RECORD LAMBING LAST SPRING

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28482, 11 January 1958, Page 2

RECORD LAMBING LAST SPRING

28m Born In Dominion

(New Zealand Press Association, WELLINGTON, January 10.

A record 28,050,000 lambs were born on New Zealand tarms last spring,' 2,650,000 more than the record lambing of the previous season.

The figure, calculated from estimates ,made by district officers of the Department of Agriculture, was announced today by the Minister of Agriculture <Mr •C. F. Skinner).

“New Zealand now has 28,921,000 breeding ewes, also a record, and the lambing represents an average. percentage of 96.98, which is not far short of the record percentage of 97.27 in 1953,” said Mr Skinner. The South Island percentage (104.03) was the highest ever recorded. Lambing had been favoured by generally excellent winter weather that had enabled ewes to come through the winter well. The estimated Dominion lambing percentage was 96.98. This was 2.7 per cent, higher than that of the previous season. The average for the North Island was 90.86, a slightly better result than last year's. The South Island percentage was 3.66 per cent, better than it was in 1956. , The Canterbury land district percentage of 103.82 was a substantial improvement on last season's percentage of 98.93. A record figure of 111.26 per cent, was achieved in the Southland land district. *■ ■

The precise North Island breeding ewe total for 1957 was 15,484,399, compared with 14,611,500 last year, an increase of 873,899. The South Island total ,was 1,123,746 higher at 13,435,446.