New Zealand still has more sheep than people but humans are catching up
The vast number of sheep in New Zealand relative to the country's scant human population has long been the subject of jokes aimed at New Zealanders abroad.
But humans are reducing the gap, according to government statistics agency data.
With a population of 23.6 million sheep and 5.3 million people, there are about 4.5 sheep for each New Zealander, the data shows.
23.6 million The number of sheep in New Zealand
That is down from 22 sheep per person in 1982, when farming sheep for meat and wool was New Zealand's biggest earner.
Now, years of falling wool prices prompted by a global shift to synthetic fibres have led farmers to change what they do with their land, the sector's biggest lobby group said.
By land area, New Zealand is about the size of the UK, but it has a human population 13 times smaller. That means there is plenty of room for sheep.
For close to 150 years, the sheep industry was the backbone of New Zealand's economy and numbers boomed – peaking in 1982 when there were more than 70 million sheep and just 3.2 million people.
Before Lord Of The Rings brought waves of tourists to the country, images of green fields filled with placid sheep against backdrops of snow-capped mountains dominated the country's marketing abroad.
But over years of decline for global wool prices since – and despite recent rallies – the national flock has steadily diminished. Now dairy holds the biggest share of New Zealand's agriculture and horticulture-dominant export market.
If I'm really honest, the wool industry is almost at that tipping point, if not already there, of not having a wool industry anymore
In 2023, Stats NZ, a government agency, said New Zealand in 2022 dipped below five sheep per person for the first time. The national flock had lost a million more sheep in Tuesday's figures, which recorded livestock numbers as of June 2024.
Toby Williams, a spokesman for sector lobby group Federated Farmers, said sheep farmers have switched to more lucrative pursuits – dairy, or the conversion of land from farming to pine forestry in order to sell carbon offsets.
'If I'm really honest, the wool industry is almost at that tipping point, if not already there, of not having a wool industry anymore,' he said.
The government has drawn up measures intended to slow the decline, including an announcement in 2024 that they will place limits on the scale of farmland that can be converted to carbon forestry.
New government procurement guidelines launched in April urge the use of New Zealand wool products – such as carpets and insulation – in newly constructed or refurbished public buildings. But those measures are not expected to halt declining sheep numbers.
Some sheep-farming countries are recording similar trends. New Zealand's closest neighbour Australia – the source of most of the sheep jokes about New Zealanders – is also home to more sheep than people, but the national flock is shrinking there too.
The gap is slimmer: There are about three sheep per Australian.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
4 days ago
- RTÉ News
O'Leary describes Dublin Metrolink as 'a waste of money'
Michael O'Leary, Group Chief Executive of Ryanair Holdings, has described the proposed Metrolink rail service in Dublin - that would also serve Dublin Airport - as a waste of money. He likened the estimated €20 billion cost to "ten children's hospitals" and says the project is "completely uncosted." Mr O'Leary said the Government allocated in the National Development Plan €2bn "for just the tendering process". He said the cost of the 18km project works out at around €1bn per kilometre. "Dublin Airport doesn't need it, Dublin Airport passengers won't use it, they're already well served by buses," he said on RTÉ's Drivetime. He said contrary to popular belief, people using Dublin Airport are all not "going to St Stephen's Green". "90% per cent of the traffic is going to suburban Dublin and down the country. "They're very well served by the existing bus capacity, which counts for about 30% of Dublin's traffic." Mr O'Leary said the Tube in London delivers only 16% of the passenger traffic to Europe's busiest airport, Heathrow, "and the Tube serves all of London". The "massively expensive" Metro, he said, will serve a "narrow corridor from Swords in through the airport in through Glasnevin, serving a couple of hundred thousand people". "And we are wasting billions of taxpayers money on a airport train that nobody is going to use and that we don't need," he said. He claimed that the Government "cannot be trusted," accusing it of already breaking an election promise that it would remove the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. He said no-one is willing to state publicly the likely eventual cost of Metrolink, which Mr O'Leary predicted will "easily exceed €20bn." He also accused Sean Sweeney, the New Zealander who was appointed Project Director of Metrolink last year, of "not knowing what he is talking about." Mr O'Leary said that a twentieth of the money - €100m - would pay for 400 buses which "do the same job" as the Metro, a project he said Ireland "cannot afford."
Agriland
18-07-2025
- Agriland
Dairy prices soar by 46% across New Zealand
With tight supply and demand margins over the last few months, the New Zealand government body, Stats NZ are reporting that prices in the country for dairy products such as butter have increased by up to 46% in 12 months. Overall, food prices increased 4.6% in shops across the 12 months to June 2025, according to figures released by Stats NZ. The price increase for the grocery food group was due to higher prices for milk, butter, and cheese. Nicola Growden, a spokesperson for Stats NZ said: 'Dairy products continue to drive the higher cost in food prices.' Growden highlighted how butter prices have increased by approximately NZ€5.00 in the last decade, a 120% rise. Stats NZ outlined how butter prices are currently NZ$8.60/500g(€4.41). The government body added that cheese has experienced a 30% rise in the last year, reaching NZ$13.04/kg (€6.69). Milk has also climbed 14.3% in the 12 months, with consumers paying NZ$4.57 for 2 litres of milk in the shop (€2.34). Consumers are also paying more in the shop for products such as meat and poultry, with 1kg of mince now costing NZ$21.73 (€11.14) on average, up from NZ$18.80 (€9.64) in June 2024. Fonterra As calving is currently underway on most dairy farms in New Zealand, the farmer-owned Fonterra group are forecasting a milk price of NZ$10.00/kg of milk solids (MS). This will fall into an NZ$8.00-$11.00/kg/MS price range. In June, Fonterra announced a profit after tax of NZ$1.158 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of the financial year, up NZ$119 million or 11% on this time last year. As New Zealand and Fonterra are the largest dairy exporters in the world, more pressure on domestic supply and demand may be experienced in the wake of the government settling its Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) quota dispute with Canada. This may lead to increased exports in dairy produce from New Zealand.
Agriland
08-05-2025
- Agriland
Kerry man named chief science adviser to New Zealand PM
Dr John Roche, who originally hails from Co. Kerry, has been appointed as the chief science adviser to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Roche will take up the role, which has been vacant for almost a year, moving from his current position as the chief science adviser in the country's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). He will also act as deputy chair for the newly formed Science and Technology Advisory Council in New Zealand. New Zealand In announcing the new council, Luxon said 'to unlock the full potential of science and technology, we need a sharper focus on commercialisation, better access to global investment, and clearer priorities at home'. 'This council is a new initiative to get clear, independent advice to ensure our investments in science and technology are delivering real outcomes for New Zealanders. 'The council will provide advice on long-term priorities for government-funded science and innovation. They will help identify areas of focus that will have the greatest benefit for Kiwis and our economy. 'I also expect them to provide bold and courageous advice about those areas that aren't delivering value for New Zealanders and may need to be deprioritised. It's about making sure we are investing in what will have the greatest impact for New Zealanders,' he added. Chief science adviser Luxon said that in his role as the prime minister's chief science adviser, John Roche 'will support robust decision making by providing high quality, independent scientific advice'. Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Dr Shane Reti, will chair the new council, with Dr Roche as deputy chair. 'These are highly capable individuals who understand both the science and the economic imperatives. 'They are prepared to make the bold calls needed to ensure the system is future-focused, outcome-driven and aligned with our economic goals. 'A strong, well-directed science and innovation sector is critical to lifting productivity, creating high-value jobs and supporting a more resilient and competitive economy,' Luxon said. The council will provide its first formal advice to the New Zealand prime minister and Minister Reti later this year. John Roche, who grew up on a dairy farm in Castleisland, was appointed MPI's chief science adviser in June 2018. He leads MPI's science forum, chairs the science governance group at MPI and the independent Mycoplasma bovis strategic science advisory group. John is also a member of the Prime Minister's chief science adviser's forum and is an adjunct professor in University of Auckland's School of Biological Sciences. He was previously DairyNZ's principal scientist for animal science and has held science appointments in Ireland and Australia. John has an Honours degree in agricultural science, a Masters in farm systems and pasture management, and a PhD in animal nutrition.
