General characteristics of the Survey
Background
From the year 1339 through 1366, statistics and information for the livestock units’ activities as Rural Agricultural Surveys along with other information in agricultural sector were collected and published. After conducting National Census of Agriculture in the year 1367 and providing proper ground for taking thematic sample surveys on national livestock, livestock farming sample survey was taken in 1371 for the first time by using the frame of the National Census of Agriculture. After conducting the 1382 National Agricultural Census, the second, third and fourth Livestock surveys were conducted by using the frame of the 1384, 1387 and 1390 of Livestock survey.
Objectives of survey
The objective of the Livestock Survey is to estimate the statistical information on different areas such as "the number of livestock types", "the number of sold livestock for slaughtering”, "milk production", and "quantity of feeds consumption" and “employees” for better understanding of different aspects in this sector.
Survey method
The survey was conducted based on a two-stage sampling method.
Statistical population
In this survey, statistical population includes all holdings with livestock units’ activities (raising of sheep & lambs, goats & kids, cattle & calves, buffalos & calves and camels& calves) at the time of survey.
Statistical unit
In this survey, statistical unit is an agricultural holding with livestock units’ activity, which at least has two heads of small livestock (sheep and goats) and/or at least one head of large livestock (cattle & calves, buffalos & calves and camels & calves).
Statistical frame
The sampling frame at the first stage includes the list of all cities and villages which had livestock units’ activities according to the results of the 1382 National Census of Agriculture and information on the number of livestock by type at the day of survey.
The sampling frame of the second stage in the urban areas includes the list of all holdings which had livestock farming activities at the day of the 1382 National Census of Agriculture and in the rural areas it includes the list of all the holdings which had livestock units’ activities at the day of the 1390 survey.
Sampling method
In this survey, a two-stage probability-stratified sampling method was used as follows:
With respect to the survey objectives and significant differences between sample units in terms of having livestock and its types at the first stage, these units were stratified according to the livestock unit variable. Due to a large skewness of distribution of this variable, the phase method was used for stratification.
Sampling units of the first stage were selected by simple random method without replacement to each stratum. The sampling units of the second stage were classified into two groups: large holders and small holders, according to significant difference of the number of livestock. Large holders were enumerated and sample small holders in all cities and the villages of the second group were selected by simple random method without replacement and in the villages of the first group they were selected systematically.
Estimation relative error
The relative error for estimation of livestock unit variable was 4.76 percent and for milk production was 10.48 percent in this survey and for total country.
Statistical date
Statistical date for some parts of data is the day of the survey and for other parts, is the past 365 days as of the survey date.
Survey Date
The survey date was from 3 to 26 of Day1390 for 21 working days.
Method of information / data collection
The needed information is collected by face to face interview with the holder or a member of his /her household for settled holders' households. For unsettled households, the information is collected by interview in case of availability of the unsettled holder, otherwise, by interview with the local informants.
Level of information dissemination
The results of this survey were published provincewide.
Definitions and concepts
Agricultural activities
In the 1382 National Census of Agriculture, agricultural activities included farming, horticulture, greenhouse production, animal husbandry (livestock farming), traditional raising of poultry, raising of honeybee and raising of silkworm (in this enumeration, just animal husbandry was surveyed).
Livestock farming activity
It refers to raising of small and large livestock which may be done in a traditional or modern way.
Small livestock: refers to sheep & lambs and goats and kids.
Large livestock: refers to cattle & calves, buffalos& calves and camels& calves.
Agricultural holdings
All agricultural activities run by a single management are an "agricultural production unit" which is called "agricultural holding".
Holding with livestock
In this survey, each of agricultural holdings that has at least 2 heads of small livestock or one head of large livestock is called "holdings with livestock".
Agricultural holders
Refer to members of one or more household(s) (natural persons) or a public institute/ authorized company (legal persons) who exercise management control over the agricultural holding. The holder(s) has technical and economic responsibility for the holding as well as direct role in its profit and loss.
Holder with livestock
This term is used for a person who has at least 2 heads of small livestock or one head of large livestock on the day of enumeration and manages the holding alone or jointly. He/she has or contributes to technical and economic responsibility for the holding as well as direct role in its profit and loss.
Household
Persons living together in one residence, sharing their living expenses and eating together constitute a household.
Holder's household with livestock
Is a household, at lease a member of whom has livestock on the day of enumeration based on the given conventional limits.
Settled holder
A natural person who has private holding within the limit of a village or a city of his own residence, or contributes to the management of one or more joint holdings with other households.
Unsettled holder
A natural person who lives in a city or a village other than the place of holding (in the sample city or village), regardless of having or not having a holding in the city or village of their own residence.
Authorized company / Public institute
Authorized company refers to any kind of company which is established and registered legally as a company. Public institute is any kind of government organization or non-private institute (except companies).