Wales Survey of Agriculture

The Welsh Assembly has released its estimates for the June 2014 Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture.  Headline figures include a 10.4% increase, compared to 2013, in the number of breeding ewes.  This contributed to a 2.9% year-on-year increase in the total number of sheep and lambs; the fifth consecutive annual rise.  There was a significant (60%) fall in the number of other sheep on farm, compared to year-earlier levels, but this was more due to farmers retaining animals in 2013 that would normally have been sold by the Survey date.  Total cattle and calves in Wales increased marginally (0.7%) compared to 2013.  This is due to a rise in dairy bred animals; females over the age of two years rose by 5.9% to 289,000 head; the highest since 2006 and is probably due to the better milk prices received in 2013.  Beef females over two years fell by 2.6%.  The full release can be found at http://wales.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/survey-agricultural-horticulture/?lang=en