核心要点

澳大利亚绵羊牧场年均现金成本约28.6万澳元，在大田农业各业态中属于现金投入最低的类型。尽管绵羊养殖整体运营成本偏低，但在干旱年份，极易受到饲草价格上涨的冲击。2019至2020年受干旱影响，补饲需求增加，绵羊牧场年均现金成本攀升至约33.8万澳元。

绵羊牧场的四大主要投入项——肥料、燃油、运输、饲草，合计约占总现金成本的23.7%，其中仅饲草一项就占11%。干旱年份养殖户对补充饲喂依赖度大幅上升，这四大投入项的成本占比可升至32%至33%。这也凸显出绵羊养殖对饲草价格及供应情况的高度敏感性。

绵羊牧场去年的肥料支出平均为 1.6 万澳元。相比之下，同时经营绵羊养殖与农作物种植的混合农业企业，肥料支出接近 9.5 万澳元。因此，纯绵羊养殖牧场的肥料需求相对偏低；而遍布澳大利亚绵羊主产区的混合农场，受肥料价格波动的影响要大得多。

从总成本占比来看，肥料约占绵羊牧场现金成本的 5%–6%。受混合农业模式普及的影响，这一比例略高于肉牛养殖企业。

饲草仍是绵羊养殖户面临最主要的成本压力之一。绵羊牧场去年饲草平均支出为3万澳元，低于肉牛牧场的4.2万澳元，但远高于种植农场约8000澳元的支出水平。许多种养结合的混合农牧企业可自留场内自产饲料，因而饲草成本通常更低。

去年饲草成本约占绵羊牧场现金成本的10.5%。而在2021至2023年气候较为湿润的年份，饲草成本仅占绵羊牧场总成本的4%左右。近期澳大利亚南部遭遇干旱天气，尤以维多利亚州及南澳部分地区为甚，大幅增加了补饲需求，进而推高饲草成本大幅上涨。

绵羊牧场去年平均燃油支出约1.3万澳元，而混合农业经营主体约为4.7万澳元。燃油成本约占绵羊牧场现金成本的4.5%，低于大田农业6.4%的平均水平。

绵羊养殖的运输成本相对偏低，年均约9000澳元，占总现金成本的3.1%。在各大田农业业态中，绵羊牧场受运输成本波动的影响处于较低水平。

绵羊牧场整体运营成本虽低于其他大田农业业态，但对饲草、肥料、燃油、运输这四大主要投入项的价格波动依旧高度敏感。四项成本合计占到绵羊牧场现金总成本的近四分之一，略高于肉牛养殖企业。

饲草是引发成本波动的最大因素。在饲草价格高昂、供应紧缺的年份，仅这四大投入项就能占到绵羊牧场支出的三分之一。澳大利亚南部部分地区干旱持续，2026年养殖户的经营成本基数已高于往年。若农作物收成进一步收紧、饲草价格继续上涨，成本压力或将延续至2027年。

对绵羊养殖户而言利好的是，当前肉羊与羔羊价格处于历史高位区间。尽管养殖成本大幅上涨，坚挺的畜禽售价仍在支撑养殖利润，对冲了部分经营财务压力。

自澳大利亚肉类及畜牧业协会分析师发布肉牛养殖成本分析以来，澳大利亚储备银行再度上调利率，给养殖业增添了新一层成本压力。

绵羊牧场年均利息支出约2.1万澳元，占总现金成本的6%以上。因此，若利率后续继续上调，将会对绵羊养殖户未来的盈利水平产生实质性影响。

内容来源：澳大利亚肉类及畜牧业协会市场信息部经理 斯蒂芬·比格内尔

本信息截至2026年5月14日撰稿时准确无误。

消息来源：MLA

Key points

• Sheep farms are more exposed to fodder costs than other farms.

• 11% of the costs for sheep farms are attributed to fodder.

• Sheep farms are low-cost operations.

Recently, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) market analysts examined the cost structures of cattle farms compared with other mixed farming businesses, and the potential impact on cattle producers by the current Iranian conflict. This week, analysts explore inputs for Australian sheep farms.

The major input costs

Australian sheep farms have average annual cash costs of around $286,000, making them the least cash-intensive of the broadacre farming sectors. However, while sheep enterprises generally operate with lower overall costs, they can become highly exposed to rising fodder costs during dry years. In 2019–20, sheep farm cash costs rose to approximately $338,000 as drought conditions increased feeding requirements.

Across sheep farms, the four major input categories – fertiliser, fuel, freight and fodder – account for around 23.7% of total cash costs, with fodder making up 11% of this. In drought years, when producers become increasingly reliant on supplementary feeding, the share of costs attributable to these “4Fs” can rise to 32–33%. This highlights just how sensitive sheep enterprises are to changes in fodder prices and availability.

Mixed enterprises spend more on fertiliser

Fertiliser expenditure on sheep farms averaged around $16,000 last year. By comparison, mixed farming businesses running both sheep and cropping enterprises spent closer to $95,000. Sheep-only enterprises therefore have relatively low fertiliser requirements, but mixed farms – which are common throughout Australia’s sheep-producing regions – carry significantly greater exposure to fertiliser price movements.

As a proportion of total costs, fertiliser accounts for around 5–6% of sheep farm cash costs. This is slightly higher than cattle enterprises due to the prevalence of mixed farming systems.

Fodder causes significant cost pressure

Fodder remains one of the most significant cost pressures for sheep producers. Sheep farms spent an average of $30,000 on fodder last year – less than the $42,000 spent by cattle farms, but substantially higher than the roughly $8,000 spent by cropping farms. Many mixed cropping enterprises with livestock tend to have lower fodder costs as they can retain feed produced on-farm.

Fodder costs accounted for around 10.5% of sheep farm cash costs last year. However, during the wetter years between 2021 and 2023, fodder represented only around 4% of total sheep farm costs. The recent dry conditions across southern Australia, particularly in Victoria and parts of SA, have significantly increased supplementary feeding requirements and pushed fodder costs sharply higher.

Fuel and freight costs

Fuel expenditure on sheep farms averaged approximately $13,000 last year, compared with around $47,000 for mixed farming operations. Fuel represents roughly 4.5% of sheep farm cash costs – below the broadacre average of 6.4%.

Freight costs remain relatively modest for sheep enterprises, averaging around $9,000/ year (3.1% of total cash costs). Of the broadacre sectors, sheep farms are among the least exposed to freight costs.

What does this all mean?

While sheep farms generally operate with lower overall costs than other broadacre enterprises, they remain highly sensitive to movements in the major input categories of fodder, fertiliser, fuel and freight. In total, these costs account for nearly a quarter of all sheep farm cash costs – slightly higher than cattle enterprises.

Fodder is the largest driver of cost volatility. In years when feed is expensive and difficult to source, up to one-third of sheep farm expenditure can be tied to the “4Fs” alone. With dry conditions continuing across parts of southern Australia, sheep producers are already entering 2026 from a higher cost base than in previous years. If crop production tightens further and feed prices rise, these pressures may persist well into 2027.

The positive for sheep producers is that sheep and lamb prices are currently sitting near record highs. While costs have increased substantially, strong livestock prices are helping support producer margins and offset some of the financial pressure.

Recent interest rate increases

Since the recent cattle cost analysis from MLA market analysts, the Reserve Bank of Australia has also increased interest rates, adding another layer of cost pressure.

Interest expenses on sheep farms average around $21,000 per year, accounting for more than 6% of total cash costs. Any further increases in interest rates would therefore have a material impact on sheep producer profitability moving forward.

Attribute content to: Stephen Bignell, MLA Manager – Market Information

Information is correct at time of writing on 14 May 2026.

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Source：MLA