New Zealand's sheep meat production decreased by 3 percent to 274,200 in the 12 months leading up to July, due to a decrease in ewe and lamb slaughter, resulting in fewer lambs and mutton processed and smaller carcase weights. Exports of fresh and frozen sheep meat also fell by 8 percent to 249,000 tonnes, primarily due to a decrease in shipments to China. The total sheep numbers remained largely unchanged, but the breeding ewe flock saw a 1.4 percent contraction. Beef cattle numbers also fell by 0.9 percent, leading to a 6 percent decrease in beef production. Exports of fresh and frozen beef also dropped by 7 percent to 300,000 tonnes, with a 25 percent decrease in shipments to the US.