This data measures the numbers of farmed livestock (dairy and beef cattle, deer, and sheep) over time across New Zealand.
Livestock farming is a widespread land use in New Zealand and is a large contributor to our economy. High livestock numbers and the distribution of livestock across land environments can affect indigenous biodiversity and soil health (eg through erosion, habitat loss, compaction, and nutrient concentration). Water quality can also be adversely affected, as nutrients, sediment, and bacteria from urine and faeces can leach or run off the land into rivers, lakes, and groundwaters. This can affect the health of the aquatic ecosystem, as well as recreation and cultural values associated with rivers and lakes.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.