The reason is that the sheep industry in New Zealand began at the end of18th century, and was first brought in by British colonists, and then merino sheep was introduced from Australia, a neighboring country that has been successful in developing sheep industry. /kloc-In the 1950s of 0/9, a large-scale sheep industry was developed on the natural grasslands along the coast of the North and South Islands, with a total of more than 300,000 sheep.

/kloc-At the end of 0/9th century, with the discovery of gold mines in New Zealand and the influx of a large number of foreign immigrants, the demand for mutton was increasing. In addition, after the 1980s of 19, mutton can be exported in large quantities after the appearance of refrigerated ships, and the sheep breeds raised in New Zealand have gradually changed from merino sheep, which mainly produces wool, to British sheep with both wool and meat. By the 1930s, the number of sheep raised had risen to 30 million, making it one of the world's major wool producers and exporters, and basically forming a pasture management pattern of producing semi-fine wool sheep and wool and meat sheep.

After World War II, New Zealand was the first country in the world to apply and popularize aerial seeding of grass seeds and topsoil fertilization, which turned most natural grasslands into high-yield improved grasslands. Sheep are generally raised in fences, selected and bred according to local conditions, and advanced sheep raising technology and management system are adopted. Together with Australia, it has become an advanced country in sheep raising, with the number of sheep raising reaching 59.94 million by 197 1. After Britain joined the European Community, New Zealand lost its traditional main export market, and the development trend of sheep industry was restrained. Since then, the New Zealand government has continued to implement a high welfare policy, subsidizing the export of workers and peasants' products, and the popularity of natural fiber clothing has led to an increase in wool consumption in the world market, thus reviving the sheep industry in New Zealand. The early 1980s was the most glorious period of sheep industry in New Zealand, with the number of sheep exceeding 70 million, a record high.