Despite repeated government decrees concerning measures for raising livestock production, including various incentives, no significant success was attained in increasing livestock herds in the period 1961 to January 1971 (see table 17). The numbers of cattle, hogs, and rabbits actually declined; the flocks of sheep grew by less than 4 percent; and only the numbers of goats and poultry increased substantially. An increase in all categories of livestock other than sheep, however, took place in 1971. In comparison with 1948 the total number of cattle in 1971 was lower by 28 percent, and the number of cows had declined by 16 percent. The poor performance of the livestock sector, particularly with regard to cattle, has been a source of great concern for the leadership because of the leadership's promise of a better standard of living for the population and the obligation to meet export commitments to COMECON partners, particularly the Soviet Union. Exports of livestock are also important as a source of convertible foreign exchange. _Table 17. Bulgaria, Livestock Numbers, Selected Years, 1948-72_* (in thousands) ----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- Livestock | 1948 | 1961 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 ----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- Cattle | 1,783 | 1,452 | 1,255 | 1,279 | 1,379 (Cows) | (703) | (547) | (574) | (589) | (607) Hogs | 1,078 | 2,553 | 1,967 | 2,369 | 2,806 Sheep | 9,266 | 9,333 | 9,223 | 9,678 | 10,127 Goats | 720 | 246 | 350 | 335 | 318 Rabbits | 128 | 470 | 164 | 277 | 350 Poultry | 11,380 | 23,366 | 29,590 | 33,706 | 34,102 ----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- * Figure for 1948 as of December 25; for all other years, January 1. Source: Adapted from _Statistical Yearbook, 1971_, Sofia, 1971, p. 124; and _Statistical Yearbook, 1972_, Sofia, 1972, p. 236. Although agriculture is almost entirely socialized, substantial numbers of livestock are nevertheless privately owned by farm and urban workers, artisans, and the few remaining individual farmers. In 1971 these groups possessed virtually all the goats and rabbits, more than half the poultry, and about two-fifths of the sheep. They also owned 27 percent of the hogs and 22 percent of the cattle, including 30 percent of the cows. On socialized farms all types of livestock were reduced in numbers during the 1961-70 period except for cows and poultry. Among private owners the decline in the numbers of cattle and hogs was more pronounced, but substantial gains were made in the stock of sheep, goats, and poultry. Government policies concerning prices, incentives, and feed allocation were mainly responsible for the differences in development within the socialized and private sectors.