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Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming in New Zealand Industry Data and Analysis
Sheep-beef cattle farmers have been reducing their sheep flocks and cattle herds, as they switch to more profitable alternative uses of land like dairy farming. Domestic meat and wool markets are mature and largely stagnant, with per capita meat consumption steadily falling over the past five years and only a very small domestic apparel manufacturing sector. As a result, industry revenues have been driven by downstream processors and wholesalers that cater to export markets. Rising beef and sheep meat prices are helping to offset industry revenue falls from declining herd and flock numbers. While China, New Zealand’s largest trading partner, is demanding less imported goods, growing international markets like the United States have created revenue growth opportunities for sheep and beef cattle farmers in recent years. Wool export performance, on the other hand, has been lacklustre and is expected to remain subdued in 2025-26, with low prices keeping export revenues well below historic levels despite steady export volumes. Given the state of meat exports and wool exports, industry revenue is expected to edge downwards by 0.7% to $4.8 billion in 2025-26, reflecting an annualised decline of 2.2% over the past five years.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released July 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand operates under the ANZSIC industry code A0144NZ. Industry farmers primarily breed, farm, graze and sell sheep and beef cattle. Related terms covered in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand include hogget, turn-off rate and carcass condemnation.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand include Beef cattle, Sheep and Wool.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand include Lone Star Farms.
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 New Zealand.
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 New Zealand.
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 New Zealand.
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 New Zealand. 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 New Zealand. 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 New Zealand. 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 New Zealand. 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 New Zealand.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand in 2026?
The market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand is $4.8bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand in 2025?
There are 5,763 businesses in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand 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 New Zealand?
The Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand 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 New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand?
The biggest company operating in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand is Lone Star Farms
What does the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand include?
Beef cattle farming and Sheep farming are part of the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand?
The company holding the most market share in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand is Lone Star Farms.
How competitive is the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Sheep-Beef Cattle Farming industry in New Zealand.
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