Brazilian meat processor would take poultry company private.

A bumper corn harvest is expected to bring down feed costs.

Brazil's JBS SA will acquire the poultry and pork unit of rival Marfrig Alimentos SA for 5.85 billion reais ($2.75 billion) in assumed debt.

The new plants will add processing capacity of 1.2 million head of cattle by July 2013 and will increase beef production capacity in Brazil by 15 percent.

JBS SA, the parent company of JBS USA, reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 539.3 reais ($325 million), compared to a profit of 127.9 reais in the fourth quarter of 2009.