CHAPTER XII. 

 VALUE AND PROSPECTS OF SHEEP FARMING. 



The income provided to New Zealand by sheep 

 farming for the year ending 31st March, 1914, reached 

 16,000,000. 8,200,000 of this wa.s for wool, 6,300,000 

 for mutton and lamb, and 1,500,000 for by-products, 

 etc. These important figures speak for the country's 

 prosperity. The pastoral industry, by way of sheep and 

 cattle products, accounts for more than three-fourths of 

 the Dominion's total exports. New Zealand would be of 

 but small consideration, were it not for the exported 

 products of her pastures. 



The total number of sheep in the flocks of the 

 country is 24,700,000, and according to the above figures 

 of income, the return per head it may be noted is 13/-. 

 In 1912 it was 10 /- per head. The frozen mutton trade 

 has given a wonderful impetus to sheep farming, and 

 although wool is such a large product it is questionable 

 if it would be half as much were it not for the mutton 

 influence. The most striking and interesting feature of 

 the sheep farming occupation, however, is that "although 

 a great increase in the price of wool and mutton has 

 occurred, and land development is rapidly going forward, 

 there has not been nearly the increase in flocks one 

 would expect, as the following figures will show : 



Number of Income from 



Year. Sheep. Industry. 







1902 20,300,000 7,000,000 



1907 20,900,000 12,400,000 



1912 .. .. .. 23,700,000 13,100,000 



1914 24,700,000 16,000,000 



There is obviously a large slaughter of lambs and 

 sheep every year to furnish the mutton export, but one 

 would, nevertheless, expect a compensating extension of 



