38 Utilisation and conservation of farm animal genetic resources
Gustavo Gandini and Kor Oldenbroek
he use of the local breed as a female population instead of as male population, which might be more proitable may be advisable to guarantee the maintenance of
a large population of the local genotype adapted to the production environment. he use of a high performance breed that will produce crosses that cannot be
distinguished from the local breed is not advisable, because of the risk of involuntary introduction of exotic genotypes into the local breed.
3.5. Developing activities to increase the market value of breed products
Successful initiatives were developed in the last years to increase the commercial value of the traditional productions of local breeds. On the contrary, there is still a need for
strategies to induce the market recognising not traditional products, such as the cultural and environmental breed services. his paragraph discusses these two aspects.
3.5.1. Links between products and breeds
Generally the control and the enhancement of the quality of agricultural products is a combination of the raw material meat, milk and the processing. Many local breeds
give products of higher quality with respect to those of commercial breeds that were highly selected for quantitative production. In those countries where the market is ready
to recognise the quality of the products of local breeds, the traditional relationship between local breeds and products has been used to diversify products. In this way
products of local breeds are sold at a higher price, which improves their proitability. In the areas of the world where food security is given greater consideration, such as most
African regions, this approach can rarely be considered. However, an awareness of this option for local breeds is recommended all over the world.
Many successful experiences were developed in the last years supporting the approach of a marketing link between products and local breeds, including dairy and meat products,
such as many cheeses and the famous ham from the Iberian pig. Some examples are given in Boxes 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5. he increased interest in Europe for regional food products,
including the development of speciic organisations such as Slow Food www.slowfood. com, created favourable conditions for these experiences.
Some general conclusions can be drawn from known experiences: he link between product and breed can improve breed’s economic proitability.
Building this link ofers several options: e.g. the link can be part of a protected designation of origin PDO, such as occurs in Europe, or can be used to further
diferentiate a product within a market already diferentiated e.g. within a PDO.
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Utilisation and conservation of farm animal genetic resources 39
Chapter 2. Strategies for moving from conservation to utilisation
Box 2.3. Niche products linked to speciic breeds: the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the Reggiana cattle.
In the 1940’s the Italian dairy cattle Reggiana counted more than 40,000 cows, then progressively dropped to a minimum of 500 cows in the early eighties. It was a typical process of displacement
of a local breed by the cosmopolitan better promoted and more productive Friesian breed. In 1991 a consortium of breeders started the marketing of a brand of Parmigiano Reggiano made
only with milk of the Reggiana breed the original breed, before the Friesian, was used to produce this cheese. Since its appearance on the market, consumers were ready to pay this branded
Parmigiano Reggiano from 30 to almost 100 more with respect to the generic one Gandini et al., 2007a. he increase of cow population by almost 100 since 1993 1,250 in 2004 is
considered an outcome from this initiative.
Box 2.4. Niche products linked to speciic breeds: Skyr, the Iceland dairy cattle product heritage from the Vikings.
Skyr is produced from skimmed milk of Iceland cattle. It is rich in protein and vitamins, with low calories and 18-20 of dry matter. It is served to small children, to schoolchildren at lunch, it is
used as dessert and it is a popular ‘fast food’ in Iceland to day. he industrial production of Skyr started in 1929 and its consumption increased in the last decade. Today the product is exported
to the USA as a healthy product from the Icelandic cattle with a speciic cultural heritage “Skyr, the national food of Iceland, heritage from the Vikings”.
Box 2.5. American Standard Turkeys: an example of using the genetic resource for developing special historic food.
Combined eforts of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Slow Food have led to the resurgence of American Standard Turkeys Nabhan and Rood, 2004. he turkey was domesticated
by the Aztecs over 2000 years ago. Historically, all eight American standard varieties were raised regionally on small family farms. hey are excellent foragers, hardy and disease resistant, but
they are smaller and slower growing than industrialised stocks. Until the 1940s, the turkey was strictly a seasonal delicacy, synonymous with holiday celebrations. he standard varieties also
make superior table birds with their dense but succulent meat and rich complex lavours. In 2001, Slow Food launched an incredibly successful campaign to promote heritage turkeys in restaurant
and holiday fare. Nowadays the American Standard Turkey is back on the road to recover thanks to a few breeders, which remained committed to these varieties.
40 Utilisation and conservation of farm animal genetic resources
Gustavo Gandini and Kor Oldenbroek
he overlap of an exotic breed in the farming area of the local breed might hamper the creation of a link between the local breed and the product e.g. diiculty of
separate milk collection. In some cases, the link between product and the breed-environment seems to be
more appropriate than the link between product and breed.
3.5.2. Ecological and cultural breed products
With particular reference to the European context, we may consider that: Before the intensiication and industrialisation process in the last decades, livestock
farming was closely linked to the use of farmland and in general was extensive. Most of the areas which are recognised nowadays as natural areas are in fact agro-
ecosystems created and maintained by farmers and their local breeds. In some cases we might identify a co-evolution process between the breed and the agro-ecosystem.
he declines of local breeds and of their production systems are raising concern for the maintenance of these agro-ecosystems and cultural landscapes. Examples
include the alpine landscapes characterised by the summer pasture of cattle, sheep and goat herds, the Mediterranean oak forests of the Iberian peninsula La Dehsa
home to extensive pig farming, the dry pustza grasslands of south-east Hungary and the moors and heaths of north-west Scotland.
When grazing ceases, bush encroachment follows, which makes it more diicult to use the lands for recreation. Farmers maintain landscapes of great beauty, which are
rich in culture. Examples in this respect are the Alpine pastures, which attracts large amounts of tourists in summer.
he reduction of livestock grazing is known to increase risks associated to natural ires, especially in the Mediterranean regions and to loods in the alpine areas.
Local breeds have oten played a central role, for relatively long periods, in the agriculture tenures and in the social life of rural populations. hey are historical
witnesses with respect to the rural life. Today local breeds are oten a reference point of ancient local traditions, such as
food, artisan crats and folklore, and play an important role in the protection of the local cultural heritage, including rural landscapes. In this light, ancient local breeds
are vital elements of what we might deine as ‘cultural networks’. Typical products of animal origin, the value of which is today recognised and
protected by European directives, originate from speciic local breeds, farming methods and areas. hese products have become part, over time, of the way of life
of rural populations, gastronomic traditions, religious and civic festivals and bear a recognised cultural value.
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