AUSTRALIAN FLOCKS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 65, 19 March 1925, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN FLOCKS

While the official estimate" of the number of live stock in' New South' Wales on 31st December last reveals small decreases in horses and cattle, compared with a- year previous, the ..increase in sheep is set down, at 4,091,692.r The exceptional improvement in the number- of sheep is attributed largely.to: the . remarkably good season. In many parts of the State it was the best'seasSri'for years, with no-losses Irom r y ; -dr6ught. Again, the {splendid spring.' lanjbing and the high prices for wool induced, owners to stock, while better attention- was 'given to breeding and purchases.-Vere made on a large scale,.with the object of substituting sheep for cattle by a good percentage of the stockowhers. Incidentally^ the drought of 1923 was responsible for the depletion of the number of sheep in the State by over 2.50Q,----000, as compared with the previous year. With the continuation of favourable pastoral conditions the number oi sheep will, it is believed,- be still further greatly increased. The latest-.return.of, sheep gives, the huge total of 37 387,895 for the State. - ■ • '. .