Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the total number of (1) ewes on British farms and (2) lambs sold to market was in each of the years 1990 to 1998. [96546]
§ Ms QuinThe number of (1) breeding ewes on agricultural holdings in the UK at 1 June and (2) clean sheep and lambs marketed in the UK are shown below for the years 1990 to 1998.
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Breeding ewes on holdings at 1 June 1 Clean sheep and lambs marketed 2 1990 21,241 19,181 1991 21,090 20,726 1992 21,112 319,132 1993 21,282 19,204
Breeding ewes on holdings at 1 June 1 Clean sheep and lambs marketed 2 1994 21,273 18,330 1995 20,830 18,673 1996 20,550 17,358 1997 20,696 16,104 1998 21,260 3,418,162 1 The figures come from the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census and relate to the position on main and minor holdings. Up to 1994, the figures relate to ewes kept for breeding, including draft and cast ewes and two-tooth ewes put, or to be put, to the ram. From 1995, the figures relate to ewes and shearlings that have produced lambs in the last year (whether intended for further breeding or slaughter) and female sheep (one year and over) put, or to be put, to the ram. 2 The figures consist of home fed slaughterings and live exports, and have been adjusted to take account of unrecorded trade. 3 For comparability with other years, the figures have been adjusted from a 53 week to a 52 week basis. 4 Provisional.