Research on Construction and Optimization Paths for Quality Concept Model of Green Supply Chain of Livestock Products

Abstract

The quality of the supply chain for livestock products is related to the sustainable development of the livestock industry and national food security. Based on supply chain theory, green supply chain theory, and quality management theory, combined with the characteristics of livestock products and field research in China and Mongolia, a conceptual model of green supply chain quality for livestock products was constructed around two dimensions: livestock product quality and green supply chain service quality. Among them, the factors affecting the quality of livestock products are composed of 10 factors pertaining to breeding, slaughtering and processing, circulation, and sales; the factors affecting the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products are composed of 16 factors in five links of supply chain services, such as logistics, information flow, capital flow, personnel quality, and public services. The quality of livestock products and the quality of green supply chain services of livestock products are not independent from each other, but show a relationship of mutual influence and mutual restriction. Focusing on the two dimensions of livestock product quality and livestock product green supply chain service quality, an optimization path of livestock product green supply chain quality is proposed. The research findings have certain guiding significance for promoting the high-quality development of green supply chains for cross-border livestock products in China and Mongolia.

1. Introduction

Animal husbandry is a basic industry of the national economy and an important strategic industry for establishing the concept of big food and guaranteeing national food security. In 2024, the Central Document No. 1 of the Chinese government emphasizes the need to stabilize the basic production capacity of beef and mutton. Animal husbandry is not only related to human food security and health, but also to the ecological balance and sustainable development of the environment. It is estimated that global animal husbandry accounts for 14.5% of total greenhouse gas emissions, of which meat production accounts for 9%, dairy production accounts for 4%, and egg production accounts for 1% [1]. In addition, the global animal husbandry consumes 33% of agricultural land [1], resulting in serious consequences such as land degradation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. The green cycle development of animal husbandry faces severe challenges.

In recent years, consumers’ demand for livestock products has continued to increase, and the requirements for the safety, quality, and greenness of livestock products have become higher [2]. Livestock products involve multiple links and multiple participants, from breeding, processing, and circulation to sales, forming a complex supply chain. Problems in any one part of the supply chain may lead to quality problems in livestock products, which in turn affects consumer satisfaction and could even trigger a food safety crisis.

However, in the current livestock product supply chain, there are problems such as information asymmetry, low operational efficiency, and lack of supervision, which can easily lead to quality loss in livestock products in the links of breeding, processing, circulation, and sales. For example, in the cross-border supply chain of agricultural and livestock products between China and Mongolia, driven by consumer interests, there are problems such as the non-standard initial processing of livestock products, which seriously affect the quality and safety of livestock products [2].

High-quality development of the livestock product supply chain requires green empowerment [3]. Therefore, improving the resource utilization efficiency and environmental friendliness of the green supply chain of livestock products is a necessary condition for achieving the green development of animal husbandry. This paper focuses on the following key research questions: (1) How can a theoretical framework for quality evaluation be constructed to study the quality issues of green supply chains of livestock products? (2) How can we improve the quality, greenness, and benefits of the green supply chain of livestock products by ensuring the effective supply of livestock products and reducing the consumption of resources and the environment in all links of the green supply chain of livestock products?

A sound industrial chain plays an important role in the development of the animal husbandry economy [4]. In order to enhance our ability to guarantee the security of the supply of green livestock products, and achieve green cyclic development, it is necessary to take the green supply chain of livestock products as a carrier and the quality of it as an entry point to systematically optimize the quality of the entire green supply chain of animal products. Improving the quality of the green supply chain of livestock products is not only an inevitable requirement for guaranteeing the effective supply of national green livestock products, meeting the diversified needs of consumers and increasing the income of farmers and herdsmen, but also an important way to protect and improve the ecological environment and realize the green transformation of the animal husbandry.

An important contribution of this paper is to construct a quality conceptual model of the livestock product green supply chain around the two dimensions of livestock product quality and supply chain service quality from the perspective of overall supply chain quality, under the guidance of the concept of green development, combined with the characteristics of livestock products. In addition, the article analyzes the main factors affecting livestock product quality and supply chain service quality from a full chain perspective, and proposes some paths to optimize the quality of livestock product green supply chain. The research findings have certain guiding significance for promoting the high-quality development of supply chains for cross-border livestock products in China and Mongolia.

The remainder of the paper is organized as follows: Section 2 briefly reviews the relevant literature. Section 3 introduces the quality conceptual model for the green supply chain of livestock products. Section 4 discusses paths for optimizing the quality of the livestock product green supply chain. Section 5 presents the research conclusions and future research fields.

2. Review of Relevant Literature

This paper focuses on the review of related literature from the point of view of two aspects. In the review of the green supply chain of livestock products, it follows the logic of reviewing from macro to micro levels and from non-local to local levels; in the review of the quality of the livestock supply chain, it mainly focuses on the quality of livestock products and the service quality of the supply chain to carry out a systematic review in two dimensions.

2.1. Green Supply Chain of Livestock Products

Since the 1990s, scholars at home and abroad have conducted extensive and in-depth research on the concept, management model, and process system of green supply chain. The concept of a green supply chain was first proposed by Michigan State University in 1996 in a study on “environmentally responsible manufacturing”. With the sustained and rapid development of the economy, contradictions between the economy, resources, and environment have become increasingly prominent. Traditional supply chain management only emphasizes the optimization and coordination of the supply chain as a whole, but ignores negative impacts on the environment. Green supply chain management integrates the awareness of environmental protection into the supply chain and follows environmental protection regulations in the stages of product design and development and raw material procurement, so as to reduce the harm to the environment caused by the products in their whole life cycle and improve the efficiency of resource utilization. The green supply chain of livestock products is mainly composed of breeding, slaughtering and processing, and circulation and sales. Zhang and Wang discussed the driving factors for the formation of a green supply chain of grassland livestock products and revealed the formation mechanism of it in four dimensions: enterprise, industry, public, and government [5]. The following is a review of each of the four links.

Regarding the breeding link, Zhu analyzed the value implications of the green development of ecological animal husbandry and constraints on the green development of ecological animal husbandry, and proposed a path of the green development of ecological animal husbandry [6]; Huan and Wang concluded through a case study on the breeding of Zhengda egg-laying hens that it is necessary to adopt a development model of the ecological cycle of breeding and farming to create a closed ecological cycle system [7]; Tian and Mao conducted an empirical analysis of the influencing factors of farmers’ breeding pollution control methods, and put forward relevant countermeasures and suggestions [8]; Yu and Mi believed that to promote the sustainable development of livestock and poultry breeding, on the one hand, it is necessary to seize new opportunities of digital rural construction, and on the other hand, it is necessary to promote the green development of livestock and poultry breeding [9]; Yang et al. believed that carrying out integrated and large-scale production of soybean planting and pig farming in suitable provinces can improve the production efficiency of soybeans and pigs and achieve a balance between feed safety and meat safety [10].

Regarding the slaughtering and processing link, Li et al. introduced the current main slaughtering and processing enterprises at home and abroad, and looked forward to the development trend of intelligent slaughtering and processing technology and equipment [11]; Zhao and Jirigala believed that the development of the Inner Mongolia beef cattle industry should strengthen support for slaughtering and processing enterprises [12]; Wei and Zhang conducted surveys on domestic large-scale beef cattle slaughtering and processing enterprises and beef consumers, respectively, and put forward the constraints and corresponding countermeasures affecting the development of the slaughtering and processing industry [13].

Regarding the circulation link, Luo et al. built a cold chain logistics system for agricultural and livestock products in Jiangxi Province based on cloud technology, providing support for the ecological and modern cold chain logistics of agricultural and livestock products in Jiangxi Province [14]; Liu et al. constructed a dual-network linkage livestock product circulation model with “herders or cooperatives + livestock product slaughtering and processing enterprises” as the supply consortium [15]; Orjuela Castro et al. designed a multi-level and multi-objective fresh fruit logistics system, which adjusts the temperature and humidity of fruits in the logistics process in real time, greatly improving the fruit preservation effect [16]; Wang analyzed the current status of cold chain logistics development in Henan Province, and proposed problems and countermeasures for the cold chain logistics of agricultural products in Henan Province under the concept of green development [17].

Regarding the sales link, Zheng analyzed the necessity of carrying out the green marketing of agricultural products in the construction of an ecological civilization, pointed out the constraints of the current green marketing of agricultural products, and proposed green marketing strategies [18]; Lun et al. constructed an analytical framework that affects the willingness to pay a premium for green agricultural products, and explored the impact of agricultural product labeling cognition and consumption habits on the willingness to pay a premium for green agricultural products [19].

Based on the above research, Zhang et al. systematically analyzed the main problems that exist in the integration of the livestock product supply chain from the whole-link perspective, and proposed targeted optimization paths, and then summarized the main operation mode that the integration of the livestock product supply chain should adopt [20]. Subsequently, the interest linkage mechanism of the livestock product supply chain was analyzed [21]. Comprehensively, domestic and foreign scholars have explored and studied the concept of the green supply chain as well as the model and system of the green supply chain; they have analyzed the operation of a livestock product green supply chain around the breeding link, slaughtering and processing link, circulation link, and sales link, but most of the literature has a relatively limited perspective on research of the livestock product green supply chain, lacking in-depth research on the livestock product green supply chain from the perspective of the whole supply chain.

2.2. Quality of Livestock Product Supply Chain

Supply chain quality control is of great significance for enhancing the competitive advantage of retail enterprises [22]. Wang and Du found that the integration of agricultural product supply chain quality can significantly improve the operational performance of circulation enterprises [23].

By reviewing relevant literature, it can be concluded that some scholars study supply chain quality from a product perspective, while others study supply chain quality from a service perspective. Therefore, this section provides a literature review focusing on two aspects: the quality of livestock products and the service quality of the supply chain.

For the quality of livestock product, the existing literature has mainly studied the factors affecting the quality of livestock products. For example, Liu found that the quality and safety risks in livestock breeding mainly lie in feed safety, and the quality and safety of livestock product production and processing are related to the production scale and production level of enterprises [24]; Ji deeply explored the key factors affecting the quality of livestock product production related to three aspects: environmental factors, technical factors, and personnel and management factors [25]; Wang believed that the factors affecting the quality and safety of livestock products mainly include environmental factors, drug factors, epidemic factors, processing and slaughtering factors, and circulation factors [26]; Jiang et al. found that changes in breeding models and insufficient application of technology will affect the quality of livestock products. In order to maintain the high quality of products, it is necessary to match the application of technology with the breeding model [4]; He believed that green technology innovation is a key part to enhance the competitiveness of animal husbandry [27]; Huo and Zhong found that introducing blockchain technology can improve the quality and safety of agricultural product, and established an evolutionary game model between agricultural product suppliers and processors based on blockchain technology [28]. On this basis, some scholars have further studied measures to improve the quality of livestock products. For example, Yang and Wang believe that there is an urgent need to strengthen biosafety measures in the breeding industry and build a livestock product quality and safety supervision and traceability system for the entire industry chain [29]; You analyzed Australia’s measures to maintain the quality and safety of livestock products, and put forward inspiration for improving the quality of livestock products in China [30]; Jackson et al. believed that the value creation ability of the livestock product supply chain can be enhanced from four aspects: supply chain operability, product quality, animal welfare, and innovative learning [31]; Zeng studied the quality of agricultural product supply chain from the perspective of products, and analyzed the collaborative control mode of agricultural product supply chain quality [32].

For the service quality of a supply chain, Zhang and Zhao argued that the supply chain service empowers the supply chain and partners through the output of service elements such as capabilities, resources, models, and information, which is an important foundation to ensure the formation and sustainable operation of the supply chain [33]; Wu et al. analyzed the factors affecting the quality of the fresh agricultural product supply chain from the perspective of improving service level [34]. Xu et al. established a service quality evaluation system for the agricultural machinery supply chain from four perspectives: organizational form model, service business, value-added, and other aspects [35]; Su et al. constructed a conceptual model of the green supply chain service quality of dairy products [36]. On this basis, some scholars have focused on the quality of logistics services in supply chain services. For example, Froio and Bezerra found through studying the logistics service practices in Brazil that measures such as optimizing transportation routes, recycling waste, and reusing packaging materials can effectively reduce the environmental burden and improve the level and performance of corporate logistics services [37]; Zhang and Zhou focused on analyzing the quality evaluation system of cold chain logistics services in the agricultural product supply chain [38]. Jiang proposed a logistics service quality evaluation index system covering four sustainability factors: environment, economy, society, and customers [39].

In summary, domestic and foreign scholars have conducted preliminary explorations on the influencing factors of livestock product quality and on developing a conceptual model of supply chain service quality and a logistics service quality evaluation system for supply chain services, which have laid an important foundation for the research of this paper. However, the existing literature on supply chain quality mainly focuses on product quality or service quality in the supply chain and some literature focuses on the logistics service quality in supply chain service quality. There is little literature on the overall quality of the supply chain from the two dimensions of product quality and supply chain service quality. In addition, the existing research has not focused on the entire supply chain. Therefore, the existing research lacks a certain degree of systematicity and comprehensiveness, which is not conducive to a comprehensive understanding and overall control of the quality of green supply chains for livestock products.

3. Construction of Quality Conceptual Model for Green Supply Chain of Livestock Products

On the basis of our comprehensive literature research at home and abroad, combined with the characteristics of a green supply chain for livestock products and our actual research situation, this article constructs a conceptual model of the quality of the green supply chain for livestock products through standardized qualitative research methods.

In this paper, the factors affecting the quality of the green supply chain of livestock products are divided into two aspects: the quality of livestock products and the service quality of supply chain, as shown in Figure 1. For the quality of livestock products, the breeding link, slaughtering and processing link, circulation link, and sales link all have an important impact on the quality of livestock products; further, the quality of supply chain service, the circulation of livestock products between different links, the transmission of information, and the resulting capital turnover all affect the quality and efficiency of the livestock supply chain. At the same time, in order to better improve the quality of supply chain service, guaranteeing and supporting personnel quality and public services are needed.

The quality of livestock products and the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products are not independent of each other, but show a relationship of mutual influence and mutual restriction, as shown in Figure 2. The quality of livestock products refers to the extent to which livestock products meet quality standards and satisfy consumers’ requirements for livestock product quality and safety in the links of breeding, processing, circulation, and sales. It is the inherent attribute of livestock products. The service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products refers to the extent to which all participants in the livestock product supply chain minimize the cost and improve the service efficiency of livestock product on the premise of meeting consumer needs. It is the external attribute of livestock products.

The quality of livestock products is the foundation of the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products. Only by ensuring the quality of livestock products itself can we meet consumers’ demands for the safety, nutrition, health, and greenness of livestock products, at which time, the improvement of the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products will be more valuable. At the same time, the quality of livestock products can also reflect a guaranteed level of the service quality of the green supply chain to a certain extent.

The service quality of the livestock product green supply chain is a guarantee of livestock product quality. By establishing a green supply chain service system and implementing quality monitoring, traceability, information sharing and other measures, the quality of livestock products can be effectively guaranteed and improved, and quality risks can be prevented from occurring and spreading. The service quality of the livestock product green supply chain directly affects the stability of livestock product quality, and thus affects consumer loyalty and satisfaction.

They are interdependent and interact with each other, and need to achieve coordinated development in terms of policies, technologies, standards, and supervision. Improving the quality of livestock products can motivate all participants in the supply chain to strengthen collaboration and innovation, thereby providing better supply chain service. Improving the service quality can promote the continuous improvement of livestock product quality, form a virtuous circle, and better promote the high-quality development of animal husbandry.

3.1. Quality of Livestock Products

The quality of livestock products is an important part of the quality of the green supply chain of livestock products and an important goal in the high-quality development of animal husbandry. The quality of livestock products not only affects the health of consumers, but also affects the market competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities of animal husbandry. To improve the quality of livestock products, it is necessary to start from the breeding, slaughtering and processing, circulation, and sales links in the livestock product supply chain to ensure the safety of livestock products from source to table, as shown in Figure 3.

3.1.1. Breeding

The breeding link mainly affects the quality of livestock products in the green supply chain through four aspects: breeding environment factors, input factors, technical factors, and breeding personnel and management factors.

(1)

Breeding environment factors

The breeding environment factors are composed of objective environments that can affect the quality of livestock production, including the regional ecological environment level, the clean production capacity of breeding enterprises, the breeding environment level, and animal welfare. If there are industrial wastewater and waste gas emissions in the surrounding areas of livestock breeding, they will pollute the atmosphere, water bodies, and soil, and affect the quality of livestock products through breathing, drinking, and eating. Livestock and poultry breeding in China generally adopts centralized feeding. In the process of livestock breeding, a large amount of breeding waste will be generated. Therefore, the clean production capacity of breeding enterprises will have an impact on livestock and poultry health, virus cross-infection, etc. The breeding environment of livestock and the modernization level of the pens will also affect the normal growth of livestock and poultry, and then affect the production quality of livestock products. Under good welfare conditions, the immunity and reproductive capacity of animals will be greatly improved, and they will be better able to show normal growth and reproductive behavior, thereby improving the quality and nutritional value of livestock products.

(2)

Input factors

Input factors in the production and breeding process include feed quality, labor input, and veterinary drug quality. The use of feed can increase livestock product output and promote livestock and poultry growth, but poor-quality feed can lead to excessive hormone and additive residues in livestock and poultry, affecting the quality of livestock products. Labor input also has a certain impact on the quality of livestock products. Refined breeding can promote the healthy growth of livestock and poultry, and the livestock product quality will also be higher. Poor quality veterinary drugs will directly lead to drug residues in livestock and poultry, and their excrement will pollute the ecological environment, affect the quality of livestock products and damage their ecology, and further endanger human health [25].

(3)

Technical factors

Technical factors consist of breeding technologies that can affect the quality of livestock production, including epidemic prevention technology, quarantine technology, stock breeding technology, and standardized breeding technology. The spread of animal diseases caused by insufficient epidemic prevention technology will have a serious impact on the quality of livestock products, and also increase the probability of the spread of zoonotic diseases. Regular quarantine can effectively monitor the spread of diseases among livestock and poultry, reduce the risk of pathogens and toxins in livestock products, and thus ensure the quality and safety of livestock products. Excellent livestock breeds can promote the disease resistance, genetic ability, and health of livestock and poultry, all of which have an important impact on the quality, nutrition, flavor, and taste of livestock products. Standardized breeding technology can make production and breeding behaviors more standardized and scientific, thereby ensuring the quality of livestock products [25].

(4)

Breeding personnel and management factors

Breeding personnel and management factors are composed of breeding personnel and management models that can affect the quality of livestock product production, including the education level of breeding personnel, the breeding management system, and scientific breeding awareness. The education level of breeding personnel will directly affect their understanding of relevant breeding standards, terms, and policies as well as their mastery of relevant breeding technologies. The breeding management system will indirectly affect the quality of livestock product production. An efficient breeding management system will promote the improvement of production quality [25]. The scientific breeding awareness of breeding personnel affects the application of relevant science and technology in the breeding process, which in turn affects the quality of livestock products.

3.1.2. Slaughtering and Processing

The slaughtering and processing link is the key to improving the quality of livestock product; it mainly affects the quality of livestock products through two aspects: factory environment factors and the processing management system.

(1)

Factory environment factors

Factory environmental factors include the level of animal welfare before slaughter, the hygienic condition of the slaughterhouse, and the storage temperature of livestock products. If livestock and poultry are in a messy environment before slaughter, it will cause stress responses in livestock and poultry, increase the secretion of hormones such as adrenaline, lead to accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, and reduce the quality and safety of raw meat. If the slaughterhouse is poorly equipped, and the hygienic standards of the site, containers, equipment, water quality, etc., are not up to standard, it will result in varying degrees of pollution in livestock products; after slaughtering and processing, if the generated garbage is not handled in time, it is easy to cause secondary pollution. At the same time, improper temperature control also has an important impact on the quality of livestock products after slaughter.

(2)

Processing management system

Slaughtering and processing enterprises need to have a set of standards and a complete processing management system. If management is not in place, it is easy to cause product quality problems, such as those related to the use of additives and packaging materials in the processing process, the use of advanced technology and equipment, etc. Additives are mainly chemical substances or natural extracts used in the processing of livestock products. They can improve the color, taste, and spoilage rate of livestock products, but they may also cause residual harmful substances in livestock products, which in turn affect human health. The selection of packaging materials should follow the principles of green, environmental protection, reduction, and harmlessness. Appropriate packaging materials are very important for ensuring the quality and safety of livestock products. At the same time, the use of advanced technology and equipment can control the microbial contamination of livestock products to a certain extent, prevent the spread of diseases, and ensure the freshness and hygienic quality of livestock products.

3.1.3. Circulation

The circulation link is the core stage for realizing the value of livestock products. The circulation link mainly affects the quality and safety of livestock products through two aspects: transportation conditions and transportation process.

(1)

Transportation conditions

Good transportation conditions are the key to improving the added value of livestock products. Transportation conditions include three aspects: transportation environment hygiene, the density of loaded goods, and temperature inside the transport vehicle. Transportation environment hygiene is the basic condition to ensure the quality and safety of livestock products, involving multiple aspects such as transport vehicles, containers, tools, and personnel. Too high a density of loaded goods will lead to poor ventilation, heat dissipation, and dehumidification inside the transport vehicle, affecting the freshness and hygiene of livestock products, increasing the growth and spread of bacteria and mold, and reducing the safety of livestock products. Too low a temperature inside the transport vehicle will affect the quality indicators of livestock products such as freshness, moisture, color, and taste. Too high a temperature will increase the risk of bacterial reproduction and corruption.

(2)

Transportation process

The road conditions and transportation time have a certain impact on the quality of livestock products. Poor road conditions may cause vibration or collision of the transportation tools, resulting in damage and contamination of the livestock product packaging, which in turn affects the quality of livestock products. A long transportation time will lead to the loss of freshness of livestock products, loss of nutrients, and bacterial growth, affecting the safety of livestock products and the health of consumers.

3.1.4. Sales

The sales link is an important stage to protect consumer rights and meet market demand. The sales link mainly affects the quality of livestock products through the sales environment and storage conditions.

(1)

Sales environment

The sales environment mainly refers to the hygienic environment of sales. During the sales process, different types of food should be avoided from being mixed with livestock products. Otherwise, the livestock products will be contaminated by bacteria or fungi, resulting in substandard hygiene and affecting the quality and taste of the livestock products.

(2)

Storage conditions

Storage conditions mainly refer to the storage temperature and humidity conditions. Livestock products are perishable foods and need to be stored under appropriate temperature conditions to prevent bacterial growth and protein denaturation. At the same time, livestock products have a high moisture content and are easily affected by humidity. Excessive humidity will increase bacterial growth, causing livestock products to become moldy, corrupt, and taste bad.

3.2. Service Quality of Livestock Product Green Supply Chain

To improve the service quality of the livestock products green supply chain, it is necessary to start with the five aspects of logistics, information flow, capital flow, personnel quality, and public services to improve consumer satisfaction and trust, enhance the market competitiveness of livestock products, and promote the sustainable development of animal husbandry, as shown in Figure 4.

3.2.1. Logistics

Logistics affects the service quality of the livestock products green supply chain, which is related to the safety, freshness, and consumer satisfaction of livestock products. In the whole logistics process, the service quality of the livestock products green supply chain is mainly affected by four aspects: modernization of logistics infrastructure, circulation loss, order acceptance speed, and warehouse distribution and transportation route planning.

(1)

Modernization of logistics infrastructure

The construction and improvement of logistics infrastructure can improve the efficiency and flexibility of logistics, shorten the response time and delivery cycle of the supply chain, reduce the operating costs and inventory levels of the supply chain, and meet customers’ demand for fast, timely, and low-cost purchases. At the same time, a high degree of infrastructure modernization can promote the development of green logistics, promote energy conservation and emission reduction in the supply chain, and achieve the coordination and unification of the economic, social, and ecological benefits of the whole supply chain.

(2)

Circulation loss

The circulation loss of livestock products will increase circulation costs, increase the proportion of ineffective transportation, affect the efficiency and stability, and damage customers’ trust in and loyalty to livestock product brands. At the same time, the circulation loss of livestock products will lead to problems such as inventory mismatch and imbalance between supply and demand upstream and downstream of the supply chain, increase risk, and cause economic losses to all participants in the supply chain. Meanwhile, circulation loss will also cause the wasting of energy, affecting the green and sustainable development of the livestock product supply chain.

(3)

Order acceptance speed

Livestock products need to be transported and stored in a cold chain for a short period of time to ensure their quality and nutritional value. If companies can arrange the procurement, packaging, loading, and distribution of livestock products in a timely and reasonable manner, shortening the circulation time of livestock products, they can reduce losses and risk, improve the turnover rate of livestock products, reduce the waste and idleness of logistics resources, and improve their customer consumption experience and loyalty.

(4)

Warehouse distribution and transportation route planning

Reasonable warehouse distribution and route planning are important factors in ensuring the service quality of the livestock product green supply chain. The distribution of warehouses not only affects the cost and efficiency of livestock product storage, transportation, and distribution, but also affects the preservation, safety, and quality of livestock products. Transportation route planning affects transportation time, transportation cost, transportation safety, and customer satisfaction, which in turn affects the service quality of the livestock product supply chain.

3.2.2. Information Flow

Information flow can help all parties in the livestock product green supply chain to achieve coordination and sharing, and improve the resource utilization efficiency of the whole supply chain. In the livestock product green supply chain, information flow mainly affects the service quality of the livestock product green supply chain through two aspects: the degree of information sharing and the timeliness and completeness of information feedback.

(1)

Degree of information sharing

The degree of information sharing reflects the smoothness and the efficiency of the coordination of information flow in the supply chain. Information sharing in the supply chain can improve the traceability of livestock products and enhance consumer trust and satisfaction. Consumers can obtain information on the source, production, processing, and circulation of livestock products by scanning QR codes and other methods, thereby improving consumer experience. At the same time, through information sharing, the transportation routes, modes, and times of livestock products can be optimized, thereby improving the logistics efficiency of livestock products, reducing transportation costs and losses.

(2)

Timeliness and completeness of information feedback

The timeliness and completeness of information feedback can improve the coordination and responsiveness of the entire supply chain, enabling all parties in the livestock products green supply chain to adjust production plans, procurement plans, transportation plans and distribution plans in a timely manner according to market changes and customer needs, reduce inventory backlogs and out-of-stock risks, and improve customer satisfaction. It can also encourage all parties in the supply chain to better optimize resource allocation.

3.2.3. Capital Flow

A stable capital flow can support the efficient operation of a supply chain, improve the production efficiency, quality, and safety of livestock products, and help the supply chain better cope with risks and challenges and ensure the stable supply of livestock products. Capital flow mainly affects the service quality of the livestock product green supply chain through four aspects: total assets, total asset turnover rate, inventory turnover rate, and profit growth rate.

(1)

Total assets

Total assets can reflect the size, strength, and reputation of an enterprise. Enterprises with large total assets are generally core enterprises in the supply chain. They have greater influence and coordination capabilities on upstream and downstream enterprises, which can better control the risks and costs of the supply chain, better cope with market fluctuations and uncertainties, ensure the stable supply of livestock products, and improve the service quality. In addition, total assets can also reflect the innovation ability and competitiveness of enterprises in the supply chain. Enterprises with large total assets can make full use of their own resources, enhance their ability to respond to market changes and customer needs, promote technological innovation and model innovation in the supply chain, enhance the added value of livestock products, and increase customer loyalty and satisfaction to improve the service quality of the supply chain.

(2)

Total asset turnover rate

The higher the total asset turnover rate, the faster the enterprise’s capital turnover speed and the lower the capital occupation, which can make for faster and more flexible responses to market changes and risks, and improve the service quality of the supply chain. Enterprises with high total asset turnover rates can adjust the types, quantities, and prices of livestock products in a timely manner according to market changes and customer needs, so as to enhance their market competitiveness. At the same time, enterprises can flexibly adjust and optimize resource allocation, reduce costs, and improve the efficiency and benefits of production operations.

(3)

Inventory turnover rate

An appropriate inventory turnover rate is conducive to improving the service quality of the livestock product green supply chain. A low inventory turnover rate means that there is too much inventory backlog, which not only occupies a large amount of capital and increases costs, but also easily leads to problems such as the deterioration of livestock product quality, shortened shelf life, and increased safety risks, thus affecting consumer satisfaction and trust. A high inventory turnover rate means that the enterprise can respond to market demand in a timely manner and provide fresh, high-quality, and safe livestock products.

(4)

Profit growth rate

The profit growth rate can reflect the economic benefits and competitiveness of the supply chain. On the one hand, a high profit growth rate can encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment, enhance technological innovation capabilities, improve the quality and safety of livestock products, reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution, and thus improve service quality. On the other hand, a high profit growth rate can also encourage enterprises to optimize logistics distribution networks, improve cold chain facilities, and improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby improving service quality.

3.2.4. Personnel Quality

Personnel quality refers to the comprehensive ability and level of enterprise employees in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitude, which directly affects the production efficiency, product quality, service level, and competitiveness of an enterprise. Personnel quality affects the service quality of the livestock product green supply chain through three aspects: employee professional skills, employee service attitude, and teamwork ability.

(1)

Employee professional skills

Employees’ professional skills affect the production efficiency and quality of livestock products. Employees with high professional skills can better master and apply relevant technical methods in livestock product production, processing, circulation, and sales, improve production efficiency and product quality, reduce costs and waste in the supply chain, and improve the benefits and competitiveness of the supply chain. At the same time, they can better identify and evaluate risks and opportunities in the supply chain, effectively respond to uncertainties in the supply chain, and improve the adaptability and innovation of it. Employees with high professional skills can also pay more attention to and improve the impact of the supply chain on the environment and society, and better implement green production models, such as the combination of farming and breeding, circular agriculture, and the resource utilization of manure, to reduce the environmental pollution caused by livestock and poultry manure, wastewater, and solid waste.

(2)

Employee service attitude

Employee service attitude is directly related to customer satisfaction, loyalty, and corporate reputation and competitiveness. On the one hand, employee service attitude can affect customers’ perception and evaluation of livestock products. If employees can provide professional, friendly, timely, and proactive service, they can enhance customer trust and satisfaction, thereby increasing the added value and market share of livestock products. On the other hand, employee service attitude also affects the collaboration efficiency within the livestock product green supply chain, thereby affecting the service quality of the whole supply chain.

(3)

Teamwork ability

Teamwork ability can improve communication and coordination among supply chain partners, reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions, and improve supply chain efficiency; in addition, it can promote knowledge sharing and learning among supply chain members, and improve the innovation capabilities and competitive advantages of supply chain. Teamwork ability can help all participating enterprises in the supply chain form strategic partnerships, create common values and trust mechanisms, and enhance the core competitiveness of the supply chain.

3.2.5. Public Services

Public services refer to a series of services provided by the government or social organizations to all participants in the livestock product green supply chain that are conducive to the efficient operation of the supply chain, including financial subsidy support, technical support, and infrastructure construction support.

(1)

Financial subsidy support

Financial subsidy support refers to the economic incentives provided by the government or social organizations to the participants in a supply chain. The recipients of financial subsidies include farmers, circulation enterprises, slaughtering and processing enterprises, etc. Through financial subsidy support, the main bodies of the livestock industry can be motivated to improve the safety standards of livestock products, strengthen brand building and market development, and enhance the added value and competitiveness of livestock products, so as to improve the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products.

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Technical support

Technical support has an important impact on the service quality of a supply chain. Ning pointed out the quality and safety level of the fresh agricultural product supply chain can be improved through block chain technology [40]. For example, breeding technology training for herders can improve their breeding skills and management level. At the same time, green technology support can also enhance the green development awareness and capabilities of all participants, and realize the green development of the entire industrial chain.

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Infrastructure construction support

The government’s support for infrastructure construction refers to the government’s effort to strengthen infrastructure construction in all aspects of animal husbandry production, processing, circulation, and sales through financial investment, policy support, project rewards, etc., to improve the production efficiency, quality safety, and market competitiveness of animal husbandry. For example, the government supports the construction of forage reserves, pens, standardized farms, and other facilities, which can ensure the stability and scale of animal husbandry production. Furthermore, the government supports the construction of cold chain logistics, cold storage and preservation, and slaughtering and processing facilities, which can improve the processing depth and added value of animal products and meet the market demand for high-end animal products. In addition, the government supports the creation of green factories, green products, green supply chains, and other models, and the formulation of green production standards, which can reduce pollutants and carbon emissions. Finally, the government supports the construction of functional facilities such as livestock product quality testing, traceability, and supervision, which can strengthen the quality and safety management of livestock products, standardize the production and operation of livestock products, and enhance consumers’ trust in livestock products.

4. Paths for Optimizing the Quality of the Livestock Product Green Supply Chain

Combined with the quality conceptual model of the livestock product green supply chain constructed above, optimization paths for livestock product green supply chain quality are proposed from the two dimensions of livestock product quality and livestock product green supply chain service quality.

4.1. Paths for Optimizing Livestock Product Quality

4.1.1. Improving Breeding Technology and Increasing Production Efficiency

Firstly, it is essential to actively promote the establishment of standardized demonstration projects in animal husbandry, disseminate a series of effective breeding models, and enhance the standardization level of breeding. Secondly, efforts should be intensified in the selection and improvement of introduced breeds to enhance their adaptability and production performance. Additionally, animal welfare must be fully ensured by providing appropriate environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, and lighting based on the physiological, behavioral, and psychological characteristics of the animals. It is also important to rationally allocate feed to meet the nutritional needs of the animals, avoid the use of prohibited drugs and additives, and regularly carry out vaccinations, disinfection, and deworming measures. Finally, the utilization of smart animal husbandry technology is crucial. This includes installing intelligent sensors and monitoring equipment to obtain real-time key data on the body temperature, weight, and activity of livestock and poultry, thereby enabling timely disease detection and prevention, and improving breeding efficiency and animal health levels.

4.1.2. Promoting the Resource Utilization of Livestock and Poultry Manure

The degree of resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure should be increased to effectively improve the upstream breeding benefits and promote the improvement of livestock product quality. First, it is important to strengthen policy support and guidance, as well as to formulate and improve relevant laws and standards for harmless treatment and resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure. Through organizing training, demonstrations, inspections, and other methods, the skills and levels of livestock and poultry manure resource utilization of participants such as farms, herders, and third-party service agencies can be improved. At the same time, we should strengthen technology research and promotion, focus on breaking down technical and cost barriers to the resource utilization of manure, and improve the efficiency and quality of manure treatment. It is key to select suitable technologies and models for the resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure in the local area based on the characteristics of different regions, animal breeds, and scales.

4.1.3. Enhancing the Level and Quality of Slaughtering and Processing

First, the slaughtering process should be standardized and reasonable slaughtering methods adopted to improve animal welfare. At the same time, slaughtering and processing enterprises should comply with hygiene regulations, prevent livestock product contamination, and ensure the hygiene and safety of livestock products. Secondly, slaughtering and processing enterprises should increase investment in science and technology, introduce or independently develop advanced processing technologies and equipment suitable for the characteristics of different regions, improve production efficiency and quality, reduce costs and energy consumption, and enhance the added value and market competitiveness of livestock products. In addition, the management system and quality control system of slaughtering and processing enterprises should be improved, and a sound traceability mechanism and information platform for livestock products should be established to enhance consumer trust and satisfaction. Finally, slaughtering and processing enterprises should establish long-term and stable cooperative relations with farms, and achieve the stability of raw material supply and controllability of quality.

4.1.4. Improving the Construction of Cold Chain Logistics Facilities

Firstly, based on the distribution characteristics of livestock product production and sales in various regions, it is essential to optimize the layout of facilities such as cold storage and cold chain distribution centers. This includes strengthening support for remote areas and production sites to increase the full cold chain circulation rate of livestock products from production to consumption. Enhancing the technical transformation and upgrading of cold chain logistics equipment is also crucial. This involves introducing and promoting advanced cold chain logistics technologies and equipment to achieve real-time monitoring and automatic adjustment. These measures will improve the reliability and safety of cold chain transportation and enhance the freshness quality and level of livestock products. Additionally, it is important to formulate and improve relevant standards for livestock product cold chain logistics. These standards should include technical requirements for cold chain equipment, operating procedures, and quality control. Finally, strengthening the informatization and intelligent construction of cold chain logistics is vital. By making full use of information technologies such as big data and the Internet of Things, a livestock product cold chain logistics information platform can be established, which will enable comprehensive information collection and sharing from production to sales, thereby improving the service quality level of cold chain logistics.

4.1.5. Improving the Sales Environment and Conditions

Firstly, improving the sales environment involves ensuring that the sales environment and related facilities and equipment comply with food hygiene and safety laws and regulations. Additionally, using food-grade packaging materials is essential to ensure they are intact, clean, rust-free, and free from contaminants. It is also crucial to strictly monitor and control the temperature and humidity of storage spaces during the sales process to prevent temperature fluctuations from negatively impacting the quality of livestock products. Secondly, improving sales conditions involves establishing a quality traceability system for livestock products. This can be achieved through information systems and mobile terminals to query, verify, and provide feedback on information such as the source, breed, quality, inspection, quarantine, transportation, storage, and sales of livestock products. Furthermore, it is important to fully utilize various sales channels to expand the sales network of livestock products, meeting the diverse needs and preferences of consumers.

4.2. Paths for Optimizing Service Quality of Livestock Product Green Supply Chain

4.2.1. Optimizing Supply Chain Logistics Service

Firstly, optimizing the transportation methods of cold chain logistics for livestock products involves a comprehensive comparison and selection based on factors such as the type, quantity, distance, time, and cost of livestock products, while also considering customer needs. This aims to enhance the safety, speed, and cost-effectiveness of logistics transportation. Scientific planning should be conducted based on the characteristics of livestock products and market demand to select the optimal logistics routes. Various network information management technologies should be utilized to monitor the transportation and storage stages of livestock products, ensuring real-time and accurate tracking of logistics routes and temperature conditions. Secondly, to cater to the diverse needs and preferences of consumers, various forms and contents of cold chain logistics services should be provided to meet personalized and differentiated logistics demands. According to logistics service quality standards, high-quality, professional, and attentive logistics services should be offered to create a favorable logistics service experience for consumers.

4.2.2. Improving the Supply Chain Information System

Firstly, based on the characteristics of livestock products and the actual situation of each participant, an effective information sharing mechanism should be established. The content of information sharing mainly includes livestock product demand information, inventory information, production plan information, logistics status information, etc. Secondly, advanced information and network technologies should be utilized to establish a unified information platform which should enable real-time data collection, dynamic transmission, rapid processing, real-time interaction, secure storage, and convenient querying, thereby enhancing the responsiveness and flexibility of the green supply chain for livestock products. Finally, it is crucial to establish standards and norms for the information of green supply chain. These standards and norms are vital to ensuring the normal operation and efficient utilization of the information platform.

4.2.3. Strengthening Cooperation to Improve Capital Turnover Rate

All participants should strengthen cooperation, especially with relevant financial institutions, to improve the capital turnover rate of the whole supply chain. For example, upstream farmers can obtain low-interest loans through cooperation with financial institutions to purchase breeding equipment and related feed, thereby improving the efficiency of capital use. At the same time, slaughtering and processing enterprises need to establish long-term cooperative relationships with farmers, and use prepayments to ensure the stability of raw material supply to solve the problem of farmers’ capital turnover. Distribution enterprises can establish an information sharing platform with slaughtering and processing enterprises to understand market demand changes in real time, optimize inventory management, reduce inventory backlogs, and improve capital liquidity. Finally, retailers can also strengthen cooperation and communication with distribution enterprises and slaughtering and processing enterprises to replenish stocks in a timely manner, reduce inventory costs and improve capital turnover rate.

4.2.4. Improving the Overall Quality of Personnel

Firstly, to enhance the quality and skills of participants, it is essential to establish a green development mindset and awareness, actively learn and master modern breeding methods and technologies, and reduce resource waste and environmental pollution. Secondly, it is crucial to strengthen education and training related to the livestock product supply chain. This can be achieved through higher education institutions, vocational schools, and agricultural vocational education training centers by offering specialized programs and courses in the livestock product supply chain. This will cultivate a group of professionals with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Finally, establishing trust relationships among partners will enhance the overall service quality of the green supply chain for livestock products.

4.2.5. Improving the Public Service System

Firstly, the government should increase investment in public service resources by enhancing fiscal expenditure, introducing social capital, and improving policy incentives. Simultaneously, it is essential to optimize the resource allocation mechanism by reasonably determining the standards and methods of resource allocation according to the development patterns and regional characteristics of the livestock industry. Secondly, strengthening technical service support is crucial to enhance the production level and competitiveness of the livestock industry. This can be achieved by introducing advanced equipment and building information platforms to provide effective technical guidance and market analysis services to farmers. Finally, it is important to provide funding for herdsmen to build modern livestock houses and feeding facilities to improve animal welfare levels. Supporting slaughter and processing enterprises to introduce advanced equipment is also important, as are improving domestic and cross-border cold chain logistics systems and increasing the added value of livestock products.

5. Research Conclusions and Future Research Fields

5.1. Research Conclusions

Based on qualitative and field research methods in China and Mongolia, combined with the characteristics of livestock products, and drawing on supply chain theory, green supply chain theory, and quality management theory, this article constructs a conceptual model of green supply chain quality for livestock products. The main factors affecting the quality of green supply chain for livestock products are analyzed, and optimization paths are proposed from two dimensions: livestock product quality and green supply chain service quality. The main research conclusions of this article are as follows:

(1)

For the quality of livestock products, the breeding process, slaughtering and processing process, distribution process, and sales process all have a significant impact on the quality of livestock products. For the quality of supply chain services, the circulation of livestock products between different links, the transmission of information, and the resulting capital turnover all affect the service quality and efficiency of the livestock product supply chain. At the same time, in order to better improve the quality of supply chain services, it is necessary to ensure and support the quality of personnel and public services.

(2)

The quality of livestock products is the foundation of the quality of green supply chain services for livestock products, and the quality of green supply chain services for livestock products is the guarantee of the quality of livestock products. They are interdependent and interact with each other. The improvement of livestock product quality can motivate all participants in the supply chain to strengthen cooperation and innovation, thereby providing better supply chain services. The improvement of green supply chain service quality for livestock products can promote the continuous improvement of livestock product quality, form a virtuous cycle, and better promote the high-quality development of animal husbandry.

(3)

The optimization path includes the following: improving breeding technology and enhancing production efficiency; promoting the resource utilization of livestock and poultry manure; improving the level and quality of slaughter and processing; improving the construction of cold chain logistics facilities; improving sales environment and conditions; optimizing supply chain logistics services; improving the supply chain information system; strengthening cooperation and collaboration to improve capital turnover rate; and improving the overall quality of personnel and the public service system.

5.2. Future Research Fields

This article lacks empirical research based on mathematical models. In future research, this article will take a certain livestock product as an example to deeply analyze the quality status of the green supply chain or cross-border supply chain for livestock products. And through the construction of mathematical models such as structural equations, empirical research will be conducted to deeply analyze the impact direction and degree of various influencing factors on the quality of green supply chain of livestock products, and to reveal the interaction relationship between livestock product quality and the green supply chain service quality of livestock products, in order to better verify the research conclusions of this article and propose more targeted solutions.