Heritage project

www.heritagesheep.eu (funded under European Commission Council Regulation (EC) No 870/2004) Partners

UK University of York / Dianna Bowles The Sheep Trust / Amanda Carson

France Institut d’Elevage / Delphine Duclos

Greece Aristotle University of Thessaloniki / Andreas Georgoudis National Agricultural Research Foundation / Christina Ligda

Netherlands Centre for Genetic Resources / Lucia Kaal, Henri Woelders, Yvette de Haas, Sipke Joost Hiemstra

Slovenia University of Ljubljana / Drago Kompan HERITAGE SHEEP

WP 1 Characterisation and Evaluation of HSBs (UK)

WP 2 In situ conservation - strategies and guidelines for success (France)

WP 3 / 4 Ex situ conservation - collection and cryopreservation (Netherlands)

WP 5 Web based network of HSB genetic resources (Greece)

Slovenia contributing to all work packages 45 participating breeds

France 10 UK 15 Netherlands 11 Greece 5 Slovenia 4

Basco Béarnaise, Brecknock Hill Black Blazed, Boutsiko (Orino), Bela Krajina Bizet, Cheviot, Blue Texel, Frizarta, Pramenka, Causses du Lot, South Country Drenth Heath, Kefallinias, Bovec Sheep, Corse, Cheviot Flevolander, Sfakia Istrian Pramenka, Grivette, Clun Forest, Mergelland, Katsika Jezersko – Solcava Limousine, , North Holland, Manech Tête Noire, , Schoonebeek, Manech Tête , Swifter, Rousse, Horn, Texel, Mourerous, , Veluwe Heath, Rava , Zeeland Milksheep Romney, , Shetland, South Welsh Mountain, Southdown, Welsh Hill Speckled Face Major Threats

• decrease in public funding • lack of political will to support rural communities • policies and legislation, including environmental schemes • disease • predators • urbanisation • poor return on product, competition from other • ageing population of farmers • lack of marketing support • inbreeding • loss of skills geographical isolation it was estimated that there are 26/45 where 90% or more of the total number of animals is actively farmed in the region associated with the breed and 19/45 breeds where >95% of the breed is concentrated WP2 - In situ conservation

• Detailed study of three French Pyrenean breeds – Basco Béarnaise, Manech Tête Noire and Manech Tête Rousse. • Technical, economic and social means necessary to achieve a successful development programme Comparisons of different breed cases

France UK The Netherlands Greece Slovenia

- Basco Béarnaise, - Herdwick - Kempen Heath - Frizarta - Bela Krajina Manech Tête Noire, - - Katsika Pramenka Manech Tête Rousse - Milksheep (Friesan - Bovec Sheep -Causses du Lot & Zeeland) WP2 – in situ conservation

• Breed cases were different • Common elements – Harsh environments – Positive impact in landscape – The sale of products is not always under a specific label / but the production is acknowledged as of high quality • Most important: breeders with passion for their breed The different breeds studied: numbers and trend Trends since Country Breed Population Nb herds 2000 Basco Béarnaise 82 876 420 Stable Manech tête 285 484 1 170 Increasing France rousse Manech tête noire 100 837 510 Decreasing Causse du Lot 106 000 250 Increasing Frizarta 50 000 64 Increasing Greece Katsika 1 865 6 Increasing Kempen Heath 2 030 8 Stable Sheep The Netherlands Milksheep (Friesian & 6 110 50 Increasing Zeeland) Bela Krajina 900 24 Increasing Slovenia Pramenka Bovec Sheep 3700 28 Increasing Herdwick 49 408 149 Decreasing UK Shetland 16 238 78 Decreasing Breeding systems and geographical distribution

• All breeds are characterized by their adaptation to these harsh environmental conditions of breeding • Sheep grazing underlined for its positive impact on the landscape maintenance and to keep landscape “open”. Valorisation of products

Most of the breeds developed their own system of products valorisation in a more or less structured way, but still some breeds haven’t started such an initiative yet Identification of the successful factors

• Rusticity and capacity to live in harsh environments • Positive impact on the landscape management • Support from national or European level but limited (AEM for endangered breeds), and not even implemented in all countries. • Support from local and/or regional level most of the time strong: not necessarily by means of special subsidies for the breed but through the support of the local sheep industry => organisation of the industry when the breed is not too small, or a support to the breed society. Identification of the successful factors

• Some specific products, sometimes PDO. • In most cases, no labelled product associated with the breed • Often, even without specific label, products of these breeds recognised as high quality products.

• Breeders interest in their own breed: very attached to the phenotypic conformation traits, conscious of the qualities and abilities of their breeds. • The challenge is to take advantage of them through an adapted farming system. WP3/4 - Ex situ conservation

• Identification of collection and cryopreservation strategies – (survey) • Survey of the organisation and stocks of germplasm in partner countries • Construction of the optimal ex situ conservation method of HSBs for each country • Collection, freezing and storage of semen (or other genetic material) from the prioritised HSBs Selected breeds per country

• France: Rava, Limousine, Bizet, Causses du Lot • Greece: Frisarta, Boutsiko, Katsika • Netherlands: Kempen Heath, Milksheep, Black Blazed • Slovenia: Bela Krajina, Istrian Pramenka, Bovska • UK: Lonk & Shetland Numbers Country Breed No. of rams No. of doses United Kingdom Shetland 15 3,275 Lonk 21 4,995 Greece Frisarta 20 470 Boutsiko 10 1,355 Katsika 10 France Causse du Lot 22 2,827 Rava 5 967 Limousine 10 1,934 Bizet 3 525 The Netherlands Kempen Heath 15 2,500 Milksheep 20 800

* BlackBlazed 4 300 Slovenia Istrian Pramenka 6 225 Bovec 4 442 BelaKrajina Pramenka 5 314

WP5 – Development of website www.heritagesheep.eu

Thank you for your attention!