Rare, endangered & vulnerable breeds of emphasizing the wool-growing kinds Sheep SUCCINCT VERSION 2018 status ho decides what breed is rare, by keeping alternative livestock Wand why, varies depending on and poultry genetic resources where you are in the world and how secure; ◆ ensure the availability the people making those evaluations of broad genetic diversity for the interpret their task. The information continued evolution of agricul- here comes from the United States ture; ◆ conserve valuable genetic and the United Kingdom and gives traits such as disease resistance, Karakul (American) Karakul a context and structure for under- survival, self-sufficiency, fertility, standing similar activities elsewhere longevity, foraging ability, maternal factors reflecting the vulnerability of on the globe. Each group that instincts; ◆ preserve our heritage, the overall population. studies livestock breeds and assigns history, and culture; ◆ maintain a conservation category goes by breeds of animals that are well-suit- Between 1900 and 1973, the United fundamental sets of population data ed for sustainable, grass-based and Kingdom lost 26 of its native breeds. and then adjusts for other variables. organic systems; and ◆ give small . Even though many of the UK’s native family farms raising heritage breeds breeds were no longer considered a competitive edge. economically viable for the mass pro- duction of food, their many other im- The Livestock Conservancy, established portant attributes such as adaptation 1977, http://livestockconservancy.org. to the local environment, the genetic Navajo-Churro Known as the American Minor Breeds diversity they represented and their The Livestock Conservancy Conservancy; the American Livestock close links to our livestock history and In North America, the Livestock Breeds Conservancy; now The Livestock cultural heritage were recognised by Conservancy. Conservancy evaluates sheep breeds a group of pioneering individuals. Quoted text from http://www.livestockconser- for conservation priority based on Since the [Rare Breed Survival Trust’s] vancy.org/index.php/resources/internal/about-us two primary criteria: the number formation in 1973 no other native of newly registered animals and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust livestock breed has become extinct in estimated global population. In the United Kingdom, the Rare the UK. Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Today, The Livestock Conservancy’s evaluates sheep breeds for conserva- Rare Breeds Survival Trust, established work is more critical than ever and tion priority based on one primary 1973), http://www.rbst.org.uk. helps to: ◆ protect criterion, the number of registered Quoted text from https://www.rbst.org.uk/ our food systems breeding ewes, adjusted by other About-Us/Heritage continues on page 4 by Deborah Robson independentstitch.com © 2015, 2016, 2017 Deborah Robson, all rights reserved Robson, all rights © 2015, 2016, 2017 Deborah 1 Rare, endangered & vulnerable breeds of The Livestock Conservancy Rare Breeds Survival Trust The Sheep Trust (United States) (United Kingdom) (U.K., geographic vulnerability) American Tunis Balwen minority Barbados Blackbelly (hair) watch Black Welsh Mountain threatened Border Leicester at risk Boreray vulnerable Brecknock Hill Cheviot vulnerable Castlemilk Moorit at risk Clun Forest threatened Cotswold threatened at risk Dalesbred vulnerable Dartmoor Greyface minority Dartmoor Whiteface other UK native Derbyshire Gritstone at risk Devon Closewool minority vulnerable Devon & Cornwall Longwool at risk Dorset Down minority Dorset Horn threatened at risk Exmoor Horn vulnerable Florida Cracker critical Gulf Coast or Gulf Coast Native critical Herdwick vulnerable Hill Radnor at risk Hog Island critical Jacob, American threatened Karakul, American threatened Leicester Longwool threatened vulnerable Lincoln Longwool threatened vulnerable Llanwenog minority 2 SHEEP (U.S. and U.K.) from 2018-’19 lists* The Livestock Conservancy Rare Breeds Survival Trust The Sheep Trust (United States) (United Kingdom) (U.K., geographic vulnerability) North Ronaldsay Lonk vulnerable Manx Loaghtan at risk Navajo-Churro threatened Norfolk Horn minority North Ronaldsay vulnerable Oxford watch minority Portland at risk Romeldale / CVM threatened Romney vulnerable Rough Fell vulnerable St. Croix (hair) threatened Santa Cruz critical Shetland recovering vulnerable Shropshire watch Soay at risk South Country Cheviot vulnerable Southdown recovering South Welsh Mountain vulnerable Teeswater at risk Tunis, American watch Welsh Hill Speckled Face vulnerable Welsh Mountain Pedigree vulnerable Wensleydale at risk Whitefaced Woodland vulnerable Wiltshire Horn (hair) recovering *Updated May 18, 2017, using the most current information available (2018 and 2018-’19 lists). Because of the way ratings are calculated, the RBST list is the most vol- atile and The Sheep Trust group is least volatile, although because it is geographically based the breeds it highlights could be dramatically affected at any time by disease or weather. 3 The Livestock Conservancy Rare Breeds Survival Trust Primary criteria: (1) annual newly registered animals in Primary criterion: number of registered breeding the U.S. and (2) estimated global population. females. Secondary criteria: genetic diversity, geographi- cal concentration, and current population trends. CRITICAL: Fewer than 200 annual registrations in the United States and estimated global population less than 2,000. CRITICAL: fewer than 300 registered breeding females THREATENED: Fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the United ENDANGERED: 300–500 registered breeding females States and estimated global population less than 5,000. VULNERABLE: 500–900 registered breeding females WATCH: Fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the United AT RISK: 900–1,500 registered breeding females States and estimated global population less than 10,000. MINORITY: 1,500–3,000 registered breeding females Also included are breeds that present genetic or numerical concerns or have a limited geographic distribution. Success stories: The Livestock Conservancy—Border RECOVERING: Breeds that were once listed in another category Leicester, Delaine Merino, Katahdin (hair), North Coun- and have exceeded Watch category numbers but are still in try Cheviot. RBST—Black Welsh Mountain, Hebridean, need of monitoring. Jacob (British), Kerry Hill, Lleyn, Ryeland, Shetland, STUDY: Breeds that are of genetic interest but either lack defi- Shropshire, Southdown, South Wales Mountain, Wilt- nition or lack genetic or historical documentation. shire Horn (hair). continued from page 1 The Sheep Trust “on the map” and showed just how The Sheep Trust was established in concentrated some breeds were in 2001, at the time of a widespread different regions. Our evidence occurrence of Foot and Mouth Dis- led the specialists to recommend ease in the United Kingdom. This that 12 Heritage sheep breeds were Leicester Border emergency emphasized the need for at severe risk from their geographical additional analysis and protection of concentration. Quoted text from http://www.york.ac.uk/org/ cnap/tst/heritagebreeds.html specific sheep populations not under This endangerment is acute when the purview of the RBST: some infectious diseases enter their region, Photos: American Tunis by Sarah populations were large, but were still whether Foot and Mouth Disease LaFreniere, used courtesy of SVF vulnerable. in 2001, Blue Tongue Virus in 2007, Foundation, a genetic conservation Schmallenberg virus in 2012. resource (http://svffoundation.org). All Working with Breed Societies and others by Deborah Robson. ~1000 individual breeders across the The Sheep Trust,established 2001, http:// See http://svffoundation.org/ country, we put individual flocks www.york.ac.uk/org/cnap/tst/home.htm. animals/ for more critters. 06/17 4.