Fresh approaches to winter pasturing see strong returns
Use of high-tech methods reduce environmental impact, boost incomes
Tech-assisted migration
In recent years, more herdsmen in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have been using trucks for the migration to save time, improve efficiency, and protect both people and animals from extreme weather and other risks.
Badmal, a herder from Bayinbuluke town in Bayingolin Mongolian autonomous prefecture, was preparing to move to a pasture some 300 kilometers away in late November.
Shouting at and prodding the flock, the lambs were lined up and walked onto a truck with three decks.
In the past, it was a long and arduous journey to the pasture, but it now can be completed in a single day using trucks for transportation.
In another innovation, some sheep are fitted with positioning collars of Beidou Navigation Satellite System so that herders can check their real-time location on their mobile phones. This information can also be transmitted to the agricultural department's big data platform.