The Livestock Conservancy
Preserving rare and heritage livestock breeds since 1977.
The Livestock Conservancy is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting rare breeds of livestock, also known as heritage breeds. Founded in 1977, it was the pioneer livestock preservation organization in the United States and remains a leading entity in that field. It has initiated programs that have saved multiple breeds from extinction and works closely with similar organizations in other countries.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1977
- Location
- Pittsboro, North Carolina, US
- Region served
- United States
- Focus
- Rare breed livestock preservation
- Num members
- 3,000
- Former name
- American Minor Breeds Conservancy, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Facts from the source article.
History and organization
In the 1960s and 1970s, American livestock breed enthusiasts became increasingly aware of the disappearance of many traditional livestock breeds, partly due to difficulties in obtaining heritage breeds for living history sites. On March 16, 1977, the American Minor Breeds Conservancy was incorporated in Vermont, becoming the first U.S. organization focused on preserving rare livestock breeds and promoting genetic diversity. A similar organization, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, had formed in Great Britain in 1973. The organization conducted its first comprehensive survey of American livestock breeds in 1985, repeated every five years since. In 1986, Rare Breeds Canada was formed, and the two bodies have worked closely together. The organization changed its name to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy in 1993 and to The Livestock Conservancy in 2013. Its mission is to protect genetic diversity in livestock and poultry through conservation and promotion of endangered breeds. Partners include the Oklahoma City Zoo and Colonial Williamsburg.
General programs
Preservation of pure breeds was once undertaken by large agriculture-focused colleges and universities, but many shifted to commercial or crossbred strains, with herds sent to slaughter. The Livestock Conservancy and Rare Breeds Canada intervened in some cases, leading to survival of gene stocks. The USDA participates mainly through gene mapping and germplasm storage, but stored material cannot preserve the full genetic diversity or adapt to environmental changes as live populations can. The federal government rarely supports live rare breed conservation. In the 1980s, the Conservancy began a gene bank that was later transferred to the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program, with which it maintains a close relationship. The conservation list is also used by the SVF Foundation for cryopreservation. In the early 1990s, the organization mounted displays of historic rare breed livestock illustrations at the National Agricultural Library and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History to raise public awareness.
Conservation Priority List
The Conservation Priority List (CPL) is published annually and used as the foundation for all conservation work. Population data on all livestock breeds is gathered each year, including registration data and poultry census numbers from members, hatcheries, and breeders. Breeds are divided into five categories: critical, threatened, watch, recovering, and study. Placement in the first three categories is based on annual U.S. registrations and estimated global populations. Recovering breeds have exceeded watch numbers but are still monitored. Study breeds lack genetic or historical documentation but are of genetic interest. As of 2024, the CPL includes 21 cattle breeds, 32 horse breeds, 3 donkey breeds, 9 pig breeds, 21 sheep breeds, 5 goat breeds, 5 rabbit breeds, 51 chicken breeds, 15 duck breeds, 13 geese breeds, and 8 turkey breeds, each with specific category counts.
Breed programs
Equine breeds, such as the American Cream Draft, were among the reasons the organization was formed and appeared on early conservation priority lists. The Conservancy has assisted in extensive genetic studies of rare horse breeds, focusing particularly on strains of the Colonial Spanish Horse. Rabbits were added to the CPL in 2005; in 2010, the American Rabbit was named the most endangered rabbit breed in the U.S. In cattle, a member rescued the last of the Randall Cattle herd from slaughter, building the breed to over 300 members. The Heritage Dairy Cattle Breed Recovery program assists heritage cattle breeders with funding, marketing, and communications. In 2006, the Conservancy investigated the Carolina Marsh Tacky, finding many surviving members fit the physical type for Spanish horses. In 2007, it partnered with the Equus Survival Trust to preserve the breed, including DNA sampling and creating a new studbook. It also participated in rescuing the Wilbur Cruce strain of Colonial Spanish horse and assisted with a conservation strategy for a strain from Santa Cruz Island.
More in Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy
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