A record lambing percentage underpins a lift in lamb numbers, a Beef + Lamb New Zealand lamb crop report says.
Research by B+LNZ's economic service estimated the number of lambs tailed this spring was 23.7 million head, up 1.9% (436,000 head) on the previous spring.
The average ewe lambing percentage was 127.2%, up 4.4 percentage points on last year. The record lambing percentage and more lambs from hoggets offset fewer breeding ewes, B+LNZ's economic service chief economist Andrew Burtt said.
North Island lamb numbers were a major factor behind the overall lift in the lamb crop with growth of 4.9% (551,000 head) to 11.7 million head. The average ewe lambing percentage was 128%.
In the South Island, lamb numbers dropped 1% (115,000 head) to 12 million head. In Southland, fewer ewes were mated, the lambing percentage was slightly lower than the previous year and there were fewer lambs from hoggets.
