Lambing Estimates for 1959 Season

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 100, Issue 2, 15 February 1960, Page 171

Lambing Estimates for 1959 Season

The estimated number of lambs for the 1959 season and the estimated number of breeding ewes were the highest so far recorded. The Dominion total of lambs was 31,373,142, an increase of 334,061 over the number for 1958, and that of breeding ewes was 31,816,093, an increase of 938,545. The lambing percentage of 98.61 was not as high as last year’s 100.52 per cent, but it was higher than the next previous best, 97.27 per cent in 1953. The lower

lambing percentage could be attributed to the drought conditions in a number of districts at tupping time. Southland again had the best land district lambing percentage with 109.22. The South Island percentage was 103.77 and the North Island percentage was 94.20. Totals for counties, districts, and the Dominion are set out in the following tables, which have been contributed by the Animal Industry Division of the Department of Agriculture.

County Breeding ewes (as at 1959) Estimated percentage of lambs Estimated number of lambs Mangonui 56,381 80.06 45,139 Whangaroa 22,851 87.89 20,084 Hokianga 53,696 79.03 42,436 Bay of Islands 137,472 88.36 121,470 Whangarei 168,378 88.32 148,711 Hobson 172,369 87.63 151,047 Otamatea 172,381 87.82 151,385 Rodney 202,470 88.37 178,923 Waitemata 145,127 89.37 .129,700 Great Barrier Island 5,452 63.51 3,463 Manukau 115,636 89.42 103,402 Franklin .. 224,725 92.72 208,365 Totals 1,476,938 88.30 1,304,125

NORTH AUCKLAND LAND DISTRICT

• Raglan 669,639 91.37 611,849 Waikato 315,228 92.16 290,514 Waipa . . 268,299 98.24 263,577 Otorohanga 332,010 92.30 306,445 Waitomo 596,906 91.80 547,960 Taumarunui . . 493,556 94.20 464,930 Coromandel . . 51,406 91.03 46,795 Thames 22,182 88.00 19,520 Hauraki Plains 35,221 87.24 30,727 Ohinemuri 55,657 93.52 52,050 Piako . . 181,272 98.57 178,680 Matamata 463,057 100.38 464,817 Tauranga 252,325 97.03 244,831 Rotorua 330,008 84.96 280,375 Taupo 148,283 84.31 125,017 Whakatane 114,700 89.56 102,725 Totals 4,329,749 93.10 4,030,812

SOUTH AUCKLAND LAND DISTRICT

Clifton 124,946 90.27 112,789 Taranaki 53,864 95.90 51,656 Inglewood 87,999 98.22 86,433 Egmont 49,814 96.23 47,936 Stratford 249,499 93.25 232,658 Eltham 79,950 97.97 78,327 Waimate West 10,295 101.60 10,460 Hawera 103,124 98.65 101,732 Totals ... 759,491 95.06 721,991

TARANAKI LAND DISTRICT

County Breeding ewes (as at 1959) Estimated percentage of lambs Estimated number of lambs Opotiki 68,477 85.82 58,767 Matakaoa 70,686 85.38 60,352 Waiapu 270,229 81.76 220,939 Uawa 116,600 83.91 97,839 Waikohu 383,189 88.11 337,628 Cook 487,426 82.19 400,615 Totals 1,396,607 84.21 1,176,140

GISBORNE LAND DISTRICT

Wairoa 460,940 84.65 390,186 Hawke’s Bay 1,254,305 95.84 1,202,126 Waipawa 562,866 102.85 578,908 Waipukurau 194,622 98.53 191,761 Patangata 652,831 92.47 603,673 Dannevirke 497,559 103.43 514,625 Woodville 128,579 102.14 131,331 Totals 3,751,702 96.29 3.612,610

HAWKE’S BAY LAND DISTRICT

Patea .. 275,899 98.44 271,595 Waimarino 229,952 97.33 223,812 Waitotara 180,609 94.53 170,730 Wanganui 333,691 92.69 309,298 Rangitikei 1,125,402 94.34 1,061,704 Kiwitea 335,470 100.08 335,738 Pohangina 174,074 127.91 222,658 Oroua 313,589 109.58 343,631 Manawatu 202,645 103.81 210,366 Kairanga 135,213 103.06 139,351 Horowhenua 158,637 94.29 149,579 Hutt ... 84,263 87.28 73,545 Makara 54,053 80.43 43,475 Pahiatua 209,510 98.53 206,430 Akitio 178,161 95.58 170,286 Eketahuna 189,973 95.96 182,298 Mauriceville 62,255 92.93 57,854 Masterton 499,758 92.74 463,476 Wairarapa South . 254,593 99.53 253,396 Featherston 405,384 98.64 399,871 Chatham Islands (provisional) 50,449 75.00 37,837 Totals 5,453,580. • 97.68 5,326,930 5,326,930 ■

WELLINGTON LAND DISTRICT

Sounds 82,474 65.80 54,268 Marlborough 332,940 94.00 312,964 Awatere 187,502 87.10 163,314 Kaikoura 152,616 96.50 147,274 Totals 755,532 89.71 677,820

MARLBOROUGH LAND DISTRICT

County Breeding ewes (as at 1959) Estimated percentage of lambs Estimated . number of lambs Waimea 225,360 91.70 206,655 Golden Bay 49,245 89.70 44,173 Buller 3,644 87.90 3,203 Murchison 44,773 84.40 37,788 Inangahua 30,719 106.60 32,746 Totals . . 353,741 91.75 324,565

NELSON LAND DISTRICT

Grey 50,283 108.20 54,406 Westland 53,972 98.50 53,162 Totals .. 104,255 103.18 107,568

WESTLAND LAND DISTRICT

Amuri 288,627 91.00 262,651 Cheviot 184,464 96.20 177,454 Waipara 378,288 110.00 416,117 Kowai 117,405 119.00 139,712 Ashley 92,352 100.00 92,352 Rangiora 84,171 113.80 95,787 Eyre 96,769 110.80 107,220 Oxford , 131,370 108.20 142,142 Tawera 60,481 91.80 55,522 Malvern 251,444 106.70 268,291 Paparua • 80,156 106.20 85,126 Waimairi 3,622 106.30 3,850 Heathcote 8,982 97.60 8,766 Halswell 24,206 107.70 26,070 Mt. Herbert . . 39,825 97.70 38,909 Akaroa 95,072 102.70 97,639 Wairewa 72,935 100.70 73,446 Springs 59,574 111.70 66,544 Ellesmere . . 134,968 117.80 158,992 Selwyn 227,044 103.70 235,445 Ashburton 1,419,887 107.50 1,526,379 Geraldine 416,981 98.90 412,394 Levels 322,111 104.40 336,284 Mackenzie 370,747 87.90 325,887 Waimate 750,328 109.90 824,610 Totals . . . . 5,711,809 104.65 5.977,589

CANTERBURY LAND DISTRICT

Waitaki 658,787 104.83 690,606 Waihemo 145,242 102.00 148,147 Waikouaiti 107,882 96.50 104,106 Peninsula . . 27,407 102.00 27,955 Taieri 247,388 93.00 230,071 Bruce .. 396,319 104.10 412,568 Clutha 771,033 105.90 816,524 Tuapeka 526,153 101.00 531,415 Maniototo 320,587 95.00 304,558 Vincent 338,355 96.00 324,821 Lake 176,901 82.73 146,350 Totals 3,716,054 100.57 3,737,121

OTAGO LAND DISTRICT

County Breeding ewes (as at 1959) Estimated percentage of lambs Estimated number of lambs Southland 3,018,510 112.26 3,388,579 Wallace 985,412 100.03 985,708 - Stewart Island 2,713 58.40 1.584 Totals 4,006,635 109.22 4,375,871

SOUTHLAND LAND DISTRICT

North Auckland 1,476,938 88.30 1,304,125 South Auckland 4,329,749 93.10 4,030,812 Gisborne 1,396,607 84.21 1,176,140 Hawke’s Bay 3,751,702 96.29 3,612,610 Taranaki 759,491 95.06 721,991 Wellington 5,453,580 97.68 5,326,930 Marlborough 755,532 89.71 677,820 Nelson - 353,741 91.75 324,565 . Westland 104,255 103.18 107,568 Canterbury 5,711,809 104.65 5,977,589 Otago 3,716,054 100.57 3,737,121 Southland 4,006,635 109.22 4,375,871 Totals 31,816,093 98.61 31,373,142

DISTRICT ESTIMATES

Year Number of breeding ewes Estimated percentage of lambs Estimated number of lambs Actual number of lambs tailed

Dominion Totals The following table shows the estimated lambing for the North and South Islands for 1959 and the previous five years and the number of lambs tailed.

1959 .. 17,168,067 94.20 16,172,608 1958 . . 16,422,976 95.43 15,671,645 — 1957 .. 15,485,399 90.86 14,070,262 13,788,129 1956 .. 14,611,500 89.16 13,026,961 12,899,166 1955 . . 14,103,936 87.38 12,323,682 12,325,564 1954 .. 13,529,687 89.63 12,126,101 12,444,533

NORTH ISLAND

1959 .. 14,648,026 103.77 15,200,534 1958 . . 14,454,572 106.32 15,367,436 — 1957 .. 13,411,146 104.09 13,959,122 14,010,852 1956 .. 12,311,700 100.37 12,356,739 12,597,109 1955 .. 12,082,422 103.46 12,500,215 12,595,900 1954 .. 11,320,843 103.01 11,662,121 11,794,656

SOUTH ISLAND

1959 .. 31,816,093 98.61 31,373,142 1958 . . 30,877,548 100.52 31,039,081 — , 1957 .. 28,896,545 97.00 28,029,384 27,798,981 1956 .. 26,923,200 94.28 25,383,700 25,496,275 1955 .. 26,186,358 94.80 24,823,897 24,921,464 1954 . ? 24,850,530 95.73 23,788,222 24,239,189

DOMINION