Tuesday, 01 December 2015 11:47

Lamb crop at 60-year low

Written by 
Beef + Lamb NZ estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb crop since 1953. Beef + Lamb NZ estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb crop since 1953.

Beef + Lamb NZ estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb crop since 1953.

Lamb export receipts for 2015-16 are estimated at $2.8 billion, down 4.2% on 2014-15.

B+LNZ Economic Service chief economist Andrew Burtt says the tally reflects three key influences.

"Breeding ewe numbers were down 4.5% on last year, due to carry over effects of dry conditions in past seasons," he says. "Lambing percentages across most of the country were down, as a result of tight feed supplies leading into winter. And fewer hoggets were mated."

In some regions, there was also a slight swing towards increasing beef cattle, at the expense of sheep.

"On the positive side of the ledger, better-than-average climatic conditions during lambing this spring meant lamb survival was good, the exception being isolated weather events in the North Island."

Over the country, there was a 6.7% drop – or 1.7 million fewer lambs than last year; 11.3 million lambs were tailed in the North Island – down 0.7 million on last year but similar to 2013's tally. In the South Island, 12.6 million lambs were tailed – 1 million fewer than last spring, due to decreased ewe numbers, lower lambing percentages and fewer lambing hoggets.

Burtt says the average carcase weight is expected to increase slightly – by 0.9% – to 18.3kg, as a result of lower stocking rates per hectare. "However, this is not sufficient to offset the reduced number of lambs available and we expect total export lamb production to drop by 7.2%."

The lamb crop survey covers 500 commercial sheep and beef farms, which are statistically representative of New Zealand's commercial sheep and beef farms.

More like this

Red meat's China push

The red meat sector is launching a new campaign to lure Chinese consumers to New Zealand grass-fed beef and lamb.

AR37 scientist scoops award

A scientist instrumental in the development and commercialisation of the novel endophyte AR37 scooped the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award at Beef + Lamb NZ Awards last night.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter