Evaluation of High-Quality Development in China’s Livestock Industry and Analysis of Its Obstacles

A multi-dimensional quantitative assessment of high-quality development (HQD) in China’s livestock industry and the identification of its main constraints are essential to understanding its current stage and future direction. Guided by global sustainability targets and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an evaluation system was constructed by this study. This system integrates five key aspects: product safety, output efficiency, resource conservation, environmental friendliness, and regulatory effectiveness. Using provincial panel data from China for 2013–2022, this research applies the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method, kernel density estimation (KDE), and an obstacle degree model for analysis, the goal is to support food security and foster environmentally sustainable growth. The findings indicate the following: (1) Notable inter-provincial disparities exist in the HQD of China’s livestock industry, revealing a spatial pattern of “leading in the east, stable in the center, and lagging in the west.” (2) The nationwide evolution exhibits a “convergence followed by divergence” pattern: from 2013 to 2017, the primary peak of the KDE rose and its width narrowed; from 2018 to 2022, the primary peak declined and its width widened, indicating that inter-provincial disparities first narrowed and then expanded. At the regional level, the development pattern is characterized by eastern polarization, central stability, and western lock-in. (3) Obstacle factor analysis identifies product safety and environmental friendliness as the principal constraints on HQD in the livestock industry. Addressing these bottlenecks is crucial for ensuring the supply of livestock products (SDG 2: Zero Hunger), promoting resource conservation and green production (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production), and alleviating the ecological and environmental pressures of the livestock industry (SDG 15: Protection of Terrestrial Ecosystems). The challenges related to resources, the environment, and quality safety confronting China’s livestock industry are common among developing countries. Consequently, the evaluation framework established in this study can offer methodological references for relevant nations.