✨ Stock Statistics Report
Numb. 32.
427
SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
OF THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 1878.
Published by Authority.
WELLINGTON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1878.
Annual Stock Report.
General Crown Lands Office,
Wellington, 10th April, 1878.
THE following report, by the Chief Inspector of Stock for the Provincial District of Otago, is published
for general information.
J. MACANDREW.
Sheep Inspector's Department,
Dunedin, 18th February, 1878.
SIR,—I have the honor to forward herewith, for the information of the Government, the Annual Stock
Report for year ending 30th September, 1877.
Sheep.—Returns show a total of three millions nine hundred and twenty-eight thousand five hundred
(3,928,500), being an increase of twenty thousand one hundred and fifty-two (20,152) upon last year's
returns, against fifty-five thousand (55,000) for year previous.
Where Depastured.—One million four hundred and one thousand three hundred and ten (1,401,310)
are depastured on freehold property, two millions four hundrel and ninety-four thousand five hundred and
seventy-nine (2,494,579) on runs, twenty-two thousand eight hundred and seventy-five (22,875) on
gold-field commonages.
Imports.—Five hundred and sixty-nine (569) stud sheep, merinoes only, have been imported during the
last twelve months, and these from Victoria, against four hundred and ninety-eight (498) for year previous.
Exports.—Nothing outside New Zealand.
Boiled down and Meat-preserving.—Eighty-eight thousand (88,000) sheep were passed through the
different establishments for either preserved meats or tallow.
Owing to the severe drought in the spring, followed by bad weather during the lambing season, the
losses in some localities have been very great, and as a whole the lambing will not be up to the usual
average. Another source of loss, where rabbits are numerous, is unmistakably attributable to this
nuisance; not only is the pasture destroyed by them, but the constant disturbance the stock are subjected
to in the destruction of the pests tells severely against both increase and clip. I can safely assert that in
some localities an annual decrease in the number of sheep is taking place from the above cause. I can still
report all sheep within the District of Otago free from scab, and generally healthy.
Cattle.—The returns show a total of forty-seven thousand seven hundred and thirty-five (47,735); of
these, thirty-eight thousand nine hundred and seven (38,907) are depastured on freehold, and eight thou-
sand eight hundred and twenty-eight (8,828) on Crown lands.
It being the first year that a return of cattle has been collected, and as there are many who are cattle-
owners without owning sheep, the number shown on the return cannot represent the total number within
the district, but I am of opinion they can approximately be estimated at fifty-three thousand (53,000).
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NZ Gazette 1878, No 32
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🌾 Annual Stock Report for the Provincial District of Otago
🌾 Primary Industries & Resources10 April 1878
Stock report, Otago, Sheep statistics, Cattle statistics, Drought, Rabbits, Tallow, Imports, Exports
- J. Macandrew