New Zealand's Beef Cattle Industry
- Based on a national herd of around 5 million cattle
- 1.5 million beef breeding cows in New Zealand
- The majority of beef produced is exported
- North America dominates beef exports, most exported beef is
destined for the processing industry
- Beef cattle production systems are pasture based
- Cattle from the dairy sector are an integral part of the beef
industry
Beef cattle in New Zealand
- 1.457 million beef breeding cows in New Zealand (30 June 2002
- provisional estimate)
- 5.030 total beef cattle in New Zealand (30 June 2002 - provisional
estimate)
- Breeding cows make up 30.3% of all beef cattle
- 64,000 registered beef cows in New Zealand (1997 estimate)
- Dairy industry bred cattle contributes up to 55% of beef produced
comprising Friesian bulls, dairy x beef cattle and cull dairy
cows
- A little under three-quarters (73%) of the national beef herd
is in the North Island
Table 3. Livestock numbers
in New Zealand for the year ended 30 June.
|
|
Number
of animals for the year ended June 30. (millions) |
| |
1975 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
| Breeding
ewes |
41.2 |
30.3 |
30.8 |
30.3 |
29.9 |
| Total sheep |
56.4 |
45.7 |
45.4 |
44.0 |
44.7 |
| Breeding
cows |
2.3 |
1.45 |
1.45 |
1.47 |
1.53 |
| Total
beef cattle |
6.3 |
4.64 |
4.67 |
4.79 |
5.03 |
| Dairy
cows |
2.4 |
3.43 |
3.36 |
3.48 |
3.55 |
| Total
dairy cattle |
3.0 |
4.3 |
4.35 |
4.49 |
4.58 |
|
Figure 1. Long term trend in
beef breeding cow numbers (millions) in New Zealand for the year
ended June 30.
Figure 2. Long term trend in
number of beef cattle of weaning age (millions) in New Zealand for
the year ended June 30.
Figure 3. Long term trend in
number of other beef cattle (millions) in New Zealand for the year
ended June 30.
Figure 4. Long term trend in
total number of beef cattle (millions) in New Zealand for the year
ended June 30.
Figure 5. Twenty two year trend
in calving rate for beef cows in New Zealand for the year ended
June 30.
|
