Herders’ opinions about desirable stocking rates and overstocking in the rangelands of northern China
Xiangyang Hou A D , Yantin Yin A B , David Michalk C , Xiangjun Yun A , Yong Ding A , Xiliang Li A and Jizhou Ren B D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 120 East Wulanchabu Street, Hohhot, 010010, China.
B College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, PO Box 61, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
C NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
D Corresponding authors. Emails: houxy16@126.com; renjz@vip.sina.com
The Rangeland Journal 36(6) 601-610 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ13040
Submitted: 27 April 2013 Accepted: 8 September 2014 Published: 27 November 2014
Journal Compilation © Australian Rangeland Society 2014
Abstract
Herders’ desirable stocking rates and their opinions of overstocking were studied using survey and multi-regression methods in the meadow steppe, typical steppe and desert steppe regions of northern China. It was found that individual herders had their own perception of their particular ‘desirable stocking rate’, which referred to the number of livestock that the herders thought they could keep or maintain on an area of rangeland over a specified period of time. These perceptions were not in line with the ‘balancing animals and grass’ policy of the Chinese government, and herders used them as a guide to adjust stock-breeding practices. Most herders admitted that they bred more livestock now than 10 years ago, but insisted that there was no overstocking and many even thought that their rangelands could still carry more livestock. They also held the view that they took into account the carrying capacity of rangelands when making decisions about livestock-breeding practices. Individual herders thought that the reasonable stocking rate range should be 0.75–1.50 sheep units ha–1 (meadow steppe), 0.60–1.50 sheep units ha–1 (typical steppe), and 0.50–0.75 sheep units ha–1 (desert steppe), respectively. The herders from the desert steppe regions were most concerned about the overstocking of rangelands, and the concern of herders was in the order desert steppe > typical steppe > meadow steppe. The herders with more formal education and those who worked in a village council and had smaller areas of rangelands, were more concerned about the overstocking of rangelands. It is argued that such herders should be given more access to policy and market information, including extensive grazing and modern stall-feeding technologies, and encouraged to reduce their desirable stocking rates, leading to more sustainable rangeland management in northern China.
Additional keywords: adaptive management, carrying capacity, decision-making, over-grazing.
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