About the Agricultural Production Survey
The Agricultural Production Survey is part of an ongoing programme of agricultural production statistics conducted in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (formerly the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry). A census was held in 2002 and 2007, with sample surveys in 2003–06 and 2008–11.
The 2011 survey covers land use, animal farming (livestock), horticultural and arable crop growing, forestry, and farming practices in New Zealand (including fertiliser and cultivation). This release contains final results from the 2011 Agricultural Production Survey.
More definitions
Arable land: capable of being ploughed, fit for tillage (not pasture or wood-land).
Bull: entire (ie not castrated) male cattle.
Calf: young cattle of either sex between birth and weaning, with eight temporary teeth. Also sometimes refers to animals up to one-year-old.
Calving percentage: calculated either by calves weaned to number of cows mated, or calves sold to cows mated in the previous year.
Cow: mature female cattle beast of any age, but usually over 30 months.
Dairy milking herd: milk-producing cows and heifers, which includes all cows and heifers either in milk or in calf.
Dairy replacement herd: dairy cows and heifers not currently producing milk and all calves and heifers reared for future dairy breeding and milking.
Dry cow/ewe: a female animal not carrying offspring.
Ewe: a female sheep.
Flock: group of sheep, angora or feral goats, or poultry.
Heifer: female cattle having no more than six permanent incisors.
Herd: group of cattle, horses, or milking goats (or pigs and deer).
Hogget: a young male or female sheep having no more than two permanent incisors in wear.
Lamb: sheep under 12 months of age, or without any permanent teeth in wear.
Lambing percentage: number of lambs marked or tailed per ewe mated in the previous year.
Ram: adult uncastrated male sheep having more than two permanent incisors in wear.
Schedule: basic minimum price paid to a farmer by a meat processing company. Based on categories of stock. Usually announced weekly. Variable premiums can apply for particular groups at certain times.
Steer: male cattle castrated when young. Does not develop secondary sexual characteristics (eg large shoulders) or masculine temperament.
Two-tooth: sheep with two teeth (one-year-old).
Wether: a castrated male sheep.