Abstract
Global data sets on the geographic distribution of livestock are essential for diverse applications in agricultural socio-economics, food security, environmental impact assessment and epidemiology. We present a new version of the Gridded Livestock of the World (GLW 3) database, reflecting the most recently compiled and harmonized subnational livestock distribution data for 2010. GLW 3 provides global population densities of cattle, buffaloes, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens and ducks in each land pixel at a spatial resolution of 0.083333 decimal degrees (approximately 10 km at the equator). They are accompanied by detailed metadata on the year, spatial resolution and source of the input census data. Two versions of each species distribution are produced. In the first version, livestock numbers are disaggregated within census polygons according to weights established by statistical models using high resolution spatial covariates (dasymetric weighting). In the second version, animal numbers are distributed homogeneously with equal densities within their census polygons (areal weighting) to provide spatial data layers free of any assumptions linking them to other spatial variables.
Highlights
Background & SummaryLivestock play a key role in global food systems as the main source of animal protein, contribute to crop productivity through the provision of draught power and manure, and to the livelihoods and nutrition of poor households in low- and middle-income countries[1] (LMICs)
Livestock farming has a major impact on the environment, through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from enteric fermentation and manure, disruption of nitrogen and phosphorous cycles and indirect impacts on biodiversity and other ecosystem services through overgrazing and land-use change[2]
Contemporary data sets on the global distribution of the most important species of farmed animals have a wide range of applications in understanding the social, economic, environmental, epidemiological and public health impacts of the livestock sector
Summary
Livestock play a key role in global food systems as the main source of animal protein (milk, meat and eggs), contribute to crop productivity through the provision of draught power and manure, and to the livelihoods and nutrition of poor households in low- and middle-income countries[1] (LMICs). We provide a detailed report that includes comprehensive metadata on the input census data for each country (e.g. year, resolution and source) and goodness-of-fit metrics of the models by continent and by the size of the administrative unit from which the census data came. This enables users to assess the quality of the estimates for each combination of species, country and size of census unit. Higher resolution models for individual countries where the census data can support such predictions will be produced
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