New Zealand’s iconic sheep-to-person ratio keeps falling, now just 4.6 sheep per person

The decline in sheep numbers follows a 2 per cent drop the year before. Beef and dairy cattle numbers have also fallen. Photo / RNZ

By RNZ

Sheep numbers continue to fall as more land is converted to forestry.

New Stats NZ figures show the national flock dropped by 3 per cent in the year to June 2023 to 24.4 million sheep.

The decline in sheep numbers followed a 2 per cent drop the year before.

With a population of about 5.3m people, there are now just 4.6 sheep per person. In 1982, there were 22 per person.

The latest stats also show beef cattle numbers have fallen by 4 per cent to 3.7m while dairy cattle dropped by 1 per cent to 5.9m.

Stats NZ agricultural statistics senior manager Stuart Jones said the falling number of livestock was linked to a long-term drop in the total area of grassland.

“From 2011 to 2023, the total area in grassland (excluding tussock) fell by 12 per cent (942,000 hectares), the total number of sheep fell by 22 per cent (6.8m), and the total number of beef cattle fell by 5 per cent (192,000).

“This is a large area of grassland to lose from farming – it’s about the size of 15 Lake Taupō. Some of the land that was being used for grassland farming is now planted in forest,” Jones said.

The area in pine and other exotic forest (excluding native forest) increased by 11 per cent (179,000 hectares) between 2011 and 2023, he said.

- RNZ