There are more sheep and lambs in Wales this year than at any time during the last decade, the latest figures have revealed.

The 2014 June survey showed the total number stood at 9.74million, a three per cent rise on 2013 levels.

The figure represents the fifth consecutive annual rise in the number of sheep and lambs in Wales, and is the highest recorded number since 2003.

The main contributing factor was a ten per cent rise in the number of breeding ewes to 4.4million, the largest breeding flock recorded in Wales for a decade.

The number of lambs under one year of age stood at 4.8 million in June 2014.

The number of cattle in Wales also rose – a one per cent increase to 1.1m, however the number of beef cattle fell to just under 300,000.

Meanwhile, the number of pigs rose by 14 per cent last year to 28,000 head, the largest number since 2004.