Sheep

In 1982 there were 22 sheep per person in New Zealand. Now that number's around six, making events like the historic Harwarden ewe auction, held in North Canterbury today, less common. Video, Audio

Allan and Phil Oldfield are professional blade shearers from Geraldine. Shearing has taken Allan around the world in the past year. While shearing a mob of finn-cross sheep at Russell Brodie's farm at… Audio, Gallery

A careful breeding programme in the tough Wairarapa Hill country produces hardy rams that can cope with most conditions the New Zealand countryside throws at them. Audio, Gallery

The Douglas-Clifford family run a 22,000 stock unit sheep, beef and deer breeding and finishing property at Motunau, north of Christchurch. They are the proud winners of the 2017 Canterbury Ballance… Audio

Dayanne Almeida is a self-confessed sheep nutter. She was determined to move to New Zealand from Brazil to work in the sheep industry and now spreads the world about sheep farming on her "Sheep… Audio

The cornerstone of soil consultant Rob Flynn's philosophy is that agriculture is a biological system, not a chemical system. One of his clients is North Canterbury farmer Russell Rudd, who has been… Audio

Kirsty Silvester and her husband, Dave Chapman, hand-make pecorino, feta, halloumi and ricotta sheep cheese. Their small family business Wild Bush Cheese is based in Woodville in the Manawatu. Kirsty… Audio

Young Geraldine shearer Allan Oldfield has had a successful season in the northern hemisphere with several blade shearing wins at agricultural shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Audio

The CEO of Silver Fern Farms, Dean Hamilton, says the decision follows a continued decline in regional sheep numbers. Video, Audio

Marlborough farmer Tim Struthers has spent several years trying to control Chilean Needle Grass on his sheep and beef farm near Seddon. The invasive weed can out-compete pasture grasses and its seed… Audio

Tim and Sue Anderson have run Mt Guardian Perendales on their farm at Conway Flat since the mid '60s. Their son Woody is keen to take over the stud when his parents retire. Audio