Concetti Chiave
- New Zealand's South Island is home to approximately 50 million sheep, making it a significant sheep farming region.
- Each shepherd typically manages six sheep dogs, with some farms employing up to thirty dogs to assist with herding.
- Distinct types of sheep dogs, such as 'Eye' dogs and 'Huntaway' dogs, are utilized for different herding tasks.
- New Zealand began exporting sheep meat in the late 19th century, with the inaugural shipment to England occurring in 1882.
- Since Britain joined the European Common Market in 1973, New Zealand faces challenges in exporting its sheep and dairy products to Britain.
New Zealand - The world's biggest sheep farm
New Zealand is sometimes called the world’s biggest sheep farm. Only one million people live on New Zealand’s South Island, but it has about 50 million sheep. Every shepherd controls about six sheep dogs. There may be up to thirty dogs on one farm. ‘Eye’ dogs round up loose sheep. Huntaway’ dogs work with large flocks of sheep. New Zealand has been exporting sheep meat — mutton and lamb — since the late nineteenth century.
In those days, transporting meat such long distances wasn’t easy. The first ship containing meat for England left New Zealand in 1882. It had a refrigeration machine to keep the meat cold. Unfortunately, sparks from the machine set the ship’s sails on fire. The crew put out the flames. After that, the machine worked perfectly, but it almost froze the captain and his crew to death. In 1973 Britain joined the European Common Market and started buying European products instead of Commonwealth products. Today it is more difficult for New Zealand to sell its sheep and dairy products to Britain.
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