the sheep is a called a fleece in heraldry. its quite interesting.
In my post above i just connected it to sheep, because new zealand has a lot.
However it is an old heraldic symbol, and it is sometimes thought to represent gold, and ite is intimately connected with the order of the golden fleece,which is a chivalric order dating from the 1400s
wikipedia can probably give you a better overview, but they are and have always been very important, especially in mainland europe.
en.m.wikipedia.org
This may suggest that members of that organisation were involved in either the founding of new zealand in some way. The arms were only created in 1911, and slightly redesigned in the 50s. It may well be known exactly why those symbols were used
The university of Canterbury is in New Zealand, Their site explains their coat of arms, which us handy. The Y shows that ribbon thing that bishops wear, because the uni has links to the church.
The fleece on this one is described as silver rather than gold, and both it and the plough mean agriculture.
People often ask why the University of Canterbury's distinctive coat of arms contains a dead sheep. Learn about the history of our coat of arms.
www.canterbury.ac.nz
These are really just surface meanings. Heraldry is complex, like a language only an elite few can read.
When people like me try to read it it is mostly speculation, like guessing at a connection between new zeland and the order of the golden fleece. Or wondering if the Y is a hint toward the York right. It may be, but if you ask they will just say its a bishops wotsit.
But it is fun to look at these heraldic symbols, which are very old and specific, and see who else has used that, because it often indicates a relationship between the two.
For instance you may see a coat of arms split down the middle, with different designs in each. This can often mean that two sets of arms have been inherited from different branches of the family.
But I know very little about new zeland. I am sure that someone (maybe here?) has far more knowledge than me.
Also it may be worth getting a maori speaker to translate the words on both images.
Thank you, by the way. These are very interesting and have been fun to look at.