OUR LIVE STOCK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20150, 19 May 1928, Page 10 (Supplement)

OUR LIVE STOCK

A PROMISING OUTLOOK

All-round Increases Shown by Statistics

In the year 1918 New Zealand had 20,538,302 sheep. In that year commenced a big drop, and when 1922 came round the total had decreased by over four and arqua-rter millions. With 1923 commenced an upward tendency, and to-day our total is over three millions higher than it was in 1922. The ind cations are that before 1930 the country will have reached the high level of 1918. As there seems every prospect of wool maintainingsatisfactory prices for some time to come, what may be termed our income outlook is promising

nTURES ANALYSED

GENERAL UPWARD TENDENCY A FEW INDIVIDUAL DECREASES Interim returns up to April last show an increase over the preceding year of -467,381 sheep, the total set down iu those interim returns being 25,372,374. It is to be noted that, in spite of the general upward tendency, six kind districts showed a decrease of sheep in .1926 as compared with 1925. One of these was the land district of Hawke’s Bay. which in the year specified registered a small declension. The Gisborne land district showed a larger decrease. The two districts taken together went back by 113,578. Of all the land districts, Wellington had the most sheep in 1926, followed by Canterbury and Otago and Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay in that order. For many years the North Island has possessed more sheep than the South Island. In 1926 the difference approached three millions in favour of the North Island. The year showing the largest number of sheep in the South Island was 191 S, when its total was 11,780,024. As showing the general tendency of our flocks to maintain themselves at a general level, it may be noted that the total for 1926 is only two and a-half millions higher than in 1908. Below are given the figures from the latest returns for tlic two periods: .1908 .1926 Lambs 6,387,017 6.294,036 Wethers .. .. 3,378,398 3,212,435 E-wcs 12,410,886 15,027,987 Rams 272,752 370,535 Total .. .. 22,449,053 21,904,993 —Since registration commenced the number of breeding ewes has varied consideraldy. but the maximum number was attained in 1926. Later interim ieturns —up to April, .1927—show an i icri use of approximately 488,000 laiiiDs lor the whole country.

Of late there has been recorded an increase in the number of our pigs. Judging by pork prices in Europe, it is perhaps remarkable that the increase has not been greater. Still, slow as the increase has been in view of price prospects, it is substantial considered merely by itself. It is likely to increase, if we may judge by discussion in journals devoted to farming interests. These show not only that pig farming is very profitable, but tends to increase. Tn view' of the increase lately in our sheep, it is good to note that proportionally large increase in pigs is recorded. Increases in pigs have been recorded each year since 1919, and the industry is now regarded as being on a stable basis, the causes of earlier vicissitudes have been recognised and, it is hoped, conquered. As to this, European prices will exercise the greatest influence, although the effect of the growth of our population on the pig industry is not to be overlooked. This is the more easily seen when we consider that pigs slaughtered in New Zealand during 1925-26 totalled 406,236. For the ten years then ending, the total number of pigs slaughtered was 2,813,241. The latest returns in respect of the number of pigs in the Dominion show an increase in 1927 of 43,666. The stocks as at January 31 of each year were as follow:

—ln connection with the increase of our cattle may be noted the great advance made in exports of butter. On ’he ten years from 1916 to 1925 our annual butter exports have increased from 358,632 cwt. to 1,254,324 cwt.

.1916 29 7,501 .1926 a? 2,534 1927 (interim) . . . . 71 5,200 —The number of cattle in lb e Dorninion for the past live years s as follows:— Bulls Cows and Other For Stud* Heifers* Cattlef 1922 .. 59.086 1,137,055 2.127.0S2 192;; .. 60,154 1.248,643 2.171.897 1924 .. 58.934 -1,312,589 2.191,974 1925 .. 59,820 1.323,402 2.120,492 .1926 .. 58,853 1,303,856 2,089,777 * Two years old and over. f Including calves.