NEW ZEALAND – Beef + Lamb New Zealand says that during the past year, New Zealand’s beef cattle herd increased by 2.8 percent – to 3.6 million head – while the decline in the sheep flock slowed sharply as sheep numbers recovered in key regions after drought and other challenges.

The annual stock number survey conducted by Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) Economic Service highlights the continued growth in beef production, as farmers move towards livestock that are less labour-intensive and currently more profitable.

The largest contributor to the increase in the number of beef cattle was a five percent lift in weaner cattle numbers, reflecting the high cost of buying older cattle as replacements, and good grass availability.

Meanwhile, the size of New Zealand’s beef breeding cow herd did not change, B+LNZ Economic Service Chief Economist Andrew Burtt says.

Source:http://www.thebeefsite.com/news/51892/new-zealands-beef-cattle-herd-continues-to-grow/