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The Year of the Goat is unlikely to usher in much prosperity for China's beleaguered goat farmers.

Dubbed a 'sickle and four spades' for their ability to mow down grasslands and dig up the roots, goats have drawn the ire of officials trying to stem the tide of desertification that is turning northern China into a dust bowl.

As sandstorms become more frequent, officials are trying to protect receding grasslands, and goats have been identified as the culprits. In areas like Yanqing - 75km northwest of Beijing, where about half the county's 270,000 residents live by raising goats - the vilification of the animals has led to profound changes.

The centuries-old practice of goat herding and grazing in open fields came to an abrupt end on January 1 when the local government banned it. Now, herders used to driving their goats to fields can only raise their flocks on farms. They have also been asked to switch to sheep.

The move has sparked heated debates. Some say global climate changes have made northern China more arid and that population pressure has led to over-grazing. Mismanagement of grassland in the past also contributed to environmental degradation.

Others say the authorities have literally found a scapegoat for these problems by blaming the farmers.

Opponents of the move to phase out goat farming also argue that banning grazing will further impoverish herders, who are already among the poorest in the rural population. One official said: 'If you want to slaughter the goats to protect Beijing from sandstorms, you may as well kill the herders.'

But not everyone is against the idea. 'Sheep are a symbol of wealth,' according to Xu Yonghua. A modern day shepherdess with a good business sense, her farm in Yanqing county is home to two rows of brick sheds that house 300 sheep. She was happy to show off her farm, and her three hired workers jokingly called her 'our CEO'.

Ms Xu makes a net profit of 70 to 120 yuan (HK$66 to HK$113) for every sheep she raises. Ewes give birth twice a year and each litter contains up to seven lambs.

Her sheep farm has become the model all the other farmers will have to try to match.

In Yanqing, resistance to switching from goats to sheep is still strong, but the cornfields in the county produce feedstock good enough to replace grazing.

Thanks to its proximity to Beijing, the economy is more diversified as tourism gradually becomes a major source of revenue. The county government is better able to assist the herders to make the transition than other poor, isolated counties.

The herders receive a one-off subsidy of 20 yuan per goat to keep the flock confined to the farmyard. If any animals are found grazing in the open fields, a fine of 50 yuan per animal is levied, said Yan Kun, director of the Yanqing Livestock Bureau.

'It is hard for the herders to adapt to the new regulation, but they have no choice.' It is a question of long-term sustainability, he said. In the arid counties further north, there is no more grass for goats to graze.

The challenge is to balance the diverse economic, cultural and social needs of grassland dwellers and conserve the biodiversity and cultural heritage of these areas.

Sounding a note of nostalgia, Mr Yan said the classic Chinese poem that described tall grasses bending in the wind to reveal grazing goats was a distant memory.

While raising sheep was costlier than raising goats, the shorter production cycle made economic sense, according to Zhang Shaofen, who works at the county's farming services division. She said the market for lamb and mutton holds the promise of exports.

She was less keen on raising cashmere goats, once touted as a highly profitable business. The price of cashmere on the international market has been depressed and Chinese exporters still lack the market savvy to compete.



Goat herders told to switch to sheep as grass gives way to dust