The area of natural grassland in China reaches as high as 392.8 million hm², which makes up 41% of the total land of this country. The grassland is mainly distributed in the western regions of China. The grassland productivity in China is generally low, with the average of only 911 kg, hay /ha.yr. Moreover, the grassland productivity in different bio-climatic regions often differs greatly (Table 1).

Theoretic capacity of the whole grassland in China is estimated to 450 million sheep units. However, the amount of domestic herbivore China owned in 2000 reached 970 million sheep units, and the actual animal load of the grassland was at least 700-800 sheep units as 30-40% of fodder in the agricultural and semi-agricultural areas was made of crop straws etc. Hence, The overload rate of the grassland in China was estimated to more than 60%. Table 1 indicates the grassland in the keystone pasturing areas in northern China was heavily overloaded, causing the deterioration of the soil and ecosystems; while the grassland to the south of the Yangtze River and in the Sichuan Basin was not fully utilized and still had potentials for exploitation.          

The main restricting factors for the sustainable use of the grassland include: (1) Climate stress: 61% of the grassland is in alpine or water-shortage areas; (2) Natural disasters and rodent and insect pests: 5 million hm² of grassland is affected by natural disasters each year and 30% of the semi-arid grassland, alpine grassland and meadow are damaged by rodent pest; (3) Soil degradation: 1.05 million hm² of grassland in the desert areas has been deteriorated to different extent; (4) Imbalance between cold and warm: 44.4% of the grassland in China is suitable for pasturing in warm seasons; but only 24.3% for pasturing in cold seasons; (5) Low rate of artificial grassland: only 2.4% of the grassland in China is artificial or improved one; (6) Low input, extensive management and the faultiness of grassland property rights.

 Table 1 Area and productivity of the natural grassland in China in 2000

Regions	Area of natural grassland (ha)	Yield (Hay, kg/ha.yr)	Potential (Hay, kg/ha.yr)	Theoretic capacity (sheep units)	Amount of domestic herbivore in 2000 (sheep units)
Northeast China	19787054	1243	11961	41504227	81217800
The Huang-Huai-Hai Rivers Region	4412477	1769	16013	10380407	226291200
The lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River	7830031	3307	28177	25813687	72572400
The south of the Yangtze River	18078323	3479	30903	58939658	58207000
South China	6798994	3070	35048	30670010	69563800
The Inner Mongolia Plateau and along the Great Wall	62975566	862	4182	44922632	74411800
The Loess Plateau	18517247	1153	7762	23317581	61732000
The Sichuan Basin	12754961	2378	26573	42594488	42922300
The Yunnan-guizhou Plateau	22394613	1772	27414	48839077	92649800
The Hengduan Mountain Area	32639249	1381	14707	28688728	37986800
Northwest China	84828762	684	1288	38386608	79281200
The Tibet Plateau	101815566	577	4577	54858313	71917700
Total	392832633			448915416	968753800