Lamb kill down

Press, 27 September 1988, Page 3

Lamb kill down

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

The lamb kill is falling but sheep numbers are continuing to rise, according to preliminary estimates from the June, 1988, annual agricultural census of livestock. There was an increase in total sheep numbers during the year of 1.1 per cent, from 64.2 million to 65 million, said the Government Statistician, Mr Steve Kuzmicich. But the number of breeding ewes put to the ram continued to decline, from 45.4 million to 44.5 million, representing a fall of 1.9 per cent. The number of breeding ewes in the North Island decreased 3.3 per cent from 22.4 million to 21.7 million, while numbers in the South Island showed less of a decline,

falling 0.5 per cent from 22.9 million to 22.8 million. This increase in total sheep numbers and the reduction in the breeding flock tended to indicate a move from meat to wool production, said Mr Kuzmicich. Total dairy cattle numbers rose by 0.1 per cent from 3,185,000 to 3,196,000, but dairy cow numbers were down 1.8 per cent from 2,194,000 to 2,155,000. Total beef numbers rose 1.3 per cent from 4,804,000 to 4,866,000. He said the significant rate of increase in goat and deer numbers had continued through the year. Goat numbers rose 25 per cent from 1,054,000 to 1,317,000 and deer numbers increased by 23.6 per cent from 500,000 to 618,000.