Short report: Spatial distribution and growth of sheep farming in Brazilian Amazon

PLoS One. 2022 Dec 1;17(12):e0278691. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278691. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Sheep farming has grown substantially in the Brazilian Amazon over the previous three decades. This article analyzes the spatial distribution and the dynamics of sheep herd growth using data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics-IBGE from 1990 to 2020. The sheep herd growth rates and densities were estimated to assess its dynamics. Maps were then drawn up to show the spatial dynamics of these variables. The highest concentration of herds in the last decade (2010) occurred in Pará, Mato Grosso, and Maranhão states. For each decade there were different growth patterns, but for the entire period (1990 to 2020), there was growth in Mato Grosso, Pará, Maranhão, Tocantins, and Amazonas micro-regions states. The highest density of herd (animals per area) was observed in Maranhão. The potential points for development identified in this study may support strategic planning aimed at strengthening the activity in the region.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Academies and Institutes*
  • Agriculture*
  • Animals
  • Brazil
  • Farms
  • Geography
  • Sheep

Grants and funding

This study received financial support for publication fee from Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação (PROPESP/UFPA). Also, the first author received scholarship from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) – Brasil (Finance Code 001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.