Abstract: [Objective] To analyze the cost-benefit of free-range beef cattle feeding and its influencing factors in China. [Method] Based on the associated statistical data of free-range beef cattle in Heilongjiang, Henan, Ningxia, Shaanxi and Xinjiang in the Compilation of National Agricultural Product Cost-benefit Data from the Year of 1999 to 2019, the cost and benefit as well as their structural changes in free-range beef cattle feeding were analyzed. Eviews 10.0 software was used to establish an analysis model. Seven indexes including calf cost, concentrate cost, green fodder and forage cost, death cost, medical and epidemic prevention cost, fuel and power cost, and labor cost were used as explanatory variables to analyze the effects of different production factors on the total production cost of free-range beef cattle feeding in the above five major production provinces and autonomous regions. [Result] From the year of 1998 to 2018, the total production cost of free-range beef cattle feeding in the five major production provinces and autonomous regions showed a slowly rising trend, the net profit also presented a fluctuating increasing trend, and the cost profit rate had been about 30% since the year of 2008. Among the direct costs of the material and service expense, the calf cost accounted for the highest proportion of the total production cost followed by feed cost. Except for fuel and power cost, the remaining direct costs exhibited an upward trend. The indirect costs displayed a trend of decreasing first and increasing then. Since the year of 2009, the labor price in working day and labor hiring price had increased simultaneously, and the proportion of labor cost in the total production cost had been increasing. Among the factors of production, calf cost, concentrated cost and labor cost were the dominant ones that affected the total production cost of free-range beef cattle feeding, and were positively correlated with the total production cost. [Conclusion] From the perspective of the cost-benefit of free-range beef cattle feeding in the five major production provinces and autonomous regions, the production cost was constantly increasing, and the benefit was good. It was recommended to expand the feeding scale appropriately so as to control the marginal cost.

Key words: beef cattle, free-range feeding, cost-benefit, influencing factor