New Zealand lamb numbers decline steeply
There have been massive falls in New Zealand’s lamb numbers says the Farmer's Guardian.
The drop in export lambs is estimated at 23 per cent (6 million), according to the Meat and Wool New Zealand office.
The results of drought and farmers switching to the dairy industry have cost the sheep trade 4.3 million sheep in the last year.
This drop in export availability is double the worse recorded drop in the years 1988-1989.
Ewe numbers are estimated to be at 23.6 million, the lowest since 1952, and more than 300 large farms have converted from sheep to dairy in the last year.
NZ Dairy Feed Production Up 80% On 2007
Feed manufacturers in New Zealand have reported a 287% increase in production of dairy feed in the March quarter compared to the same period in 2007. In 2007 the production of dairy feed also increased almost 80% on the previous year.
"New Zealand dairy producers are increasingly looking to manufactured feeds to help meet the nutrient requirements of their high producing animals" says Michael Brooks, Executive Director of the New Zealand Feed Manufacturers Association (NZFMA). "No doubt, the drought in some areas like the Waikato, has meant that dairy producers purchased more compound feed than they would have in a normal rainfall year" he added.
"But we are also seeing a continuation of the trend which has been observed over the past 18 months, with dairy farmers realising the benefits available from using manufactured feed as a to supplement our traditional grass-fed dairy farming system.
"Manufactured feeds have a number of benefits over other feedstuffs and in many cases can fulfil functions which other feeds simply cannot" said Mr Brooks.
