FEWER SHEEP

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 32, 5 July 1939, Page 2

FEWER SHEEP

o RETURNS DOWN BY HALF MILLION GOOD MEAT EXPORT SEASON A decrease of over half a millior in the number of sheep in the Domin. ion is shown in the interim returns which are made up to April 30. 1939. The decrease has been proportionate ly greater in the South Island that the North, amounting to 216<383 if the South and 298,597 in the North, out of sheep populations of and 17,705,999 respectively in 1938 The number in the Dominion in 193; was thus 32,378,774, and the presen l figure is 31 857,549, a decrease o 521,225. Marlborough-Nelson-W est land an< Otago are the only districts whicl show increases. Canterbury is th hardest hit with losses of over 400, 000. The tabulated returns are. District 1938 1039 Auckland 3,841.611 3719.39 G isbor ne-Hawke's Bay 7,13fl } 609 7,tJ36,05

Well in gt on-West Coast 6,733.779 6,652,046 North Island 17, 17,407.49'.? Marlborough-Nelson. Westland 1,516,520 1 ? 546»/49 CanterburyKaikoura 5-983,6b7 Otago 6,702,767 6919,b50 South Island 14,672 775 14,"450,057 1 Dominion 32,378.774 31^57,549 MEAT EXPORTS * In the 1939 season cmcases of mutton were exported, 376 " cwt of legs and pieces," and 9 281,474 1 carcases of lamb. Ths is the best ! season for ten years, except foi 1935 figures for which were greater by * about 30,000 carcases in each of the two main categories. * In these two classes the returns t e are:

f | Mutton Lamb carcases carcases 1 1930 1 977,949 0,182,930 1 1931 2,473.531 7,627.164 3 1932 2 574,222 8.393,392 « 1 1933 2,370 483 8,840,130 * 1934 2,064,675 7,761,218 1935 2,189,300 9,316 873 1936 1 850,166 8,234,0Gtt 2 1937 1,692,610 8,770,630 1938 1,824,236 8,959.560 1 1939 2*150,382 9,281,474