For those who are unaware of this issue (that’s MOST people these days) there are a great many breeds of domestic livestock that are in danger of vanishing. That’s right folks, cows, sheep, chickens, and the like come in various breeds, just like dogs. They have different talents and temperaments, AND they carry genes that don’t exist (AT ALL) in our currently popular breeds. We may not need the gene for four horns (as in the Jacob sheep) , but if we let those genes vanish, we have no idea what else we are loosing.

Over the millenia, people all over the world developed various breeds of every farm animal known to man. Each breed has particular strengths and talents, often rising to the challenge of its particular geographic location (no food, too cold, too hot, too wet, too dry, too windy, ,…). Unfortunately, most of them don’t take well to the kinds of agri-business factory farming practices that are so popular in the West now. Some, like most of the draft horses, simply lost their livelihoods to the relentless march of progress.

You might not think it’s a big deal that 95% of all the cattle in North America are Holsteins. You might not even think it’s a big problem that 95% of all those Holsteins can trace their ancestry back to just a couple of bulls. But that doesn’t say much for genetic diversity.

Here’s the problem: What if some fatal disease crops up for which Holstiens with this particular genetic makeup have no resistance? Can you guess what will happen? I can tell you what will happen. The West’s supply of milk, cheese, yoghurt, and veal will vanish. This is serious. If we don’t preserve other breeds of dairy cattle, we will have nothing to use to rebuild. Nada. Done.

That’s not the only problem. We are so arrogant in our belief that we understand genetics that we don’t even consider the possibility that some of these old breeds might be carrying genetics that we will want in the future. Want a dairy cow that can make it on drought-stricken, parched land? Well, your 20-gallon-a-day Holstein sure isn’t going to survive on that. But a Canadienne might.

Land too wet? Holsteins will develop foot problems and hack up the earth (they’re HUGE), but a Kerry won’t.

I think there’s value in preserving the animals (not just their genetic code) so that if one day, we discover we could really use something with those traits, we have it.

For more on Rare Breeds click here (Rare Breeds Canada).

And here (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy).

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