Shaanxi Hengshan County shepherd who became rich raising sheep moves into a big villa

On the morning of July 14, the group taking part in the Yulin "Saishang Environmental Century Journey" activity walked into Majialiang Village, Hengshan Town, Hengshan County. The first impression here was wide roads and big houses, and many city people visiting the place exclaimed: "Life here is really good." Forty years ago, the ancestors of the Majialiang people began raising sheep; forty years later, thanks to sheep raising, the people here have moved into villas. This phenomenon has been vividly called "shepherds living in villas" by the people who come to visit after hearing about it. "Every household here raises sheep; a few hundred meters from the door is your own sheep pen, with unified planning and management. We no longer rely on the land for a living, and per capita income is more than 10,000 yuan." The villagers of Majialiang feel very proud.

The villagers' villas are fully equipped

"The government leveled this mountain, and we paid to build the houses." In front of his own villa, the reporter met 67-year-old villager Ma Dengya, and when he talked about these big houses, his face was full of pride. "In 2008, government leaders came to talk to me, then the village Party secretary, saying they wanted to move the more than 200 people of the whole village off the mountain ridge." Ma Dengya recalled that the leaders said at the time that if they were going to do it big, they would level the 18-meter-high mountain in front and build houses on the mountain not far from the sheep pens; if they were going to do it small, they would move to a flat piece of land. "If we're going to do it, let's do it big." Ma Dengya said, "At the time I slapped my thigh hard and gave the leaders my guarantee."

So starting at the end of 2008, a massive project began. It took 3 years, and 20 brand-new villas were completed. Ma Dengya explained, "There are 20 of these big houses in total, each housing 2 households, each household more than 240 sq m. My eldest son and I occupy one, building the house cost more than 400,000, and last year the decoration cost another 190,000." At Ma Dengya's home, the reporter saw that natural gas, solar water heaters, indoor stairs, LCD TVs, broadband internet... everything was available. When Ma Dengya and his wife have free time, they like to sit on the second-floor balcony and bask in the sun.

"Raising sheep gave me everything; I don't dare shortchange the sheep"

Ma Dengya is a famous sheep-raising expert in the village, in the county, and even nationwide. Now his two sons, Ma Rugui and Ma Ruzhu, have inherited his business. Last year Ma Ruzhu earned 180,000 yuan from raising sheep. This year he is raising more than 200 sheep, and he is a well-known large-scale sheep raiser in Majialiang.

When it comes to raising sheep, Ma Dengya is full of emotion. "Thanks to raising sheep, all three of my sons got married, and we also built 5 houses." He said, "The sheep gave me everything; I don't dare shortchange the sheep." Beside a sheep pen a few hundred meters from Ma Dengya's villa, the reporter from Huashang Daily saw that the pen was enclosed with cement, steel bars and bricks, and to keep out rain, a rain shelter had been specially put up above the pen. For environmental protection, the village separates people from livestock raising, there is no pollution from sheep manure processing, and one cubic meter of sheep manure can sell for 80 yuan. The village Party secretary Yang Wenqiang said that in 2008 the Yulin Municipal Government approved this place as the Northern Shaanxi White Cashmere Goat Scientific Breeding Demonstration Park. Up to now there are 220 sheep-raising households, with 8,100 head on hand, and a provincial-level science and technology demonstration expert courtyard for Northern Shaanxi white cashmere goats has also been established, with cumulative investment of 34.24 million yuan, of which 27.93 million yuan was raised by the farmers themselves.

Another villager, Ma Zengzheng, said the white cashmere goats raised here are hybridized from Liaoning goats and Northern Shaanxi black goats, and have the characteristics of fine and long cashmere and delicious meat, and the village has achieved unified and scientific management of all its sheep. Every week people from all over the country come to visit.

"Raising sheep requires not only knowing how to manage,but even more knowing how to create"

Villager Ma Zhancang's income last year reached 80,000 yuan, but he was not satisfied. "My house is being decorated, and everything needs money now." Because Majialiang white cashmere goats have built a brand, as soon as the sheep leave the pen buyers swarm in, so Ma Zhancang is preparing to expand his sheep-raising scale. Village Party secretary Yang Wenqiang said that Majialiang could achieve its current results first by persistence, second by science, and third by diligence. "Only through scientific means and scientific management can you truly become rich."

At a place not far from the villagers' villa area, the reporter from Huashang Daily saw that a building covering 1,000 sq m was under construction. The villagers said this place is intended for catering services, and in addition a cold storage facility will be built so mutton can stay fresh for a long time, gradually realizing a whole industrial chain.

The villagers said with emotion that raising sheep involves a lot of knowledge, and you must not only know how to manage but even more know how to create. From a young age to adulthood, a sheep has its own unique patterns. "A sheep is a treasure from head to tail. If the village develops the catering service industry and attracts city people to come, it will certainly have great prospects."

According to reports, in 2013 the village was awarded the title "Northwest Desert Grassland Cashmere Goat Efficient Ecological Breeding Technology Research and Demonstration Experimental Base" by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance, and was also awarded the title "Provincial-Level Ecological Village" by the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government. Yang Wenqiang said that the rerouting of Provincial Highway 204 also passes through the village, and it is expected to further drive the village's economic development in the future.