March 23, 2018 - A cow peers over the fence near Ake Ake Vineyard in the Kerikeri area.

Beef and sheep farming frequently go hand in hand.  Most New Zealand beef is grass-fed, in contrast to U.S. beef, which is mostly grain-fed.

• As of 2017, according to StatsNZ there were 3,607,571 beef cattle in New Zealand.  By comparision there were 27.4 million sheep and 6.5 million dairy cattle.  The number of beef cattle has declined in recent decades; in 1994, for example, there were 5.0 million.
  
• 71% of total beef cattle were in the North Island.  As of 2016, there were 356,823 beef cattle in Northland.
  
• "Few farmers devote themselves exclusively to beef production. In general, the raising and finishing of beef cattle is carried out in conjunction with sheep farming."
• 2.6 million cattle were processed at export plants and abattoirs for the year ended Sept. 30, 2016.  Total meat production on a bone-in-basis of beef and veal was 663 million tonnes.
• The value of beef and veal exports for the year ended June 30, 2016  (FOB) was NZ$3,095.5 million (out of total primary exports of NZ$34,783.1 million).
  
• For the year ended Sept. 2009 New Zealanders consumed per capita 28.0 kg of beef and veal or 31% of 89.2 kg of total meat consumption.
  
  Compendium, StatsNZ