Sheep and Beef Cattle Production Systems

Stephen T. Morris Institute Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand ABSTRACT: The New Zealand climate favours pasture growth, and it is the key to sheep and beef cattle production as pasture provides over 95% of the diet of sheep and beef cattle. Production systems range from intensive sheep and beef cattle farms on the highly productive lowlands, through to extensive high country farms involving mainly sheep. The New Zealand meat and wool sector has always been a principal driver of the New Zealand economy, generating approximately $7.5 billion annually in export earnings, and forming the basis of the visual and social landscape of New Zealand. New Zealand is the largest exporter of lamb in the world accounting for around 47% of the world’s trade in lamb. Lamb and mutton export revenues for the year ending 30 September 2012 were estimated at $2.96 billion. Since the 1980s there has been a 25% increase in lambing percentage and carcass weight and a 50-gram-a-day improvement in lamb growth rate without changes in stocking rate. These gains have occurred at a time when labour inputs have been reducing as sheep productivity per labour unit has also improved by at least 35%. Much of the sheep and beef cattle in New Zealand are farmed on hill or high country at low stocking rates and hence often biodiversity is maintained in such habitats. The pastoral landscape is becoming more dynamic and sophisticated, with greater movement of animals between farms and the boundaries between sheep, beef, and dairy farms becoming increasingly blurred. New Zealand will, in the future, promote and market its livestock products on the basis of quality and position itself at the top end of the market. The industry will think more in terms of quality not quantity and value not volume.