Opportunities to meet future market demands

Chapter 1. Introduction

Utilisation and conservation of farm animal genetic resources 23 Wars, political instabilities, diseases and natural disasters destroy not only populations of local breeds but oten the whole infrastructure for breeding is lost.

6.2. Opportunities

Besides threats, several opportunities can be found to use farm animal genetic resources Oldenbroek, 2006: When a breed or a line is exploited in a viable livestock system it is oten managed and developed by a breeding company or an organisation of breeders. In the modern breeding schemes the conservation of the genetic diversity can and should be taken into account and should be optimised in combination with selection for the desired traits. hese optimisation techniques are well developed and efective and will be described in chapter 8. Grazing animals, particularly local and well adapted breeds of sheep, cattle and horses can play an important role in nature management. Where appropriate, this role ofers a great opportunity for the conservation of the herbivore species as large numbers of animals are potentially involved. he development of organic farming ofers an opportunity for the conservation of the recently developed dual purpose breeds. In many cases these breeds are set aside from the intensive livestock systems. However, they it better in the production goals of organic farming than intensively selected breeds or crossbreds. he development and production of special regional products in natural environments for niche markets ofers the possibility to use native breeds and to make them proitable again. Hobbyists play a very important role in the utilisation and conservation of the between breed variation in chicken, horse, sheep, goat and cattle.

7. Conservation methods to be applied

heoretically, three types of conservation can be applied FAO, 2006: In situ conservation, deined as conservation of livestock through continued use by livestock keepers in the agro-ecosystem in which the livestock evolved or are now normally found includes breeding programmes. his method of conservation is to be preferred. All objectives of conservation can be reached the best and it ofers possibilities for utilisation. Besides, the development of the breed can continue and it facilitates adaptation to changing circumstances. However, the risks of inbreeding and random drit have to receive full attention in the breeding schemes of these oten small populations. Ex situ in vivo conservation, deined as conservation through maintenance of live populations not kept under normal farm conditions andor outside of the area in • • • • • • • •