New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: North Island: Waikato data was reported at 1,478.921 Head th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,666.388 Head th for 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: North Island: Waikato data is updated yearly, averaging 2,506.265 Head th from Jun 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,471.206 Head th in 1990 and a record low of 1,478.921 Head th in 2017. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: North Island: Waikato data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

DATA SOURCE: Statistics New Zealand Agricultural Production Survey (APS)

Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency

Dataset used to develop the "livestock numbers" indicator [available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/livestock-numbers]

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This indicator measures the numbers of farmed dairy cattle, beef cattle, deer, and sheep over time nationally, by region, and territorial authority, and approximates the density of these livestock across New Zealand.

More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

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New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Nelson data was reported at 4.729 Head th in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.531 Head th for 2015. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Nelson data is updated yearly, averaging 11.532 Head th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2016, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.075 Head th in 1993 and a record low of 4.673 Head th in 2009. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Nelson data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island data was reported at 13,907.000 Head th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 13,890.000 Head th for 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island data is updated yearly, averaging 16,420.000 Head th from Jun 2002 (Median) to 2017, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,142.000 Head th in 2003 and a record low of 13,890.000 Head th in 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

Native biodiversity on sheep and beef farms from the farmers' perspective - A survey of 500 sheep and beef farmers from around New Zealand was conducted by phone between March and April 2019. The phone survey was conducted by UMR Research and survey participants were sourced from Beef + Lamb New Zealand's levy payers database. The survey was stratified across the seven Beef + Lamb NZ operational regions.

The phone survey was approved by AUT Ethics Committee 19 November 2018 under application 18/371 'Investigating famers' decision-making for native biodiversity'.

Data associated with paper: Managing and protecting native biodiversity on-farm – what do sheep and beef farmers think? New Zealand Journal of Ecology () 45(1): 3420 https://dx.doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.45.1

The actual survey data is restricted access, and can be requested from the dataset maintainer.

[Research conducted under BioHeritage project 3.3]

New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Tasman data was reported at 261.878 Head th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 253.149 Head th for 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Tasman data is updated yearly, averaging 333.399 Head th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2017, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 470.830 Head th in 1993 and a record low of 242.694 Head th in 2014. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Tasman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the aetiological agent of Johne's disease (JD), a chronic enteritis that causes major losses to the global livestock industry. Further, it has been associated with human Crohn's disease. Several strains of MAP have been identified, the two major groups being sheep strain MAP, which includes the Type I and Type III sub-lineages, and the cattle strain or Type II MAP lineage, of which bison strains are a sub-grouping. Major genotypic, phenotypic and pathogenic variations have been identified in prior comparisons, but the research has predominately focused on cattle strains of MAP. In countries where the sheep industries are more prevalent, however, such as Australia and New Zealand, ovine JD is a substantial burden. An information gap exists regarding the genomic differences between sheep strain sub-lineages and the relevance of Type I and Type III MAP in terms of epidemiology and/or pathogenicity. We therefore investigated sheep MAP isolates from Australia and New Zealand using whole genome sequencing. For additional context, sheep MAP genome datasets were downloaded from the Sequence Read Archive and GenBank. The final dataset contained 18 Type III and 16 Type I isolates and the K10 cattle strain MAP reference genome. Using a pan-genome approach, an updated global phylogeny for sheep MAP from de novo assemblies was produced. When rooted with the K10 cattle reference strain, two distinct clades representing the lineages were apparent. The Australian and New Zealand isolates formed a distinct sub-clade within the type I lineage, while the European type I isolates formed another less closely related group. Within the type III lineage, isolates appeared more genetically diverse and were from a greater number of continents. Querying of the pan-genome and verification using BLAST analysis revealed lineage-specific variations (n = 13) including genes responsible for metabolism and stress responses. The genetic differences identified may represent important epidemiological and virulence traits specific to sheep MAP. This knowledge will potentially contribute to improved vaccine development and control measures for these strains.

New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Canterbury data was reported at 4,473.916 Head th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4,584.936 Head th for 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Canterbury data is updated yearly, averaging 7,481.401 Head th from Jun 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,421.554 Head th in 1990 and a record low of 4,473.916 Head th in 2017. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Canterbury data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Marlborough data was reported at 468.697 Head th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 434.222 Head th for 2016. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Marlborough data is updated yearly, averaging 578.805 Head th from Jun 1993 (Median) to 2017, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 996.764 Head th in 1993 and a record low of 425.299 Head th in 2011. New Zealand Number of Livestock: Sheep: South Island: Marlborough data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics New Zealand. The data is categorized under Global Database’s New Zealand – Table NZ.B001: Number of Livestock: By Region.

New Zealand Imports from United States of Sheep or Lamb Skin Leather (Without Wool on) was US$6 Thousand during 2021, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. New Zealand Imports from United States of Sheep or Lamb Skin Leather (Without Wool on) - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on June of 2025.

United States Imports from New Zealand of Sheep and goats, live was US$14.73 Thousand during 2015, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. United States Imports from New Zealand of Sheep and goats, live - data, historical chart and statistics - was last updated on July of 2025.