Q08210

Why Should New Zealand go back to sheep farming?

New Zealand was once a country full of sheep, back in the 1980’s – 1990’s when New Zealand had around 70.3 million sheep. Now those numbers are steadily declining and the number of cows is rising. Why should New Zealand go back to sheep farming then? New Zealand should go back to sheep farming because sheep are cheaper to look after over time and easier to handle. Sheep can also produce more renewable products like milk and wool and an end product of meat. While the dairy industry produces more jobs for the country.

New Zealand should go back to sheep farming because sheep are cheaper to look after and easier to handle. Sheep are cheaper than dairy because you do not have to spend as much money on sheep than cows. Sheep only have to be shorn, dagged, drenched regularly and only have to be tailed, castrated and ear tagged once. Dairy cows more expensive than sheep. They have to be ear tagged as well and drenched when they are calves, but as they start getting milked they cost more. For dairy farmers some big costs are AI (artificial insemination) and buying Copper Sulphate or Zinc Sulphate (helps harden the hooves of the cow to stop them getting lame). Both sheep and cows also have to get scanned to find out if the animal is pregnant, because it is a big cost for both sheep and dairy farmers to keep the animal over the winter. So really sheep are cheaper and easier to handle.

Sheep produce more sustainable products than dairy cows. Sheep produce two products, wool and milk, whereas cows only produce one product which is milk. Even though sheep milk is not used very much, it could make a substitute for cow’s milk. A sheeps wool is also very useful because it can be put in to fabric to make clothes and other things. Cows only produce one product which is milk. In the 2010-2011 season, milk reached a record price of $8.00 - $8.10 per kg/ms which is up from what it was last year. For the 2010 – 2011 season the price of wool has significantly increased from last year, for a 34 -38 micron (how fine the fibre is) X-Bred sheep sheep is getting 508 – 578 cents per kilogram of wool. Both sheep and cows have an end product of meat which is a bonus income for the farmer. Some sectors of the community would say that going back to sheep farming could help benefit the country if their sheep are milked and shorn.

If New Zealand went back to sheep farming it could cause a loss of jobs for the farming community. The average dairy farm of around 600 cows requires about 3 full time workers. One manager, one second in command and another worker. Dairy farmers also require an extra worker during calving to help out and a relief milker who can help out when needed. Whereas a sheep farmer who runs 3000 stock units (animal) only needs one full time worker and that is normally the farmer. Sheep farmers only use other workers when it is tailing, and shearing, they only need these workers for a brief amount of time a year. A sheep farmer sometimes also requires a shepherd when it is lambing to help out, the shepherd is required for around one – two months a year. If there are less jobs from sheep farming it could cause a loss of jobs and more people might go on the doll, which might not be beneficial for the farmer as they might have to pay more taxes.

New Zealand should go back to sheep farming even though it might cause a loss of jobs it could cause more money for New Zealand economy over the long run, because sheep are able to produce two products that are sustainable and cows are only able to produce one. Sheep are also cheaper and easier to handle which can result in more income for the farmer.