NEW ZEALAND LAMBING ESTIMATES FOR 1946

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 74, Issue 2, 15 February 1947, Page 162

NEW ZEALAND LAMBING ESTIMATES FOR 1946

Considerable Decline in Percentages and Totals

By the Livestock Division

r , HE number of lambs tailed in New Zealand in * 1946 is likely to fall considerably below 1945 record figure of more than nineteen and a half million. The estimated lambing percentage for the Dominion is 89.54, compared with the record figure of 92.64 per cent, for 1945. The results of the severe drought which affected many North Island sheep districts during last February, March, and April are reflected in the much more pronounced difference between the North and South Island estimates. The South Island figure is 3.77 per cent, higher, compared with .19 per cent, in 1945.

VETERINARY SERVICES COUNCIL APPOINTED

'T'HE appointments of the 10 members of the Veterinary -®- Services Council, set up under the Veterinary Services Act, 1946, to establish and maintain veterinary services to farmers on a national basis, have now been confirmed by the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg. They are:— Representing the Government: W. C. Barry, M.R.C.V.S., Director of the Livestock Division, Department of Agriculture; J. F. Filmer, D.V.Sc., Director of the Animal Research Division, Department of Agriculture; E. L. Greensmith, M.Com., Assistant , Secretary of the Treasury Department. Representing the Dominion Federation of Farmers’ Veterinary Services: A. Leslie, M.R.C.V.S., veterinary surgeon, Eltham; R. T. Scott, Matumaoho, Morrinsville. Representing the New Zealand Dairy Board: A. Linton, Greytown; W. G. Macartney, Tai Tapu. Representing the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board: G. H. Grigg, Hororata. Representing the New Zealand Wool Board: W. Horrobin, Waikanae. Representing the New Zealand Veterinary Association: G. MacDonald, M.R.C.V.S., veterinary surgeon, Cambridge.

DISTRICT ESTIMATES.

Dominion Totals

County. Breeding Ewes (as at 1945). Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number of Lambs. AUCKLAND DISTRICT. Mangonui 33,967 83.2 28,261 Whangaroa .. 14,386 85.6 12,314 ■Bay of Islands 61,325 86.7 53,169 Hokianga 54,339 79.0 42,928 Whangarei .. 93,494 83.1 77,694 Otamatea 78,379 83.8 65,682 Hobson 76,598 86.9 66,564 Rodney 93,815 83.8 78,617 Great Barrier 7,209 68.0 4,902 Waitemata 78,365 85.3 66,845 Eden .. .. 2,653 89.8 2,382 Manukau 65,035 86.1 55,995 Franklin 106,839 94.7 101,177 Coromandel .. 36,790 76.4 - 28,108 Thames 8,926 78.6 7,016 Hauraki Plains 13,785 91.9 12,668 Ohinemuri 13,185 88.8 11,708 Waikato .. 165,985 93.7 155,528 Raglan 398,719 85.2 339,709 Waipa, .. 190,160 93.0 176,849 Piako .. 142,649 96.2 137,228 Matamata .. .. 255,373 91.7 234,177 Rotorua 88,921 100.0 88,921 Taupo 23,903 90.1 21,537 Taumarunui 101,932 84.0 85,623 Kawhia 66,326 91.0 60,357 Otorohanga .. 140,743 91.0 128,076 Waitomo 350,741 79.0 277,085 Ohura 106,446 88.0 93,672 Kaitieke '.. 66,860 89.0 59,505 Tauranga 132,850 94.0 124,879 Whakatane .. 45,480 88.0 40,022 Opotiki .. .. 53,190 83.0 44,148 Totals 3,169,368 87.82 2,783,346

County . Breeding Ewes (as at 1945). Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number of Lambs EAST COAST-HAWKE’S BAY DISTRICT. BAY DISTRICT. Matakaoa 59,868 81.2 48,613 Waiapu 237,452 75.7 179,751 Uawa . . ... 121,671 83.0 100,987 Cook 435,451 83.8 364,908 Waikohu 345,761 83.8 289,748 Wairoa 399,084 84.9 338,822 Hawke’s Bay 952,325 80.3 764,717 Waipawa 420,488 87.8 369,188 Waipukurau 142,112 82.3 116,958 Patangata 480,483 84.8 407,450 Weber 51,399 87.3 44,871 Dann evirk e . . 287,670 92.5 266,095 Woodville 86,411 87.2 75,350 Pahiatua 157,462 94.0 148,014 Akitio 152,251 80.2 122,105 Totals 4,329,888 84.01 3,637,577

WEST CO AST-WELLINGTON DISTRICT. Clifton 89,417 92.7 82,890 Taranaki 25,977 96.5 25,068 Inglewood 50,084 88.8 44,475 Egmont 18,881 96.8 18,277 Stratford 97,917 85.0 83,229 Whangamomona 49,428 86.2 42,607 Eltham 54,354 92.7 50,386 Hawera 78,954 95.3 75,243 Waimate West 5,083 104.3 5,302 Patea .. 208,169 97.6 . 203,173 Waitotara 135,206 86.8 .117,359. Waimarino .. 178,036 . 85.1 151,509 Wanganui 267,482 .■ 82.9 221,743 Rangitikei .. 975,827 95.0 927,036 Oroua 211,512 97.6 206,436 Kairanga ■ . - 121,811 95.6 116,451 Kiwitea .. 241,917 • 98.8 : 239,014 Pohangina 125,876 96.5 121,470 Manawatu 143,149 97.8 140,000 Horowhenua 124,340 99.4 123,594 Hutt 68,019 85.1 57,884 Makara 48,538 81.1 39,364 Featherston .. 327,719 94.6 310,022 Wairarapa South .. 166,839 87.8 146,485 Masterton 290,845 85 247,218 Castlepoint .. 93,715 82.3 77,127 Eketahuna 145,215 85.1 123,578 Mauriceville 46,445 77.2 35,856 Totals .. ... 4,390,755 91.85 4,032,796

County. Breeding Ewes (as at 1945). Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number of Lambs. MARLBOROUGH-NELSON-WESTLAND DISTRICT. Waimea 169,365 84.0 142,267 Takaka 28,995 84.0 24,356 Collingwood 15,155 82.0 12,427 Buller 1.872 93.7 1,754 Inangahua 14,631 93.3 13,651 Murchison 30,234 92.7 28,027 Grey .. 23,439 111.6 26,158 Westland 34,819 110.5 38,475 Sounds 97,437 67.8 66,062 Marlborough 197,225 84.8 167,247 Awatere .. . .. 162,453 86.5 140,522 Totals •.. 775,625 85.21 660,946 CANTERBURY-KAIKOURA DISTRICT. Kaikoura 134,971 84.1 113,511 Amuri 223,986 77 172,469 Cheviot 141,594 95 134,514 Waipara 279,595 98 274,003 Ashley 61,328 93 57,035 Kowai 70,517 96.5 68,049 Oxford 71,164 85.5 60,845 Rangiora 35,945 103.2 37,095 Eyre 51,348 101 51,861 Tawera 50,913 71.6 36,454 Malvern 124,746 94.4 117,760 Paparua 36,949 105.5 38,981 Waimairi 3,118 94.9 2,959 Heathcote .. 6,898 93.3 6,436 Akaroa 81,501 100 81,501 Mt. Herbert 40,670 98 39,857 Waiwera 71,295 102 72,721 Halswell 15,045 97 14,594 , Springs 29,574 105 31,053 Ellesmere 75,291 94 70,774 Selwyn 146,498 78.2 114,561 Ashburton 701,127 94.7 663,967 Geraldine .. . 224,050 94 210,607 Levels 153,500 101 155,035 Mackenzie 282,967 80 226,374 Waimate. 435,223 80.5 350,355 Chatham Islands 40,818 73 29,797 Totals 3,590,631 90.04 3,233,168

OTAGO-SOUTHLAND DISTRICT. Waitaki 450,420 78 351,328 Maniototo 245,944 85.5 210,282 Vincent 258,950 83 214,929 Waihemo 100,294 79 79,232 Waikouaiti .. .. 70,508 94 66,278 Taieri 165,556 79 130,789 Peninsula 17,019 99.3 16,900 Clutha 407,836 102 415,993 Tuapeka 329,615 98.6 325,000 Bruce .. • .. 21,731 101.7 215,330 Lake .. 126,686 74 93,748 Southland 1,664,058 103.5 1,722,300 Wallace 558,896 88 491,828 Stewart Island 2,078 80 * 1,662 Totals 4,609,591 94.06 4,335,599

District. Breeding Ewes (as at 1945). Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number of Lambs. Auckland 3,169,368 87.82 2,783,346 East Coast-Hawke’s Bay 4,329,888 84.01 3,637,577 West Coast-Welling-ton 4,390,755 91.85 4,032,796 Marlborough-Nelson-Westland 775,625 85.21 660,946 Canterbury-Kaikoura 3,590,631 90.04 3,233,168 Otago-Southland .. 4,609,591 94.06 4,335,599 Dominion 20,865,858 89.54 18,683,432

The following table gives the estimates of the current (1946) season’s lambing for each sheep district:

Year. Number of Breeding Ewes (*as at 1941). (fas at 1945). Estimated Percentage of Lambs. Estimated Number of Lambs. Actual No. of Lambs Tailed. NORTH ISLAND. 1946 .. 111,890,011 87.92 10,453,719 — 1945 .. . 11,890,011 92.56 11,004,903 11,252,679 1944 .. 11,740,920 90.08 10,576,495 11,054,223 1943 .. *11,268,384 87.18 9,823,748 10,654,244 1942 .. *11,268,384 89.95 10,134,505 10,801,599 1941 .. 11,268,384 90.74 10,224,786 10,568,215 SOUTH ISLAND. 1946 .'. 18,975,847 91.69 8,229,713 — 1945 .. 8,975,847 92.75 8,324,990 8,308,779 1944 .. 8,808,796 94.07 8,286,568 8,399,083 1943 .. *8,762,549 89.16 7,813,548 7,767,692 1942 .. *8,762,549 93.34 8,179,674 8,063,293 1941 .. 8.762,549 91.60 8,026,076 7,955,075 DOMINION. 1946 .. 120,865,858 89.54 18,683,432 — 1945 .. 20,865,858 ' 92.64 19,329,893 19,561,458 1944 .. 20,549,716 91.79 18,863,063 19,453,306 1943 .. *20,030,933 88.05 17,637,296 18,421,936 1942 .. *20,030,933 91.43 18,314,179 18,864,892 1941 .. 20,030,933 91.11 18,250,862 18,523,290

The following table shows the estimated lambing for the North and South Islands for the previous five years, together with the actual number of lambs tailed: