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Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming in Australia Industry Data and Analysis
Sheep beef cattle farmers have navigated highly variable conditions in recent years. Shifting rainfall patterns, saleyard price swings and changing export settings have all fed into very high revenue volatility. Industry revenue contracted sharply over the two years through 2023-24 as elevated turn-off of sheep and cattle pushed large volumes into saleyards and processors, driving down prices and cash receipts. Those falls were followed by a rebound as tighter supply and record lamb and mutton prices lifted returns. However, industry revenue is expected to nosedive 12.6% in 2026-27 to $6.0 billion as cattle and lamb values ease and slaughter and live-export volumes step back from the 2025-26 peaks. Over the five years through 2026-27, industry revenue is anticipated to have fallen at an annualised rate of 4.6%, underscoring how strongly the livestock price cycle, seasonal conditions and the timing of herd and flock rebuilding have influenced the industry’s performance.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2016-2031. The most recent publication was released September 2026.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia operates under the ANZSIC industry code A0144. Industry operators mainly farm both sheep and beef cattle. The industry excludes operators that only farm beef cattle or sheep. The industry also excludes farmers who grow grain products alongside sheep or beef cattle farming. Related terms covered in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia include backgrounding, turn-off, feedlot, imputed wage and beef herd size.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia include Beef cattle, Sheep and lambs and Wool.
What companies are included in this industry?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is highly fragmented with no companies holding a market share greater than 5%.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia in 2026?
The market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is $6.0bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia in 2026?
There are 16,166 businesses in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2021 and 2026.
How may import tariffs affect the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 4.6 % between 2021 and 2026.
What is the forecast growth of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What does the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia include?
Beef cattle and Sheep and lambs are part of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
How competitive is the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
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