Live pig industry is a pillar industry of Chinese animal husbandry.
Pork output of China in 2009 was 48. 91 million tons, accounting
for 63. 9% of total meat products; 50. 70 million tons in 2010,
69. 5% of the total[1] ; topped the world in 2011, accounting for
48. 9% of the global total[2] . The statistics show that Chinese animal husbandry dominated by live pig industry has made considerable fruits, its total output value increased from 139. 7 billion yuan
in 1978 to 2 087 billion yuan in 2010, and the ratio to the total
output value of agriculture increased from 15% in 1978 to 33% in
2010[3] . The remarkable results are closely related to the industrialization model of Chinese live pig industry since 1978, and the
development trend of the latter is essential for maintaining sustained and stable development of animal husbandry.
1 Evolution of industrialized live pig breeding model
1. 1 Definition Industrialized live pig breeding model refers to
the optimized model of combining production factors related to live
pig breeding such as land, capital, labor and entrepreneurs' capability and the industrialized operation model, according to the development needs of industrialized live pig breeding. It is mainly
demonstrated as " enterprise + household" and its derived forms,
as a major trend of live pig industry in China, it is the inevitable
result of industrialized live pig breeding[4] . Industrialized operation model of live pig breeding will be influenced by external environment and internal conditions of farm households and enterprises. Evolution of industrialized live pig breeding model indicates
the stable live pig breeding model in different stages against the
background of the changing social and economic conditions.
1. 2Review of the evolution of industrialized live pig breeding model Through decades of reform and development, operation model of live pig industry in China has witnessed tremendous
changes. The original public-owned live pig industry has been
transferred to family operation through contract transfer or cash
transfer, and the original household live pig industry has witnessed
rapid development, and has been gradually transferred to rural
large-scale live pig breeding or modern industrialized live pig
breeding. From scattered operation to large-scale operation,
standardized and industrialized operation, the modernization of
live pig industry in China has been achieved.
1. 2. 1 Household operation model. Household operation model
of live pig industry was the dominated live pig breeding model of
China from 1978 to 1990, and was called " backyard live pig industry" because most of live pigs were bred in peasants' backyards. During this period, pork production grew slowly. It should
be realized that household operation of live pig breeding exists and
will exist for a certain period of time because of its adaptability in
various aspects. Household operation model is fit for the live pig
breeding technology. Individual household operation was available
for making various products in the ancient times, but in other industries, household operation has become unsuitable because of
the developed technologies. However, technological development
of live pig industry has not influenced the household operation,
which owes to not only the coexistence of ancient and modern live
pig breeding technology, but also the capacity of household live
pig breeding accepting modern live pig breeding technology. For
example, many modern live pig breeding technologies can be used
in individual households, such as quality live pig breeds, compound feeds, artificial fecundation, and highly effective vaccine.
Some production technologies, such as large-scale tools, can be
used by many households together. So household live pig breeding
is still fit for modern rural households, and the adaptability will be enhanced with the development of social services.
There are many operation models for household live pig
breeding, for example, as part-time business, or specialized business. The business scale varies greatly, specialized live pig breeding has always large scale, and there is also cooperative operation
of various forms. Household live pig breeding has become a unit of
industrialized live pig breeding, but generally speaking, most
households give up live pig breeding, especially in developed regions, and the rich is not willing to raise live pigs, while the poor
cannot afford raising live pigs. Live pig industry in China has been
transferred from the household-dominated model to the government-driven model supported by specialized households and enterprises.
1. 2. 2 Large-scale operation model. Household operation model,
in spite of the technological adaptability, is limited in scale, so is
less effective in making profits than large-scale production. From
1990 to 2000, China witnessed rapid economic development,
large-scale live pig breeding started and became a major approach
of increasing peasants' income, more middle-scale live piggeries
were constructed, and live pig industry accounted for a large ratio
in rural areas. In 1998, live pig slaughter from household breeding
and large-scale breeding accounted for 76. 8% and 23. 2%[5] .
Joint live pig breeding also emerged in this period, commodity
production of live pig industry included producing, supplying and
marketing, under the condition of market economy, all sections
are connected via exchange. Lateral economic tie was established
to eliminate the obstacles among different sections, improve efficiency of connection, and ensure smooth reproduction of live pig.
Household live pig breeding was disadvantaged by limited scale,
thus lateral tie should be enhanced to consolidate its role as a market entity. Joint operation of household live pig breeding includes
the following forms, i. e. joining the integrated organization of animal husbandry, industry and business, live pig industry group,
enterprise plus livestock farmers, live pig industry producers' association. In addition, there are also various operation forms adaptive to modern economic conditions, such as online sales of live
pigs.
1. 2. 3 Industrialized live pig breeding. Since 2001, large-scale
live pig farms have increased gradually, and more non-agricultural
enterprises have entered live pig industry, advantageous live pigproducing belts have been formed. For example, Rongchang
County of Chongqing Municipality was approved by the Ministry of
Agriculture as China Sci-tech Town of Animal Husbandry, Core
Area of National Modern Animal Husbandry Demonstration Zone.
In 2008, live pig slaughter from household breeding and largescale breeding accounted for 44% and 56% , ratio of large-scale
breeding exceeded 50% for the first time. In 2009, the ratio was
38. 7% and 61. 3% , respectively[5] . According to State Statistical
Bureau, farms with 10 000 live pigs or above increased from 1 300 in
2006 to 1 800 in 2007, 2 500 in 2008 and more than 3, 000 in
2009[6] . Based on large-scale live pig farms, modern industrialized
live pig breeding has emerged and developed rapidly, and many famous live pig - producing brands have been built, such as Shineway, Yurun, Jinluo & Wens, and Dongjin Agriculture.
2 External environment for the industrialized live pig
breeding model
According to the evolution history of live pig industry in China,
large-scale live pig breeding emerged in the middle and late
1980s, and those engaged in live pig breeding were called specialized live pig - breeding households, which remarked the first significant change of live pig producing model in China. Based on the
increasing live pig production scale and improvement of production
techniques such as hothouse live pig breeding, application of compound feeds, construction of standard live piggery, as well as the
integration of breeding, processing and marketing, industrialized
live pig breeding concepts and operation model were formed preliminarily in 1993, and have achieved tremendous fruits in the
past decades, but have been influenced by domestic and international environment. During the past 20 years, the global economy
has witnessed drastic changes, and the changes will seriously influence industrialized live pig breeding model in China.
2. 1 Global economic competition Economic globalization is
a dynamic process and result of resource distribution worldwide.
Production factors concerning industrialized live pig breeding,
such as land, capital, labor and entrepreneurs' capabilities, contribute to facilitating worldwide distribution of resources, which is
demonstrated as globalization of investment, production, trade and
finance in industrialized live pig production. For example, more
transnational corporations that can evaluate investment environment and make decisions from the global scope such as Chia Tai
Group have devoted more in live pig producing and relevant industries. Against the background of economic globalization, regional
economic integration has been promoted, for example, EU,
ASEAN and APEC have contributed greatly to globalization.
Therefore, industrialized live pig breeding in China has encountered both opportunities and challenges, live pig breeding enterprises, especially medium-sized and small enterprises have had to
face competition with transnational enterprises, famous live pig
brands and relevant products.
2. 2 Experience economy Economic form has witnessed the
evolution from agricultural economy, to industrial economy, service economy and current experience economy. Experience economy refers to the economic form that enterprises center on services
and take commodities as the media to leave good impression on
consumers, build consumers' long-term loyalties to the brand, and
organize production of enterprises.
Essentially, it is a kind of consumer-centered economy
emerged in the 21st century. " Experience" is made into marketable commodities, experience consumption or symbolic consumption has become more popular, and experience economy has gradually occupied an important status after the service economy. In
the age of experience economy, there are new trends of consuming
live pigs and live pig products. From the perspective of content of consumption, the popular standard live pig products decline, and
demands on individualized live pig products and famous pork processing brands increase. From the perspective of the way of receiving products, consumers participate actively, but not passively, for
example, consumers can order live pig products online. From the
perspective of consumption consciousness, consumers have stronger
public awareness, and want to become "green" consumers.
2. 3 Stronger green consciousness of consumers Due to the
natural environmental problems such as global warming, shortage
of water resources, environmental pollution, land degradation, exhaustion of forest and mineral resources, and waste processing,
and social environmental problems such as consumer, population,
city and workers' rights, green consciousness of the public has
been awakened, green has become a barrier, consumption patterns
become more diverse. The changes have great impact on market
demand on live pigs and live pig products, and then the industrialized operation model of live pig industry.
3 Development trend of live pig breeding industry
3. 1 Expanding international market, consolidating domestic
market and market development The inevitable trend of industrialized live pig breeding and internationalization is expanding
international market and consolidating domestic market. Market
demand on live pig and live pig products is the initial factor determining the development of industrialized live pig breeding. If live
pigs and live pig products are not marketable, live pig industry
will not able to develop stably. Industrialization is the foundation,
but internationalization is the key for the development of live pig
breeding industry, so it is necessary to change and improve the organization degree of live pig production. Furthermore, international communication should be enhanced to introduce foreign funds,
technologies, equipment and management experience, and also
export our own technologies, capitals, talents and labor forces, so
as to improve foreign trade environment of live pig industry, gradually expand the international market. Every effort must be made
to consolidate domestic market, for example, use culture to guide
and influence the public so that they will protect the live pig industry spontaneously. In South Korea, it would be a shame for not
eating Korean Beef, such a concept can be borrowed, and live pig
industry culture further promoted to guide Chinese consumers, and
expand domestic market need on live pigs and live pig products.
3. 2 Integrating productive elements of live pig industry In
view of the requirements on the development of live pig industry
and adaptation to market environment, productive elements of live
pig industry must be integrated, traditional industrialized live pig
breeding model reformed, then the integrated operation model of
live pig industry will be formed. First, part-time live pig breeding
is transferred to specialized and large-scale breeding, which is a
major demonstration of microstructure innovation of live pig industry, and an inevitable trend of transferring from highly scattered to
relatively concentrated, and an objective requirement of changing
traditional production and operation model. Many countries with developed live pig industry put their focus on specialized breeding
households, and take them as the production foundation and support object. Second, construction of live pig breeding communities
is a necessary trend and prerequisite of standardized and specialized live pig breeding, and also an effective approach of changing
traditional production model. In recent years, live pig breeding
communities have been widely constructed in China, which greatly
improves the production level of live pig industry, and promotes
the transferring from scattered to concentrated development.
Third, intermediary organization of live pig industry should be promoted, because market economy requires the organization capable
of linking live pig breeding households and market. In countries
with developed live pig industry, such intermediary organizations
as industrial association or peasants' cooperative is the major channel of linking scattered households and the market. Intermediary
organization standardizes production activities of its members, and
joins the market competition as a whole, and settles the problems
that scattered live pig breeding households meet in the development. Intermediary organization for live pig industry of China has
just been launched, more support should be given to guide its development and fully play its role. Through developing specialized
live pig breeding households, breeding communities and intermediary organizations, the industrialized operation of live pig industry
will be constantly improved, traditional operation model reformed,
and the integrated operation model of live pig industry formed.
3. 3 Industrialized operation model driven by live pig processing industry It is the requirement of market economy to improve competitive power and economic benefits of animal by-products. Food processing industry with animal by-products as raw materials such as pork will witness great development, and it is an
inevitable trend to increase the proportion of live pig product processing. In China, especially in region with fast-growing and larger proportion of live pig industry, it is imperative to extend industry chain of live pig production, and devote more in food processing industry based on animal by-products.
It is important to vigorously develop animal by-products processing enterprises, improve capacity and level of processing, fully
play the role of leading enterprises, and push them to an important
position in modern live pig industry and become an important section for improving status of live pig breeding and economic benefits, and providing quality products; to promote the large-scale
production, industrialized operation, and integrated development;
to develop the industrialized operation models such as " enterprise
+ household" and " enterprise + live piggery" , and control the
production sections, and adapt to the increasingly strict requirements on food security and hygienic quality; to develop quality
live pig industry, build famous brands, and produce pollutionfree, green and organic live pig products, constantly improve economic benefits of producing and processing, as well as popularity
and reputation of live pig products nationwide and worldwide; to
fully play the role of large-size export - oriented processing enterprises, expand domestic and international market, improve the proportion of exported live pig products.
3. 4 Farming technologies and concepts In the future live pig
industry chain, " intellectualized live pig breeding" will be promoted, i. e. internet of things will be widely applied in live pig
breeding, for example, intelli-sense, auto-control, monitoring and
early warning can be applied to improve live pig production level
and efficiency, reduce consumption of energy and inputs. Specifically, realize the whole-chain traceability of live pig products,
ensure quality of live pig products; realize fine production, and
individualized breeding according to the growth stage or growth
conditions of each live pig, improve the production efficiency to
the most; apply intelligent equipment, such as intelligent live piggery, feeding station, manure processing, auto-monitoring and
warning.
In terms of breeding concept, " animal welfare" should be
popularized[9] . Animal welfare has been well known in developed
countries and many developing countries, but not introduced to
China in recent years. Application of animal welfare measures is
to improve security of animal-derived foods, and raising live pigs
in healthy and comfortable environment will bring more income to
peasants. In terms of environmental protection, ecological breeding will be the major development trend to integrate agriculture,
animal husbandry and low-carbon emission. According to the UNFAO, animal husbandry is one of the major industries producing
the most greenhouse gases, its ammonia emission accounts for 2 /3
of the global total ammonia emission, and its methane emission accounts for 1 /3 of the global total methane emission. Among the
livestock, cattle is responsible for the most greenhouse gas emission, but live pig quantity in China is much larger than that of cattle, so live pig industry produces tremendous greenhouse gases.
Without low-carbon animal husbandry, there will be no low-carbon
life, so it is the key task for the future live pig industry to settle
carbon emission problems.
4 Conclusions
Great achievements of live pig industry in China are closely related
to the evolution of industrialized live pig breeding model, and to
ensure the sustained and stable development of animal husbandry,it is important to grasp the development trend of industrialized live
pig breeding. Evolution of industrialized live pig breeding model
refers to the relatively stable live pig breeding model in different
periods centering on production elements of live pig industry, on
the basis of socioeconomic development. Since 1978, live pig industry has witnessed the household operation model, large-scale
operation model and industrialized operation model, successively,
and the industrialized live pig breeding model has been seriously
impacted by global economic competition, development of experience economy, and consumers' green consciousness. Furthermore,
industrialized live pig breeding of China shows the development
trend of " expanding international market, consolidating domestic
market, integrating resources of live pig industry for the integrated
operation, promoting the industrialization model and breeding
technology driven by live pig processing, applying animal welfare
and the internet of things in live pig breeding industry" .
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