THE DOMINION’S FLOCKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 847, 16 December 1929, Page 10

THE DOMINION’S FLOCKS

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE MORE BEEF CATTLE From Our Resident Reporter WELLINGTON, Today. All past records have been eclipsed in the returns of sheep in the Dominion for th« season 1928-29, according to the lateet report of the Government statistician. From 1918 to 1922 the flocks decreased considerably, but the latter year marked the turning point, and each year since has witnessed a substantial increase in the number. The figures this year, at the end of April, with those of last year in parentheses, are:—Rams, 422,331 (396,351); wethers, 3,289,135 (3,024,647); breeding ewes, 16,608,155 (15,534,051): dry ewes, 882,69 S (869,127); lambs, 7,849,063 (7,309,63-4); total 29,051,382 (27,133,810). The number of flocks increased by 730 in 1929, from 25,982 to 26,712. The amount of wool obtained in the season 1928-29 was 203.118,8701 b from sheep and 7,580,7931 b from lambs. In the season 1927-28 the respective figures were 187,883,2021 b and 7,004,3231 b. The average fleece a sheep weighed 8.031 b in 1928-29, as against 7.841 b in the previous season. The increase in the number of cattle is 172,521. Dairy cows have increased by 18,665, but decreases are shown in the number of pigs and horses. Other farm livestock includes asses and mules, which, in 1928, numbered 250, and which have decreased to 237. Goats are bred only to a small extent, and probably the number on farms is many times exceeded by the number of wild goats in the country. At the end of January, 1925, there were 34,226 goats, of which 8,590 were Angoras. The previous year’s numbers were several thousands lower. Included in the returns are bees. In February, 1929, there were 8,985 apiaries, representing 91,901 hives.