New York

ONCE upon a time there were 20 sheep to every Kiwi. Now it's more like seven to every New Zealander. Blame cows, which are now bringing home the bacon.

Huge tracts of flatland once used for sheep farming were converted to dairy pastures as the global price for butter and cheese increased, while demand for sheep meat and wool waned, said Susan Kilsby, a dairy analyst at AgriHQ in Wellington.