The Livestock Conservancy

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OUR MISSION

To protect America’s endangered livestock and poultry breeds from extinction.

Why save them?

Many of America’s once-common farm animals face extinction if we do not take action now. Rare farm animals represent an irreplaceable piece of earth’s biodiversity and offer incredible variety that may be needed for future farms – robust health, mothering instincts, foraging, and the ability to thrive in a changing climate. These farm animals are a vital part of ensuring food security for our planet – now and for the future.

CONSERVATION PRIORITY LIST–CHICKENS

North American Breeds

Holland (Critical)

Cubalaya (Critical)

Java (Critical)

New Hampshire (Threatened)

Buckeye (Watch)

Chantecler (Watch)

Dominique (Watch)

Rhode Island White (Watch)

Delaware (Recovering)

Jersey Giant (Recovering)

Breeds Imported Before 1900

Booted Bantam (Critical)

La Flèche (Critical)

Malay (Critical)

Redcap (Critical)

White-Faced Black Spanish (Critical)

Campine (Threatened)

Dorking (Threatened)

Hamburg (Threatened)

Houdan (Threatened)

Langshan (Threatened)

Modern Game (Threatened)

Sultan (Threatened)

Sumatra (Threatened)

Ancona (Watch)

Andalusian (Watch)

Belgian Bearded D’uccle Bantam (Watch)

Cochin (Watch)

Cornish (Watch)

Crèvecoeur (Watch)

Minorca (Watch)

Sebright (Watch)

Leghorn – Non-Industrial (Recovering)

Polish (Recovering)

Breeds Imported After 1900

Araucana (Critical)

Aseel (Critical)

Catalana (Critical)

Shamo (Critical)

Buttercup (Threatened)

Icelandic (Threatened)

Japanese Bantam (Threatened)

Lakenvelder (Threatened)

Nankin (Threatened)

Russian Orloff (Threatened)

Yokohama (Threatened)

Faverolles (Watch)

Old English Game (Watch)

Phoenix (Watch)

Spitzhauben (Watch)

Sussex (Recovering)

Endangered Categories

Critical: Breeds with fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 500. For rabbits, fewer than 50 annual registrations in the U.S., estimated global population less than 500, fewer than 150 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 10 or fewer breeders. For poultry, fewer than 500 birds in the U.S., with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and an estimated global population less than 1,000.

Threatened: Breeds with fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 5,000. For rabbits, fewer than 100 annual registrations in the U.S., and estimated global population less than 1,000, fewer than 300 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 11-30 breeders. For poultry, fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the U.S., with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks, and an estimated global population less than 5,000.

Watch: Breeds that present genetic or numerical concerns or have a limited geographic distribution, with fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the United States, and an estimated global population less than 10,000. For rabbits, fewer than 200 annual registrations in the U.S., estimated global population less than 2,000, fewer than 500 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years, and 31-60 breeders. For poultry, fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the U.S., with 10 or fewer primary breeding flocks, and an estimated global population less than 10,000.

Recovering: Breeds once listed in another category, but have exceeded Watch category numbers and still need monitoring. For rabbits, more than 500 recorded at rabbit shows in the previous 5 years and more than 60 breeders.

Study: Breeds that require further research to learn whether their history, genetic integrity, global status, and U.S. numbers merit listing on the Conservation Priority List. This step is necessary to clearly target The Livestock Conservancy’s conservation efforts toward breeds that not only require conservation, but can also benefit from our conservation efforts. Breeds in this category are only listed online.

Parameters of Poultry Breeds

Poultry breeds on the Conservation Priority List generally conform to certain genetic and numerical parameters.

  1. The breed is from one of the four traditional U.S. poultry species (chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys).
  2. A bantam breed may be listed if there is no large fowl counterpart.
  3. The breed census satisfies numerical guidelines:
    • Critical: Fewer than 500 breeding birds in the United States, with five or fewer primary breeding flocks (50 birds or more), and estimated global population less than 1,000.
    • Threatened: Fewer than 1,000 breeding birds in the United States, with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 5,000.
    • Watch: Fewer than 5,000 breeding birds in the United States, with ten or fewer primary breeding flocks, and estimated global population less than 10,000. Also included are breeds with genetic or numerical concerns or limited geographic distribution.
    • Recovering: Breeds that were once listed in another category and have exceeded Watch category numbers but are still in need of monitoring.
  4. The breed is a true genetic breed (when mated together, it reproduces the breed type.)
  5. The breed has had an established and continuously breeding population in North America since 1925. Or, if imported or developed since 1925,
    • The foundation stock is no longer available.
    • Must meet numeric guidelines for inclusion.
    • Must have at least five breeders in different locations in the United States.
    • The global population is threatened and the United States population is making a contribution to conservation of the breed.

Conservation categories are based on the estimated number of breeding birds, males and females, and the number of breeding flocks. Given the vulnerability of poultry to predators, the number of flocks is important. “Conservation breeding flocks” are those of 50 birds and above.

Our Mission

The Livestock Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization. Our mission is to protect endangered livestock and poultry breeds from extinction. Included in our mission are over 150 breeds of donkeys, cattle, goats, horses, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys.

To put our mission into context, in 2006 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that we lose an average of 2 domestic animal breeds each week. In the past fifteen years alone, the FAO has identified the extinction of 300 out of 6,000 breeds worldwide, with another 1,350 in danger of extinction. The Livestock Conservancy is the leading organization working to stop the extinction of these breeds in the United States – ensuring the future of our agricultural food system.

Why Conservation Matters

Heritage breeds of livestock and poultry protect our food systems, both now and into the future. By securing genetic diversity we enable healthy agriculture development while preserving heritage, history, and culture. These animals represent an irreplaceable piece of earth’s biodiversity that once lost, will be gone forever. 

Heritage breed conservation retains animals well suited for sustainable, grass-based systems, which gives some small farms a competitive edge. It also broadens the marketplace with diverse fiber and flavorful foods. Their unique genetic traits offer an incredible variety that may be needed for future farms, including robust health, mothering instincts, foraging, and the ability to thrive in a changing climate. 

As guardians of this genetic diversity, The Livestock Conservancy prevents extinctions, expands populations, educates beginning farmers, and helps breeders establish new markets for their products. Our programs maintain the long-term viability and sustainability of endangered breeds. Since its inception in 1977, The Livestock Conservancy has not lost a breed listed on our Conservation Priority List.

  • Biodiversity. The challenge we face as a nation and as an agricultural community is that heritage breeds are a reflection of genetic diversity. If we lose breeds, we lose genetic diversity. Many will ask, “So what, why does genetic diversity matter?” The simple answer is that our agriculture system is like a stock portfolio. If we invest all of our currency in a limited number of breeds, we are at risk of losing all of our investments. If we embrace diversifying the agricultural portfolio through rare breed conservation, our assets are diversified. If a disease were to strike a certain strain or breed, or if climate changes were to affect a particular line – heritage breeds could provide the genetic diversity needed to fall back on.
  • Food Security. In today’s large-scale agricultural systems, only a relatively few highly specialized breeds are used to supply a majority of the world’s food resources. 3/4 of the world’s food supply draws on just 12 crops and 5 livestock species. This places the world’s food supply at risk if anything should happen to these breeds such as disease or irreversible adverse genetic mutation.
  • Living History. “Heritage” is an umbrella term that embraces pure breeds of livestock and poultry with deep histories in the United States. These are animals that were bred over time to develop traits that made them suited to specific local environments. They play an important part of our history that can’t be replaced once lost.
  • Climate Change. Climate change is already putting a strain on farming systems, and livestock will have to be better adapted to more difficult environments. Since traditional, historic breeds retain essential attributes for survival and self-sufficiency, these breeds store a wealth of genetic resources that are important for our future.

Credit: The Livestock Conservancy
https://livestockconservancy.org/heritage-breeds/conservation-priority-list/