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Dairy Cattle Farming in Australia Industry Data and Analysis
Dairy cattle farmers have faced a range of challenges over the past few years. They’ve contended with volatile weather conditions, which’ve constrained production volumes and led to higher farmgate milk prices. Favourable weather conditions helped many regions continue to recover from drought over the two years through 2022-23. Although extreme weather events like floods disrupted supply. Improving weather conditions benefited pasture conditions, leading to a hike in production in 2023-24. However, drier conditions have again set in over recent years, increasing costs – as farmers rely more on stockfeed – and reducing output. While prices have increased, falling output and rising input costs over the past few years have weakened profitability.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released December 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia operates under the ANZSIC industry code A0160. Operators in the Dairy Cattle Farming industry raise and milk dairy cattle. The industry is made up of numerous small dairy farms that produce raw milk. These farms are mostly family owned and operated. Related terms covered in the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia include farmgate milk price, fodder, dairy products, casein, dairy co-op, el nino, milk tier and imputed wage.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia include Milk for manufacturing , Drinking milk and Cattle.
What companies are included in this industry?
The Dairy 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 Dairy 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 product and service segmentation, analysis of major markets and international trade data for the for the Dairy 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 Dairy 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 Dairy 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 Dairy 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 Dairy 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 Dairy 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 Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia in 2026?
The market size of the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia is $6.3bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia in 2025?
There are 3,824 businesses in the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia, which has declined at a CAGR of 3.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The Dairy 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 Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The Dairy 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 Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia has been declining at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia is expected to decline.
What does the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia include?
Milk for manufacturing and Drinking milk are part of the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
How competitive is the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia?
The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Dairy Cattle Farming industry in Australia.
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