of corn in key producing states, such as Mato Grosso. This delay can cause corn to mature during the winter season (June to September), making the plants more susceptible to frost and other harmful weather conditions, which may affect yield. Despite this challenge, farmers have indicated continued interest in planting corn, which suggests a sustained supply of corn for the animal feed market in the country.
Cargill Acquires Integral Animal Nutrition: In 2024, Cargill agreed to acquire Integral Animal Nutrition, a Brazilian cow feed producer, to expand its market presence and enhance feed production capabilities, pending regulatory approval.
JBS Invests in New Feed Factories: In January 2024, JBS invested US$570 million to launch three new feed factories to boost the growth of its Seara brand, focusing on poultry feed production.
Market expansion and technological advancements by manufacturers in Brazil is also key factor propelling the growth of the animal feed market. For instance, in January 2022, Archer Daniels Midland Co. expanded its international research and development capabilities by opening its Aquaculture Innovation Lab at the Animal Nutrition Technology Centre (ANTC) in Illinois. This expansion builds on the company's existing aquaculture research facilities in Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam. Furthermore, in June 2022, Prodap was bought by Royal DSM. Prodap is a Brazilian startup that combines technology, consulting services, and tailored nutritional products to promote efficiency and sustainability in the animal farming industry.
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Market Size in 2026 | USD 22.0 billion |
| Total Market Size in 2031 | USD 29.4 billion |
| Forecast Unit | Billion |
| Growth Rate | 3.4% |
| Study Period | 2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2031 |
| Segmentation | Type, Livestock, Source, Raw Material |
| Companies |
|