This release contains final results from the 2008 Agricultural Production Survey. The 2008 survey covered livestock and arable farming, forestry production, and farming practices.
The 2008 survey is part of the current programme of censuses and surveys of agricultural production. This programme began with a census in 2002 and then annual sample surveys were carried out from 2003 to 2006. A census of livestock and arable farming, horticulture and forestry was held in 2007.
Estimates from sample surveys are subject to sampling errors. Refer to the technical notes of this release for further information.
Figures in this release have been rounded. All percentages have been calculated using unrounded figures.
Livestock
Sheep
Sheep numbers at 30 June 2008 were 34.1 million. This was a 4.4 million (or 11 percent) decrease from that recorded in 2007. This decrease is the largest annual fall recorded since sheep numbers peaked at 70.3 million in 1982, and has reduced the national flock back to the level recorded in 1950. Drought, market conditions, and competition from other land uses played a significant role in the reduction of sheep numbers.
In 2008, sheep numbers were similar for the North Island and South Island, at 17 million each. In the North Island sheep numbers were down 8 percent on the 2007 figure. Numbers in Manawatu-Wanganui fell 12 percent to 5.9 million. In the Waikato, there was a 18 percent decrease to 2.2 million. With 3.7 million sheep, Hawke's Bay was the only North Island region where numbers increased.
Compared with 2007, numbers in the South Island sheep flock were down 14 percent in 2008. Sheep numbers in the east coast regions of Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland all decreased.
There were 23.5 million ewes (two-tooth and older) put to ram in 2008, 10 percent less than in 2007. There were an estimated 1.5 million ewe hoggets put to ram, down 42 percent on the 2007 figure.
There were 31.0 million lambs tailed in the year to 30 June 2008, down 6 percent on the previous year. Factors that contributed to this decrease included weather conditions, and fewer ewes and ewe hoggets being put to ram in the year to 30 June 2007.
Dairy
Numbers in the national dairy herd increased to 5.6 million in 2008, which was 6 percent higher than the 2007 figure of 5.3 million. A significant factor that encouraged growth was the expected milksolid payments. These improved at the end of the 2007 season and were followed throughout 2008 by record predicted and achieved payments.
With 3.8 million dairy cattle (up by 145,000 between 2007 and 2008), the North Island is home to two-thirds of the national dairy herd. The South Island however, experienced faster growth in 2008 with its dairy cattle numbers increasing by 173,000 to 1.8 million.
Waikato remains the largest dairying region with 1.7 million dairy cattle in 2008. This was an increase of 3 percent on the 2007 figure. Canterbury is the second largest dairy region with 832,000 dairy cattle, an increase of 10 percent on the 2007 number.
New Zealand had 4.3 million dairy cows and heifers in milk or calf in 2008. This was a 4 percent increase on the 2007 figure. The number of dairy replacement cattle (dairy cows and heifers not in milk or calf, and rising one-year-old dairy cows and heifers) increased 13 percent, to 1.2 million.
Beef
Beef cattle numbers at 30 June 2008 were 4.1 million, down 6 percent from 2007. Almost three-quarters of all beef cattle were in the North Island.
Manawatu-Wanganui, with 583,000 beef cattle, was the largest beef farming region in 2008. This was followed by Waikato and Canterbury, with 576,000 and 534,000 beef cattle, respectively.
The beef breeding herd declined from 1.2 million in 2007 to 1.1 million in 2008. The number of non-breeding bulls fell 11 percent to 702,000 in 2008, while the number of steers at 1.2 million was at a similar level to 2007.
Deer
Deer numbers have continued to fall in 2008. There were 1.2 million deer in 2008, down from 1.4 million in 2007. Deer numbers are increasingly concentrated in the South Island, which had 848,000 or 69 percent of all deer in 2008. Canterbury, Otago, and Southland are the largest deer farming regions.
There were 595,000 female deer mated in 2008. This was 13 percent less than in 2007. The fawning ratio was 73 percent, with 494,000 fawns born and still alive at four months in the year to 30 June 2008.
Forestry
There were 2,700 hectares of new forestry area planted in the year ended 31 March 2008. This was similar to the area planted in the previous year. The South Island, with 1,900 hectares of new forestry area planted, accounted for 71 percent of the total new area planted.
There were 33,100 hectares of forestry replantings in the year to 31 March 2008. Of these, replantings in the North Island represented 68 percent, with 22,500 hectares of forestry replanted.
The area of exotic forest harvested in the year to 31 March 2008 was 42,700 hectares, a similar level to the previous year. Waikato (with 8,300 hectares) and the Bay of Plenty (with 9,200 hectares) accounted for 41 percent of the total area harvested.
Grain crops
Wheat
Wheat production during the year to June 2008 was similar to 2007 in both tonnage and area harvested. There were 42,300 hectares and 343,400 tonnes harvested in 2008. Canterbury is the main wheat growing region, with 36,400 hectares and 297,900 tonnes harvested.
Barley
In the year to 30 June 2008, barley production increased in both area and tonnage harvested. The area harvested increased to 67,400 hectares, which was 31 percent more than the 51,500 hectares harvested in 2007. The tonnage harvested increased 22 percent, to 408,700 tonnes.
The largest barley growing region is Canterbury, where the harvested area increased by 23 percent to 45,200 hectares. The region harvested 282,300 tonnes, 14 percent more than in 2007.
Maize grain
There were 18,300 hectares of maize grain harvested in the year to 30 June 2008. This was an increase of 7 percent on the 2007 area. The tonnage harvested increased 11 percent, to 205,600 tonnes.
Almost all maize grain harvested was in the North Island. Waikato was the main growing region with 4,800 hectares harvested in 2008. It was followed by Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, with 3,500 and 2,800 hectares, respectively.
Changes between provisional and final results
Provisional results of the 2008 Agricultural Survey were released on 10 February 2009.
---PDF BREAK---
Changes between the provisional and final results
for estimates at the national level |
| |
Provisional |
Final |
% change |
| Breeding ewes 2-tooth and over put to ram |
23,362,000 |
23,485,500 |
1 |
| Ewe hoggets put to ram |
1,469,600 |
1,470,100 |
0 |
| Lambs born to ewe hoggets |
1,099,600 |
1,092,600 |
-1 |
| Lambs born to ewes |
29,815,500 |
29,927,600 |
0 |
| Total sheep |
33,894,200 |
34,087,900 |
1 |
| Total lambs |
30,915,200 |
31,020,200 |
0 |
| Dairy cows and heifers in milk or calf |
4,339,700 |
4,347,700 |
0 |
| Total dairy cattle |
5,563,100 |
5,578,400 |
0 |
| Calves born alive to dairy heifers/cows |
3,482,300 |
3,500,200 |
1 |
| Beef cows and heifers in calf |
1,095,900 |
1,103,600 |
1 |
| Total beef cattle |
4,119,100 |
4,136,900 |
0 |
| Calves born alive to beef heifers/cows |
976,900 |
978,100 |
0 |
| Female deer mated |
596,900 |
594,800 |
0 |
| Total deer |
1,213,000 |
1,223,300 |
1 |
| Fawns born on the farm |
506,500 |
494,200 |
-2 |
| New area planted in forestry (hectares) |
2,700 |
2,700 |
-2 |
| Area replanted in forestry (hectares) |
33,100 |
33,100 |
0 |
| Exotic timber harvested (hectares) |
42,100 |
42,700 |
1 |
| Exotic timber harvested (cubic metres) |
18,906,800 |
19,204,100 |
2 |
| Wheat harvested (tonnes) |
345,300 |
343,400 |
-1 |
| Wheat harvested (hectares) |
42,500 |
42,300 |
0 |
| Barley harvested (tonnes) |
409,200 |
408,700 |
0 |
| Barley harvested (hectares) |
67,000 |
67,400 |
1 |
| Maize grain harvested (tonnes) |
210,400 |
205,600 |
-2 |
| Maize grain harvested (hectares) |
18,500 |
18,300 |
-1 |
For technical information contact:
Andrew Chou
Auckland 09 920 9100
Email: info@stats.govt.nz
Next release ...
Agricultural Production Statistics: June 2009 (provisional) will be released on 9 February 2010.