Over 32 Million Lambs Tailed
There were 32.4 million lambs tailed in New Zealand during the year ended 30 June 2002 according to the latest
provisional results from Statistics New Zealand's 2002 Agricultural Production Census. This is a decrease of 11 percent
in the number of lambs tailed since the last census of agriculture in 1994. There were 28.9 million ewes and hoggets put
to ram as at 30 June 2002, which represents a 6.9 million or 19 percent decrease since the 1994 census of agriculture.
However, the corresponding decline of 3.9 million lambs tailed over the same period reflects the increasing levels of
fertility being achieved from a smaller national breeding flock.
Provisional results also indicate that there were 1.7 million deer in New Zealand at 30 June 2002.
This represents an increase of 35 percent or 0.4 million since the previous census of agriculture in 1994. The number of
female deer mated in the year ended 30 June 2002 was 0.9 million, which is 0.4 million higher than the number recorded
in the 1994 census of agriculture. The number of fawns born during the year ended 30 June 2002 was 0.7 million. In the
1994 census of agriculture, the number of fawns and calves weaned on the farm was 0.4 million.
The number of calves born to dairy cows and heifers increased by 35 percent when compared with the 1994 census of
agriculture, to 3.3 million born during the year ended June 2002. The number of dairy cows and heifers in milk or calf
has increased by 32 percent to 4.0 million since the 1994 census of agriculture.
The number of calves born to beef cows and heifers during the year ended June 2002 totalled 1.1 million. In the 1994
census of agriculture, the number of calves weaned from beef cows and heifers during the year was 1.3 million.
The 2002 Agricultural Production Census, the first census since 1994, covered livestock, cropping, horticulture and
forestry activities. It is the beginning of an ongoing programme of censuses and surveys of agriculture being undertaken
by Statistics New Zealand in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Final results from the 2002 Agricultural Production Census including regional information, will be released on 28 May
2003.
Brian Pink
Government Statistician