37

These sheep may be divided into the following classes :

Classes of Sheep in New Zealand

It is not possible to record the exact number of sheep of each breed as flock sheep are not recorded by breeds, and the numbers of any particular breed refer only to stud sheep. The following table showing breeds of rams, however, gives some indication of the present position :

Rams by Breeds as Percentage of Total Rams

The number of owners with flocks of the various sizes in 1947 was—--1-200 .. .. .. .. 7,197 201- 500 .. .. .. .. 7,011 501-1,000 .. .. .. .. 8,029 1,001-2,500 .. .. .. .. 8,087 2,501-5,000 .. .. .. .. 1,910 5,001-7,500 .. .. .. .. 407 7,501-10,000 .. .. .. .. 124 10,001-20,000 .. .. .. .. 97 20,001 and over .. .. .. .. 15 32,877 The number of beef cattle was as follows : Beef Cattle (Estimated) 1920 .. .. 1,821,652 1940 .. .. 1,931,362 1925 .. .. 1,557,395 1944 .. .. 1,906,591 1930 .. .. 1,605,204 1947 .. .. 2,047,990 1935 .. .. 1,552,682

(00,000 omitted) Year. Rams. Wethers. Breedingewes Dry Ewes. Lambs. Total. 1920 31 39-0 115-7 18-2 63-2 239-2 1925 3-6 30-6 137-2 8-8 65-3 245-5 1930 4-5 33-7 175-6 10-8 83-8 308-4 1935 4-7 24-8 178-1 9-9 73-2 29u • 7 1940 5-4 24-3 197-3 9-7 73-9 310-6 1945 5-6 25-3 208-7 9-2 91-1 339-8 1948 5-7 22-5 210-6 6-6 79-5 324-8

(To nearest per cent.) Breed. 1920. i 1925. | 1930. 1935. 1940. 1945. Merino 4 6 5 3 3 2 Lincoln 10 3 2 1 Neg. 1 Romney 54 53 52 48 52 55 Border Leicester 8 8 5 4 3 2 English Leicester 8 6 5 4 3 1 Shropshire 1 1 2 1 Neg. Neg. Southdown 5 9 16 25 27 29 Corriedale 5 7 7 6 5 4 Halfbred .. 5 6 5 6 5 4 Ryeland Neg. Neg. Neg. 1 1 1 Others Neg. 1 1 1 1 1 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100