Tuesday, 13 May 2025 11:25

Cows down

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: It's not happening as fast as the greenies would like - they actually want all livestock other than Muscovy ducks and Tibetan Llamas to disappear entirely - but it is happening.

According to Stats NZ, livestock numbers have continued to fall over the last 10 years, while area planted in fruit increases.

The total number of dairy cattle fell by 861,000 (13%) over this period to 5.8 million.

The total number of sheep was 23.6 million at June 2024, a fall of 6.2 million (21%) compared with 10 years ago, according to figures released by Stats NZ last week.

Bucking the trend of falling livestock numbers, however, is beef cattle. There were 3.7 million beef cattle in 2024, similar to the total in 2014. Deer had the highest percentage fall of all livestock types, down 26% in the 10-year period.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

A great outcome - Hurrell

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says the sale of the co-op’s consumer and associated businesses to Lactalis represents a great outcome for the co-op.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery…

Fatberg

OPINION: Sydney has a $12 million milk disposal problem.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter