Credit: reproduction O Globo / courtesy of JBS
By Brazil Stock Guide – JBS S.A. (B3: JBSS3) has launched the nationwide expansion of Uboi, its Uber-style livestock transport app that connects cattle producers and meatpackers through a digital platform. Previously available only in São Paulo and Brazil’s Central-West region, the service now covers the entire country — and could soon include poultry and swine. Operated by TRS, the logistics arm of the Batista brothers’ group, Uboi already accounts for 40% of the company’s revenue, according to O Globo.
Technology in the pasture
Launched in 2020, Uboi has completed 94,000 trips and transported more than 5 million animals, linking farms, auctions, and slaughterhouses. The initial investment was just R$1 million ($190,000) — negligible compared with the R$417 billion ($79 billion) in revenue JBS reported in 2024. The fleet includes 800 double-deck trailers, each capable of carrying up to 54 cattle and equipped with elevators to reduce animal stress during loading and unloading.
“We saw that cattle producers lacked a reliable and accessible service they could trust to actually show up. We use onboard technology to meet the expectations of both traditional and tech-savvy ranchers,” said Márcio Salaber, TRS director. He added that the platform may also serve competitor meatpackers, provided they meet safety and animal-welfare requirements.
Smart logistics with a green layer
The app employs artificial intelligence to monitor trips in real time, detect harsh braking, and alert drivers to potential risks for animals. Long-haul journeys include mandatory stops at boitéis — roadside rest areas where cattle can drink, eat, and rest — and each truck’s load is calibrated by weight and size to avoid overcrowding or injury.
Beyond animal welfare, Uboi enforces environmental standards. Farms are screened for sustainability compliance to prevent the transport of cattle from illegally deforested areas. “If a producer has any restriction, we simply don’t make the shipment,” Salaber said.
Agribusiness goes digital
The initiative reflects a broader shift in Brazilian agribusiness toward digital logistics and supply-chain traceability. JBS, which already invests heavily in supplier monitoring and emissions reduction, sees Uboi as both an efficiency driver and a reputation tool. Expanding the platform to poultry and swine would deepen integration with Seara, JBS’s food division, consolidating high-tech logistics across its entire protein chain.
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