Genetic erosion (Part 2)

UN researchers say that farm animal species are disappearing at a sustained rate, as a consequence of the swift expansion of industrial livestock on a large scale, which is based on a small number of breeds.

The UN’s FAO calls the problem Genetic Erosion. (You can read more here.)

And they say that efficient management of animal genetic diversity could be the solution to help guarantee international food security for millions of people, as well as to ensure

“Though they may sometimes be less productive, many endangered breeds have unique characteristics, such as resistance to diseases or tolerance to extreme temperatures, that future generations may need in order to face problems such as climate change, emerging animal diseases and the growing demand of cattle products,” the FAO indicated.

Cattle adaptation to the environment was the key to sustaining agricultural production systems for more than a thousand years, something especially important in hostile habitats where cultivating is difficult or impossible.

Since the mid twentieth century, a few high performance breeds, generally from Europe, expanded throughout the world, and were chosen over traditional breeds.

The first ones include Holstein-Friesian (the most extended, present in 128 countries and in all areas of the world) and Jersey cows, Large White, Duroc and Landrace pigs, Saanen and Rhode Island Red goats and Leghorn Chickens.

This progressive drop in genetic diversity has been going on mainly in Europe and North America, and is now taking place in many developing countries, that until now had kept a high percentage of their native breeds.

But, according to FAO, developing countries will be the most affected by animal diversity lost in the 21st century.

The top 5

Cows

The United Nations official data indicate there are more than 1.3 billion cows in the world, almost a pair for every five inhabitants. Asia concentrates 32 percent of the total, and Latin America 28 percent. Bovine breeds represent 22 percent of all domestic mammals breeds.

Sheep

The international ovine herd has a bit more than 1 billion, almost a sheep for every six inhabitants. Almost half is in Asia, the Middle and Near East. Sheep is the species with the greatest number of breeds, and represents 25 percent of mammals.

Pigs

There are 1 billion pigs, one every seven people. Two thirds are in Asia. Pig breeds represent 12 percent of mammal breeds worldwide.

Goats

Goats amount to 800 million, one every eight inhabitants. Seventy percent live in Asiaand the Middle and Near East. Caprine breeds represent 12 percent of all mammal breeds.

Chickens

Chickens surpass human beings by 2.5 to 1. There are 17 billion of them, half in Asiaand a quarter in Latin America and the Caribbean. Chickens represent a great part of the total of bird breeds worldwide.

From E-campo, with permission…

Related posts:

• Genetic erosion (Part 1)
• UN dissects bioenergy: Part 1
• UN dissects bioenergy: Part 2
• UN dissects bioenergy: Part 3

Tags: FAO, UN, generic erosion, biodiversity, Alexander Muller, animal extinction

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