DECREASE IN SHEEP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19980, 4 July 1939, Page 15

DECREASE IN SHEEP

TALLIES FOR DISTRICT TOTAL OF 7,036,054 Included in the decrease of 521,225 in the Dominion’s sheep population is a total of 94,555 less in the GisborneHawke's Bay district. The combined districts of Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay had a total of 7,036,054 sheep on April 30, the proportionate decrease being less than in any of the others where the figures were lower than last year. The biggest reduction in the flocks was in in the Canteroury-Kaikoura area, where the 5,983,667 sheep on April 30 were lower by 489,821 on the .past years \ tallies. -Two of the South Island districts showed increases totalling 247,000, these districts being Otago and Marl-borough-Nelson-Westland. The individual and total figures are:

‘lncrease. The number of sheep at April 30, 1938, namely, 32,378,774, was higher than in any year after 1929. The lowest figure in the period was 27,755,960, in 1933, and thereafter the returned showed a steady increase. The Gazette notices gives the following figures of mutton and lamb exports for the past five years, ending April 30 in each case:—

The return shows that the exports in 1938-39 under both headings exceeded those for 1937-38 by 648,060 carcases.

Decrease Auckland 3,739,392 122,219 Gisborne-Hawke’s Bay 7,036,054 94,555 Wellington-West ! Coast 6,652,046 81,733 N. Island totals. 17,407,492 298,507 Marlborough-Nel-son-Westland .. 1,546,740 30,220* Cantenbury-Kai-koura 5,983,667 469,821 Otago 6,919,650 216,883* S. Island totals. 14,450,057 222.718 Dominion totals 31,857,549 521,225

Carcases Mutton Lamb 1935 .. 2,189,300 9,316,873 1936 . . 1,850,166 8.234,060 1937 ,. 1,692,610 8,770,630 1938 . .. 1,824,236 8,959,560 1939 .. 2,150,382 9,281.474