Sheep and beef numbers up

Sheep numbers increased 2.6% and beef cattle numbers increased 1%.

This partly makes up for the 4.4% decline in sheep and 2.6% decline in beef cattle the year before.

B+LNZ's annual stock number survey, which establishes the productive base of livestock for 2012-13, shows that while sheep numbers were up 2.6% most of this increase will be stock carried over for slaughter in July-September.

B+LNZ Economic Service executive director, Rob Davison says breeding ewe numbers at 20.61 million are almost static on the previous June when ewe numbers fell 6% to a low of 20.49 million.

Strong mutton prices earlier in the year encouraged a high slaughter of cull ewes for the second year in a row. The offset to this was a high retention of ewe hoggets (+10%) last July which by 30 June 2012 were mature first time in lamb ewes.

"Ewe condition is good across the country. Scanning results for most regions show in-lamb ewes are carrying more multiple lambs with the general comment that scanning percentages are up 5 to 10% on last year.

"All we need now is an excellent spring to ensure high survival of the lambs born."

Beef cattle numbers increased 1% to 3.88 million and partly reversed the 2.6% decline for the previous year. North Island beef cattle numbers increased 3.6% with increases in both the beef cow herd and weaner cattle numbers.