Assessment of the mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding: a case study in Hubei Province, China

The mechanization of livestock and poultry breeding is important to reduce the labor intensity and cost of livestock and poultry breeding, improve labor productivity, and promote the development of livestock and poultry breeding. However, limited studies have assessed the mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding and identified its advantageous areas in county scale. This paper provides an analysis of the spatial distribution of mechanized operation of livestock and poultry and its proportion. A comprehensive assessment model was developed for the mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding. Finally, the space partition of the mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding was determined by grouping analysis. The results demonstrated that the spatial distribution of mechanized operation of livestock and poultry and its proportion varied obviously at the county scale in Hubei province. The proportion of mechanized operation of livestock and poultry in Hubei province was relatively low. The comprehensive assessment result of the mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding at the county scale in Hubei province had obvious difference. Yingcheng, Xiantao, the municipal district of Xiaogan, the municipal district of Wuhan, Luotian, Xishui, Wuxue, Tuanfeng, and the municipal districts of Huangshi, Xianning, and Ezhou had advantages of mechanization level of livestock and poultry breeding. The results provided scientific basement for spatial layout planning of livestock and poultry breeding, improvement of production efficiency of livestock and poultry breeding, and sustainable development of livestock and poultry breeding industry.