According to Statistics New Zealand, the country boasted a record 5.8 million dairy cattle in the year ended June 2009, exceeding the 4.3 million human population by some way. Cattle numbers last year were 4% higher than in 2008 and were up 76% from 3.3 million in 1989.

By contrast, sheep numbers declined to around 32 million in 2009, less than half the 70 million peak reported in 1982. In 2009, New Zealand had fewer than eight sheep per person.

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