The goal of this study is to examine the production costs and profitability of the sheep raising sector in the south of Rio Grande do Sul. The economic analysis included seven sheep farms throughout 12 months, between August of 2006 and July of 2007. Expenses, revenue and value of products consumed in the farm were measured monthly. Depreciation and physical assets were calculated based on patrimony and breeding stock inventory. Costs were divided in variable, fixed, operational and total. Economic indicators were computed to evaluate sheep production profitability. Results showed that variable and opportunity costs had the largest impact on total costs. In terms of operational costs, labor were the largest expense for sheep raising farms. Overall, sheep production is a profitable activity, as indicated by positive gross margins and operational revenue indicators. However, net margins were negative across all farms included in the study.
production costs; sheep; profitability
