Number of Sheep In Australia Declines Further

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26713, 6 March 1948, Page 4

Number of Sheep In Australia Declines Further

The Farm

The latest official livestock statistics for Australia, released to the Daily Times this week, reveal that sheep and lambs in the Commonwealth total 95.723,000, which is fewer than in any year since 1924. The peak year was 1942, when the total reached 125,000,000. Since then, the numbers have declined in all States except Western Australia. Other official figures are: Dairy cows 3,013,000; other cattle, 10,414.000; pigs’ 1,273,000; horses, 1,195,000. The number of cattle has declined slightly in the past few years as have pigs in all States except Victoria. Horses have been steadily declining in numbers for some years. It is also estimated that Australia has 300,000 sheep dogs. Another item of interest received from Australia states that Japan is unlikely to obtain any substantial quantity of wool from the Commonwealth this year. Australia has not acceded to Japanese overtures for wool of a quality for which Australia has a ready demand from steady customers The State record price of 110 id per lb was recently paid for five bales of AAA wool at Newcastle, in New South Wales. The wool was sold at auction to American interests. It was excellent in colour, long in body, and full of character. The wool was from the flock owned and bred by Mr A S Nivison, at Walcha. The Australian record price for greasy wool is 153 id paid for two bales of superfine merino Tasmania, in January,