While China boasts over a quarter of a billion sheep, their average wool yield is overshadowed by Australia's massive flock and industry-leading 4.5 kg per head average, showcasing the surprising dynamics behind a global industry worth more than $200 billion.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Australia maintained the world's largest sheep flock with 72.2 million head.
- The United States had approximately 5.18 million sheep and lambs as of January 1, 2023.
- New Zealand's sheep population stood at 25.8 million in 2022.
- World wool production reached 1.9 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia produced 345,000 tons of greasy wool in 2022.
- New Zealand wool clip was 115,000 tons in 2022.
- Global sheep industry value exceeded $200 billion in 2022.
- Australian wool industry contributed AUD 3.5 billion to economy in 2022.
- US sheep industry generated $1.2 billion in cash receipts in 2022.
- World sheepmeat trade volume was 1.5 million tons in 2022.
- Australia exported 95% of its sheepmeat production in 2022.
- New Zealand was top sheepmeat exporter with 500,000 tons in 2022.
- Sheep scab cases reported in 20% of UK flocks in 2022.
- Global foot-and-mouth disease affected 5% of sheep herds in 2022.
- Australia remains FMD-free, with zero cases in sheep since 1871.
China leads global sheep production with 267 million animals and significant meat and wool output.
Economic
- Global sheep industry value exceeded $200 billion in 2022.
- Australian wool industry contributed AUD 3.5 billion to economy in 2022.
- US sheep industry generated $1.2 billion in cash receipts in 2022.
- New Zealand sheep sector added NZD 5.8 billion to GDP in 2022.
- UK sheep farming farmgate value was £2.1 billion in 2022.
- China sheep industry output value reached CNY 1.2 trillion in 2021.
- Sheep sector employed 1.2 million people in Australia indirectly in 2022.
- US sheep operations numbered 80,000 farms in 2022.
- Global wool market size was $38 billion in 2022.
- Australian sheepmeat export value hit AUD 4.3 billion in 2022.
- New Zealand lamb exports valued at NZD 3.8 billion in 2022.
- EU sheepmeat production value was €3.5 billion in 2022.
- India mutton market size reached INR 500 billion in 2022.
- South Africa wool export earnings were ZAR 1.2 billion in 2022.
- Turkey sheep industry contributed 1.5% to agricultural GDP in 2022.
- Iran wool revenue was USD 800 million in 2021.
- Global lamb/mutton market valued at $180 billion in 2022.
- UK sheepmeat self-sufficiency rate was 95% in 2022.
- Australian average wool price was AUD 12.50/kg in 2022.
- US lamb prices averaged $2.50/lb in 2022.
- Sheep farming labor force in NZ was 25,000 direct jobs in 2022.
- China sheepmeat consumption per capita was 3.5 kg in 2021.
- Global wool prices rose 15% in 2022.
- Australian sheep industry multiplier effect was 2.5x on economy.
- EU sheep farms numbered 65,000 in 2022.
Economic Interpretation
The global sheep industry is quietly fleecing the world economy, proving that this isn't just about cozy sweaters but a surprisingly heavyweight wool and meat powerhouse worth hundreds of billions.
Health
- Sheep scab cases reported in 20% of UK flocks in 2022.
- Global foot-and-mouth disease affected 5% of sheep herds in 2022.
- Australia remains FMD-free, with zero cases in sheep since 1871.
- New Zealand scrapie eradication achieved 100% compliance in 2022.
- US sheep abortion rate due to enzootic averaged 2-5% in 2022.
- UK clostridial disease vaccination coverage 85% in flocks.
- China reported 10% prevalence of Haemonchus in sheep in 2021.
- Global sheep mortality rate averaged 15% pre-weaning in 2022.
- Australia flystrike incidence reduced 30% with breeding programs.
- EU bluetongue virus affected 15 member states sheep in 2022.
- New Zealand facial eczema cases down 20% with zinc dosing.
- US Johne's disease seroprevalence 5% in sheep flocks.
- UK lameness prevalence 10% in sheep flocks monitored 2022.
- World sheep vaccination rate for clostridia reached 70% in commercial flocks.
- Australia breech strike genetic selection reduced incidence by 40%.
- India Peste des Petits Ruminants vaccination covered 60% sheep.
- Global anthelmintic resistance reported in 80% regions.
- NZ Romney sheep copper toxicity cases 1% in 2022.
- EU sheep welfare audits showed 90% compliance standards.
- UK neonatal lamb mortality averaged 12% in 2022.
- Global biosecurity adoption in sheep farms 50% in 2022.
- Australia mulesing prevalence dropped to 10% flocks in 2022.
Health Interpretation
While the global sheep industry still contends with a daunting array of afflictions from scab to scrapie, the collective statistical portrait reveals a stubborn, data-driven march toward healthier flocks, proving that where there's a wool, there's a way.
Population
- In 2022, Australia maintained the world's largest sheep flock with 72.2 million head.
- The United States had approximately 5.18 million sheep and lambs as of January 1, 2023.
- New Zealand's sheep population stood at 25.8 million in 2022.
- China reported 267 million sheep in 2021 according to FAO data.
- The United Kingdom had 21.8 million sheep in June 2022.
- India's sheep population was estimated at 74.3 million in 2022.
- Sudan had about 39.5 million sheep in 2021.
- Ethiopia's sheep numbers reached 36.2 million in 2022.
- Turkey reported 45.2 million sheep in 2022.
- Iran had 67.1 million sheep as per 2021 census.
- South Africa's sheep flock was 22.8 million in 2022.
- Mongolia's sheep population was 14.2 million in 2022.
- Greece had 8.9 million sheep in 2022.
- Spain's sheep inventory was 14.7 million head in 2022.
- France reported 7.1 million sheep in 2022.
- Global sheep population exceeded 1.2 billion in 2021.
- Brazil had 18.5 million sheep in 2022.
- Morocco's sheep numbers were 17.6 million in 2021.
- Algeria reported 22.4 million sheep in 2021.
- Kenya had 3.4 million sheep in 2022.
- Tanzania's sheep population was 6.6 million in 2022.
- Pakistan had 31.2 million sheep in 2022.
- Afghanistan reported 15.8 million sheep in 2021.
- Russia had 24.1 million sheep in 2022.
- Ukraine's sheep flock was 1.2 million in 2022.
- Canada had 0.6 million sheep in 2022.
- Mexico reported 8.1 million sheep in 2022.
- Uruguay had 2.3 million sheep in 2022.
- Argentina's sheep population was 3.7 million in 2022.
- United States sheep inventory declined by 2% from 2022 to 2023.
Population Interpretation
Despite the seemingly endless supply of global sheep, the United States appears to be the only major player actively trying to wool-gather its way out of the flock.
Production
- World wool production reached 1.9 million metric tons in 2022.
- Australia produced 345,000 tons of greasy wool in 2022.
- New Zealand wool clip was 115,000 tons in 2022.
- China produced 420,000 tons of raw wool in 2021.
- United Kingdom wool production was 22,000 tons in 2022.
- South Africa generated 8,500 tons of wool in 2022.
- Iran wool output was 50,000 tons in 2021.
- Turkey produced 65,000 tons of wool in 2022.
- United States wool production was 17,000 tons in 2022.
- Global lamb meat production hit 15.2 million tons in 2022.
- New Zealand lamb production was 460,000 tons carcass weight in 2022.
- Australia produced 510,000 tons of sheepmeat in 2022.
- China sheepmeat output reached 4.7 million tons in 2021.
- United Kingdom lamb production was 265,000 tons in 2022.
- India produced 1.1 million tons of mutton in 2022.
- Sudan lamb/mutton production was 145,000 tons in 2021.
- Ethiopia generated 95,000 tons of sheepmeat in 2022.
- Spain produced 105,000 tons of lamb in 2022.
- France sheepmeat production was 85,000 tons in 2022.
- Greece lamb output reached 90,000 tons in 2022.
- Average wool yield per sheep in Australia was 4.5 kg greasy in 2022.
- New Zealand Merino wool micron average was 23.5 in 2022.
- US wool shorn per head averaged 3.2 kg in 2022.
- Global greasy wool production grew 1.2% in 2022.
- Australian superfine wool production was 45,000 tons in 2022.
- Lambing percentage in New Zealand averaged 125% in 2022.
- UK wool fibre diameter averaged 25 microns in 2022.
- China fine wool production was 120,000 tons in 2021.
- Sheep milk production worldwide was 10.5 million tons in 2022.
- Australian sheepmeat exports equivalent to 70% of production in 2022.
Production Interpretation
While wool remains a significant global commodity, the real cash crop of the modern sheep industry is clearly the lamb chop, with nations like China and India serving it in industrial quantities while traditional wool powerhouses like Australia expertly play both sides of the fleece.
Trade
- World sheepmeat trade volume was 1.5 million tons in 2022.
- Australia exported 95% of its sheepmeat production in 2022.
- New Zealand was top sheepmeat exporter with 500,000 tons in 2022.
- EU imported 250,000 tons of sheepmeat in 2022.
- China imported 380,000 tons of lamb in 2022.
- US sheepmeat imports reached 300,000 tons in 2022.
- Australia wool exports totaled 330,000 tons in 2022.
- New Zealand wool exports were 105,000 tons valued at NZD 400 million.
- UK exported £300 million worth of sheepmeat in 2022.
- Global live sheep trade volume was 50 million head in 2022.
- Middle East imported 40% of world live sheep in 2022.
- Australia-China wool trade was AUD 1.5 billion in 2022.
- US-Australia lamb trade agreement allowed 700,000 carcasses annually.
- EU-New Zealand sheepmeat FTA boosted exports by 20% in 2022.
- India imported 50,000 tons mutton in 2022.
- Saudi Arabia live sheep imports from Australia were 2.5 million head.
- Turkey exported 20,000 tons sheepmeat in 2022.
- Iran live sheep exports to Gulf states totaled 1 million head.
- South Africa wool exports to China 70% of total in 2022.
- Global sheep skin trade valued at $2 billion in 2022.
- Australia dominated 40% of world wool trade in 2022.
- Sheepmeat tariff rates averaged 10% globally in 2022.
- New Zealand-China FTA doubled lamb exports since 2008.
- US sheepmeat import share from Australia was 60% in 2022.
- World wool tariff average fell to 8% in 2022.
- EU live sheep exports banned since 2013, impacting trade.
- Middle East sheepmeat imports grew 5% annually to 2022.
- Australian live sheep exports declined 50% post-2020 ban.
- Global sheep genetics trade valued at $500 million yearly.
Trade Interpretation
While the world quietly runs on wool and lamb chops, with Australia shearing the competition and China devouring imports, this entire fluffy global economy hinges on the delicate balance of trade agreements, dietary shifts, and the occasional political ban.
Trends
- Sheep carbon footprint averaged 25 kg CO2e/kg lamb carcass globally.
- Australian sheep flock declined 20% since 1990 to 2022.
- Global sheepmeat consumption grew 2% annually 2017-2022.
- New Zealand sheep numbers fell 40% since 1982 peak.
- Precision farming tech adoption in sheep 15% globally 2022.
- Organic sheep farming grew 10% yearly in EU to 2022.
- US grass-fed lamb market expanded 25% 2018-2022.
- Climate change reduced wool quality in 20% regions.
- NZ low-emission sheep breeding project cut methane 10%.
- Global halal sheepmeat demand up 5% yearly.
- Australian pain relief mulesing alternative 80% adoption target 2025.
- Sheep genomics use increased 50% in breeding programs 2022.
- EU sheep support payments totaled €1.2 billion in 2022.
- World vegetarianism rise slowed sheepmeat demand 1%.
- Drone monitoring in sheep farms adopted by 10% large ops.
- UK breed diversity 90 types maintained in 2022.
- Global sustainable wool certification covered 20% production.
- Sheep AI success rates improved to 60% with tech.
- Australian superfine wool demand surged 15% for apparel.
Trends Interpretation
The world's sheep industry is a study in contrasts: while global demand for lamb grows and sustainable practices slowly gain ground, producers are grappling with a shrinking, gassier flock that's being both squeezed by climate change and shepherded into the future by technology and shifting ethical standards.
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