Sheep Expansion Declines

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31780, 10 September 1968, Page 1

Sheep Expansion Declines

The rate of expansion of sheep flocks in North Canterbury is tailing off. Mr R. A. Milne, reporting to the North Canterbury Agricultural Advisory Committee yesterday on behalf of its production and statistics subcommittee, said that on the basis of a survey of about 160 farms in the area over the last year, ewe numbers had increased by an estimated 4.5 per cent and ewe hoggets bv 1.9 per cent, with an over-all increase in sheep of about’4 per cent

After the meeting, Mr Milne said that the increase in total sheep between 1966 and 1967 had been about 6.4 per cent. To maintain an increase in flock numbers, Mr Milne said that the number of young sheep should actually have increased more than ewe numbers. Factors affecting the changes in numbers between 1967 and 1968, he said, could have been fat-lamb prices—influencing farmers to have ewe lambs slaughtered—farmers’ desire to hold their

current-account positions, and the trend to beef cattle. Between 1967 and 1968, Mr Milne said, it was estimated that beef cattle had increased by about 12 per cent. The sub-committee, he said, had no recommendation to make. It would be in farmers’ hands what happened in the future. A sound “economic climate” over the next year would help the position. It was not known whether there would be a shortage of sheep next year. This would be dependent on such factors as the level of old-ewe prices next autumn, and the

price of lamb next summer. The law of supply and demand might even out the situation. But even with the reduced rate of expansion in flocks. North Canterbury would be ahead of target for this year, Mr Milne said. Even if the increase in 1969 fell to “zero,” it would still be ahead of target. The committee decided to protest against a change in the areas for which stock figures are calculated —under which the southern part of the North Canterbury district would be included in MidCanterbury.