Environmental Regulation vs. Perceived Value About Manure and Sewage Resource Utilization in Chinese Dairy Farms

Clarifying the key driving factors behind the adoption of manure resource utilization technology and promoting its widespread application are crucial for achieving the high-quality development of animal husbandry. This study analyses survey data from 412 large-scale dairy farms across 23 provinces in China. The Cov-AHP method is used to measure the adoption intensity of technology and analyse its mechanisms and underlying logic. The results indicate that value perception, particularly economic value perception, is the strongest driver of adoption intensity. Although the direct effect of environmental regulation is limited, it significantly amplifies the influence of value perception—particularly economic value perception—on technology adoption intensity, especially in large-scale farms. Furthermore, incentive-based regulations (e.g., government subsidies) markedly promote the adoption of manure resource utilization technologies, whereas constraint-based measures (e.g., fines) exert stronger effects on small-scale farms. Additionally, demonstration farms serve as critical catalysts for disseminating best practices and accelerating technology adoption. This study suggests that policies should integrate value perception with targeted financial subsidies and regulatory measures to improve technology adoption, especially with support for small-scale farms. By leveraging demonstration farms to promote successful experiences, the comprehensive adoption of manure resource utilization technologies across the industry can be further improved.