The ratio of sheep per person in New Zealand is reportedly on the decline, with new figures from the New Zealand government indicating that there are currently 4.5 sheep per head of population in the country (4.5:1).
In June 2024, 23.6 million sheep were recorded in New Zealand, which is approximately 4.5 times the size of the human population (5,311,100 as of December 31, 2024), according to new figures released by Stats NZ, New Zealand’s official data agency, on May 5, 2025.
This figure represents a 3% drop in the total number of sheep in New Zealand compared to 2023 (24,359,000).
It is also a 21% reduction (6.2 million less) compared to the 29,803,000 recorded a decade earlier, thereby continuing the long-term contraction of the national flock.
For context, in 1982, the ratio of sheep to humans peaked at around 22:1, Stats NZ reported, reflecting a long-term decline in the sheep industry in New Zealand, which was once the backbone of the country’s economy.
According to AHDB, several factors have contributed to this decline – the removal of farm subsidy in the 1980s being the most instrumental.
More recently, sheep numbers have been pressured by factors including lower global wool prices, adverse weather and increased tree-planting for carbon-offsetting schemes.
Cattle figures
Meanwhile, the total number of dairy cattle in the country configured 5.8 million in 2024, down 1% from the previous year and 13% less than the national dairy herd in 2014, which numbered 6,698,000, Stats NZ outlined.
Contrary to this, Stats NZ said that the number of beef cattle in New Zealand was 3,679,000 million in 2024, up 1% from 2023, and roughly on a par with the 2014 beef cattle figure of 3,670,000.
Agricultural statistics spokesperson for Stats NZ, Tehseen Islam said: “Bucking the trend of falling livestock, however, is beef cattle. There were 3.7 million beef cattle in 2024, similar to the total in 2014.”
The data agency also revealed the total area in grassland (excluding tussock) across New Zealand stood at 7.1 million hectares in June 2024, which is a reduction of 809,000ha or 10% in the last 10 years.
“This drop in grassland coincides with large decreases in livestock being farmed on that land,” Islam added.
According to Stats NZ, agriculture continues to be a mainstay of New Zealand’s export industry. Of the country’s total $74 billion exports for the year to March 31, 2025, the top four export products by value were:
- Milk powder, butter, and cheese at 29% ($21.8 billion);
- Meat and edible offal at 12% ($9.2 billion);
- Fruit at 7% ($5.1 billion);
- Logs, wood, and wood articles at 6% ($4.8 billion).
