H.—29.

The number of sheep as at the 30th April, 1.927, is shown in the table hereunder, together with those for the previous four years : —

Cattle. —A further decrease in the total number of cattle is recorded, but although the dairy cows participate in the reduction the figures show the decrease to be 611 only. The following table shows the position under the respective classes, together with the previous four years' figures : —

Swine. —An increase of 47,609 in swine has taken place, the total number as at 31st January, 1927, being 520,143. Horses.—Horses again show a decrease, the 1927 figures being 303,718, a decrease of 11,514. Slaughter of Stock. Another excellent lambing season was experienced, and a record number of lambs resulted. The early weather conditions were favourable for fattening, and the early lambs did well, particularly in the North Island ; but the spell of hot dry weather which set in after Christmas somewhat delayed the fattening process, particularly in Canterbury. The number of lambs slaughtered, however, as will be seen, constitutes a record, and had a normal season been experienced over 6,000,000 lambs would, have been slaughtered. The slaughter of sheep shows a slight decrease, but swine, calves, and cattle all show very substantial increases. Prices to producers have, on the whole, been favourable. The following table shows the stock slaughtered during the past year at freezing establishments only. The previous year's figures are also shown : —

For the purposes of comparison the following table shows the killings of sheep and lambs at meatexport slaughterhouses over four periods —Ist October to 31st March in each year—as indicative of the slaughterings from the beginning of each season to the 31st March : —

These figures show a decreased slaughtering of sheep of 149,939 and an increased slaughtering of lambs of 287,252 for the period Ist October, 1927, to 31st March, 1928, compared with the same period for the year 1926-27. The following are the numbers of each class of animal slaughtered under direct inspection during the year ended 31st March, 1928 : — Cattle.. .. .. ... .. .. .. 381,612 Calves .. .. .. .. . . . .. 161,287 Sheep.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,942,076 Lambs .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,907,226 Swine.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 430,563

18

Stud and Flock Year. Rams (Two-tooth Breeding-ewes. Other Sheep. Lambs. Total, and over). 1923 .. .. 330,055 ! 13,063,003 3,369,559' 6,318,822 23,081,439 1924 .. .. 332,814 13,076,097 3,853,482 6,513,386 23,775,776 1925 .. .. 355,579 j 13,715,223 3,947,429 6,529,724 24,547,955 1926 .. .. 370,535 | 13,948,252 4,292,056 6,294,036 24,904,993 1927 .. .. 388,274 ! 14,831,730 3,906,665 6,522,347 25,649.016

Year. Bulls. Dairy Cows. Other Cattle. Total. 1923 .. .. .. 60,154 1,248,643 2,171,897 3,480,694 1924 .. .. .. 58,934 1,312,589 2,192,074 3.563,497 1925 .. .. .. 59,820 1,323,432 2,120,492 3,503,744 1926 .. .. .. 58,853 1,303,836 2,089,777 3,452,466 1927 .. .. .. 58,842 1,303,225 1,895,662 3.257,729

c, , Year ended Year ended T T . St00k - | 31st March, 1928. 31st March, 1927. Urease. Decrease. Cattle .. .. .. 220,831 163,268 57,563 Sheep .. .. .. 2,300,069 2,409,396 .. 109,327 Lambs.. .. .. .. 5,776,321 5,343,766 432,555 Calves .. .. .. 120,015 57,791 62,224 Swine .. .. .. •• 259,114 201,766 57,348

Stock. 1924-25. j 1925-26. • 1926-27. 1927-28. Sheep .. .. ... 1,821,901 1.654,489 1,729,963 1,580,024 Lambs .. .. .. 3,360,761 3,574,508 3,806,498 4,093,750