New Zealand is famed for having far more sheep than people living on its two islands but Wales is not far behind in the woolly mammal stakes. At the last count, it was reckoned the country was home to four times as many sheep as humans, not so very far behind New Zealand’s ratio of 7:1.
Figures from a June 2016 agriculture survey showed that, at the time of the survey, there were 9.81 million sheep in Wales, compared to just over three million people, according to the Independent.
This is due to an increase in sheep farming in the country – meaning there are now two million more sheep than there were seven years ago.
John Richards, industry information executive for Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales), said the increase was an ‘indication of confidence’ in the future of the industry.
“There are still challenges for the lamb industry in Wales,” explained Mr Richards.
“Ensuring that everyone, including farmers and processors, get a good price for their product is vital, and means continuing to respond to changing customer demands.
Wales has the largest sheep population of any region in the UK, but globally, Wales still falls behind New Zealand, where sheep outnumber people six to one.
Picture Credit : Google
