Beef + Lamb New Zealand has released its annual Stock Number Survey for the year ending 30 June 2025, which shows New Zealand’s total sheep numbers fell modestly by 1.0 percent, in contrast to sharp falls in recent years, while beef cattle numbers rose 4.4 percent.
B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland said the survey shows there are reasons for optimism in the sheep and beef sector given recent strong prices, although significant challenges remain.
“We’re seeing rebuilding of stock numbers in several regions after drought and other adverse weather events led to sharper reductions in the last two years. Farmers are getting much better prices and are feeling more confident about shorter-term prospects.”
The decline in total sheep numbers is modest as there were more trading hoggets on hand.
“Worryingly, however, the number of breeding ewes continues to decline, down 1.9 percent and the lamb crop is forecast to be 0.6 percent lower this season – that’s nearly 120,000 head fewer, on top of a 1.5 million reduction in lambs last year. This will only exacerbate already tight supply.
“However, the rebuild could have been stronger if we hadn’t continued to lose land to forestry. This is creating ongoing concerns about our sector’s longer-term viability.
“Our conservative estimate is that 2.6 million stock units have been lost to afforestation since 2017, and afforestation is responsible for 78 percent of the total reduction in sheep and beef stock numbers since 2017.
“The Government has set a goal of doubling exports by 2034 and sheep and beef farmers will be essential to achieving this goal. Nearly 20 percent of New Zealand’s export earnings – $10.4 billion in 2024 – come from the red meat sector.
“But we can’t double exports if we’ve planted our best farmland in pine trees. We’re calling on the Government to do more to restrict whole-farm sales for entry into the ETS.”
The increase in beef cattle is attributed to farmers in some areas rebuilding herds following drought in the South Island last year and Cyclone Gabrielle’s effects in the North Island in 2023.
There has also been a continual shift within farming systems from sheep to beef cattle as cattle prices have been consistently high.
Access the Stock Number Survey report (PDF, 1.59 MB)
ENDS
Notes for editors:
- The annual B+LNZ Stock Number Survey provides an assessment of the national sheep flock and the national beef cattle herd at 30 June 2025.
- The report summarises the results from a survey carried out to estimate the number of sheep and beef cattle on hand at 30 June and provides estimates for the change in livestock numbers four months before provisional figures are available from SNZ (Agricultural Production Survey).
- The potential lamb crop and calving outlook for spring 2025 is based on condition (and any changes in number) of breeding livestock and available pregnancy scanning results.
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