Variation characteristics and influencing factors on the number of livestock in the hohhot area from 1986 to 2015

Abstract

The variation characteristics of the number of livestock in Hohhot for the past 30 years were studied to determine the main factors affecting the number of livestock and realize the rapid and sustainable development of animal husbandry. The correlation among livestock, climate, and socio-economic factors in Hohhot was determined by a correlation analysis method. Moreover, the quantitative relationship among livestock, climate, and socio-economic factors in Hohhot was determined by the regression analysis method. Results corroborate that the number of cattle and sheep increased as a whole, whereas the number of horses, donkeys, and mules decreased gradually from 1996 onwards. In addition, the number of pigs increased from 1986 to 1999, decreased from 1999 to 2004, and slightly increased after 2004 and 2007.The correlation analysis results affirm that the number of cattle and horses was significantly correlated with air temperature, hours of sunshine, gross domestic product (GDP), population, sown area of crop, and grain yield (P<0.01). The number of sheep was significantly correlated with GDP, population, sown area of crop, grain yield (P<0.01), and air temperature (P<0.05), and has a significant negative correlation with hours of sunshine. Furthermore, the number of pigs was significantly correlated with air temperature, population, sown area of crop, and grain yield (P<0.01). The number of donkeys was significantly correlated with sown area of crop (P<0.01), air temperature, and grain yield (P < 0.05), and the number of mules was only significantly correlated with GDP (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the regression analysis results contend that the effect of socio-economic factors on the variation characteristics of the number of livestock in Hohhot was greater than that of climate factors. Ultimately, the results could provide a scientific basis for environmental pollution control, development planning of animal husbandry, and regional economic structural readjustment.