A staff member checks the condition of a lamb at a sheepfold in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

Pastoral areas of Xinjiang welcome the lambing season. In Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, about 180,000 breeding ewes have so far given birth to some 130,000 lambs, and lambing is expected to continue until early April.

In recent years, Manas has stepped up the improvement of sheep breeding to boost productivity, survival rate and meat quality. By shortening the time to market and increasing value added, improved breeds have become a key driver of industrial efficiency and higher incomes for local herders.

This photo taken on March 3, 2026 shows a flock of sheep at a sheepfold in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

A staff member adds layers of straw to keep the sheepfold warm in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 3, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

This photo taken on March 3, 2026 shows lambs (front) at a sheepfold in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

This photo taken on March 3, 2026 shows a lamb (L) standing beside a ewe at a sheepfold in Manas County of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)