RECORD YEAR FOR LAMBS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28155, 19 December 1956, Page 22

RECORD YEAR FOR LAMBS

Estimated Total Of 25 Million

SLIGHT DROP IN PERCENTAGE

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 18. (I . A r «cord lambing figure of more than 25m for New Zealand is expected for the year 1956, said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr K. J. Holyoake). this evening. The estimated Dominion lambing percentage is down by .52 per cent. on last year, but there has been a substantial increase in the number of breeding ewes to a record of 26,923,000. The estimated lamb crop of 25,383,700 compares with last year’s estimated record lambing of 24,823,897. “Although the North Island lambing percentage of 89.16 per cent, is slightly above that of last year, the incidence of facial eczema again appears to have had an influence on the lambing percentage in several land districts, with the result that the North Island average is below normal,” said the Minister.

“The South Auckland district at 88.87 per cent, shows a substantial increase on last year’s figure of 81.89 per cent. The Taranaki land district also shows a good increase from 89.5 per cent, to 92.01 per cent. “The effect of the very serious drought in the South Island last year was fortunately not unduly reflected in the lambing percentage. The estimated figure was 100.37 per cent, compared with last year’s very high figure of 103.46 per cent.,” said Mr Holyoake.