SHEEP FLOCKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 July 1939, Page 6

SHEEP FLOCKS

RECORD NUMBER REACHED.

BIG INCREASE IN KILLINGS

“The sheep flocks in the Dominion as at April 30, 1938, totalled 32 378.774, which constituted a record and repre • rented an increase of 1,072,956 over the previous year,” states the annual report of the Now Zealand Meat Producers' Board. “The number of breed ing ewes. 19,663,866, was also the highest on record. The knnbing percentages were lower than usual and the number of lambs tailed was officially estimated at 10,645,165, which was lower than the previous year’s tailings by 695,749.

“Despite the smaller crop, the killings of lambs for export to. May 31 have exceeded last year’s figures to the same date by 554,690 carcases, and it is anticipated that the figures for the complete season will reach the record kill of 9 750,000 lambs. Mutton killings have also been substantially in excess of recent levels. With the exception of pigs, all other classes of stock arc expected to show increases and the total weight of meat treated for shipment this season will bo easily a record for the Dominion.

“The abnormal kill of sheep and lambs this season, due largely to climatic conditions, is reflected M the flock returns at April 30, 1939, the interim figures for which are just to hand. These returns show that the total flocks at April 30 stand at 31.857.549, which is a decrease of 521,225."