Form A General description of cryoconservation, related to breeding with AI of local cattle breeds (institutional background)
1) History and major developments
a) History of AI in France First French AI Centre is created in 1946. In 1952 there were already 46 AI Centres federated in the UNCEIA (national union of AI cooperatives). In 1948 the straw 1ml is created by Cassou, also the straw 0,50 ml in 1965 and mini straw 0,25 ml in 1969. Frozen semen is experimented in 1960 and used extensively after this date, specially since 1965. IMV Technologies is a French company founded by Cassou supplying worldwide straws and material for AI. In the Fifties artificial insemination is expanding very quickly. In 1956, 25% of the cows were inseminated. In the Seventies 80% of dairy cows were inseminated.
b) History of organization of AI The current organization for breeding and genetic improvement was built up in the Sixties (1966) as a national project aiming at the improvement of the genetic level of French breeding animals. Public authorities were thus deeply involved in the organization of breeding by regulating it, by managing it and by supplying means, in particular subsidies. The role of the public authorities had been crucial in building up the system : 1/ through approving any body in charge of one of the functions contributing to the genetic improvement, primarily based on the ‘’département’’, the French basic administrative entity. Each organisation was granted with a monopoly of territory and was designed to meet the needs of very numerous farmers managing small herds; 2/ through a strong partnership with the breeding industry and research, in particular the framework of National Commission of Genetic Improvement (CNAG).
c) Changes in farming system Changes in farming occurred at the end of the Fifties and beginning of the Sixties. Many traditional farms disappeared. In south of France working oxen and cows were replaced by tractors. Often with the tractor, new types of cattle were introduced in the farms. In the same time farms became bigger and more specialized. In some regions, farms were abandoned. 1955 : 2 280 000 farms, 1 791 000 with less 20 ha, 95 000 with more than 50 ha, mean : 14 ha 2000 : 664 000 farms, 325 000 less 20 ha, 200 000 with more than 50 ha, mean : 42 ha 2005 : 545 000 farms, 237 000 less 20 ha, 200 000 with more than 50 ha, mean 47 ha. After 1968, in mountains areas, small abandoned farms were bought by new farmers, mainly from urban origin. Now we have bigger farms but small farms remain in some regions managed by part-time farmers or by farmers who try to sell their products directly to the consumer. France counts 7 800 000 cows in 2007 (32% are Holsteins and 21% are Charolais), 48 % in dairy herds (97 000) and 52 % in suckling herds (130 000). In 2007 there was 51% herds less than in 1991 and 14% cows less. Since 1990 the number of cows from rare breeds (11 breeds) increased of 310 % and number of herds 378%. Between 2004 and 2005 number of cows and herds increased of 4,5%. In 1970, 7 285 143 cows were inseminated ; in 2006, 4 080 000 cows (% / 2005 = -2,81% ; % / 1986 = -35,96). AI probably will continue to decrease next years. We can imagine than in next years interest for rare breeds will continue to grow slightly with full time farmers, part time farmers and hobby breeders. The challenge shall be to maintain technical assistance to these breeds.
2) Major policies, policy changes and regulatory framework
a) Former organisation Since 1950 and with the formalisation of the ‘’loi sur l’élevage’’ (law for breeding) of 1968 AI Services Centres are in charge to carry out AI to all farmers within an exclusive area. Their obligations are: 1/ to organise the service only with licensed inseminators; 2/ to invest in selection programs; 3/ to guarantee regular supply of semen doses of proven bulls; 4/ to provide the farmers with semen from any AI centre, as long as bulls and their semen fulfil regulation requirements. All AI services and production centres are federated in the UNCEIA (National Union of AI Centres) working closely with French department of agriculture, INRA and ‘’Institut de l’Elevage’’-technical institute for ruminants. So there were three categories of bulls in AI depending on the size of the breed. 1/ Bulls of large breeds with genetic improvement programs. If breeding values are negative after progeny-testing all semen must be destroyed. 2/ Bulls of small breeds. It is possible to progeny-test some bulls and it is necessary to preserve genetic diversity in the breed. There is no obligation to destroy semen of bulls with negative breeding values. 3/ Bulls of rare breeds. It is not possible to progeny-test the bulls.
b) New organisation Since 2004 a general outline of reform has been set up, being effective in 2007. The state will be devoted primarily on its strategic missions and will entrust to the farmers’ organisations much responsibilities in the operational management of the system. For that it is created a ‘’French Genetics Inter-profession of the ruminants’’ (FGE), which , recognized by the state, will be able to set up rules being binding to all operators and will be able to possibly raise contributions to finance the collective tasks shared between all the actors of the System. It will indeed be necessary to find shifts with the public subsidies if they come to reduce. State regulation will become less important and will be often limited at the level requested by the Community. With the effective new framework there are some changes : 1/ For large breeds with progeny test or performance test, AI Centre are no more obliged to destroy all the doses of semen of non improver bulls. 2/ Small or local breeds are in the same category than rare breeds. . The adaptation to this new context will inevitably involve a reorganization of the organisations of the whole sector. This is why one will see appear new types of breeding companies, the task of which will be to create (Breeding Organisation, about 30) or distribute genetics (AI Service Centre, about 40). The most important changes are that breeding companies are authorized to collect semen whatever the breed, as far as their respect sanitary and zootechnical rules and given that AI Service Centre have no more monopoly area. So, competition will appear in the field of the AI services. Physical or practical work is now realised by three entities : 1/ Collecting Centre, were semen is collected (about 30), 2/ Storage Centre were semen is stored, 3/ Semen Depot were semen is deposited before to be used. Semen from semen depot cannot return to storage centre if not used. For example Génoé is a Breeding Organisation with two Collecting Centres and four Storage Centres.
3) Organisations involved and their roles and status (research, AI and gene bank n. and geographical distribution trade, farmers organisations)
In a national and collective organisation, steering and regulating authorities have a very important role. In addition to the ministry for Agriculture, one can mention the INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) in charge of research on methodologies for genetic evaluations of breeding animals and Technical Institutes by species to which important functions are delegated like control of proceedings and interface between INRA and breeders organisations (AI Centres and Herd-Books). Breed societies called UPRA are in charge to defend and promote each breed and to keep herd- books. At the level of each ‘’département’’, there is an approved body (EDE) in charge of identification, parentage certification and performance recording.
4) Policy objectives for cryopreservation activities
a) Rare breeds The objective is to allow the reproduction in purebred for the long term maintaining as possible the genetic diversity present in founders and useful animals whatever the number of cows and its evolution. Management has to avoid genetic drift. Except for the Bretonne Pie-Noire breed, there is no systematic planning system. Only recommendations and genealogical information are given the farmers. We need an important number of bulls to be used in the same time to avoid bottleneck and in a long time to have long generations intervals. Furthermore, if the number of straws per bull is huge (in France 3000 doses by bull), the breed is less depending on funding and can be maintained even if there is no new financing for several years. For example, in the breed Villard de Lans a study show that with the 27 bulls and straws number available (without adding any new bulls), we can maintain 100/200 cows during 100 years with the same level of relationship between cows and even decreasing the average inbreeding if mating planned (Colleau, Avon). b) Local breeds The objective is to allow the reproduction in purebred of the population associated with the aim to have some genetic improvement.
5) Organisation of cryoconservation programme (decision makers, management, steering committee, operational, etc)
In the early Seventies some people and associations helped to be conscious that we were losing breeds and diversity and reaction occurred. In 1976 first conservation program started with small ‘’Bretonne Pie-Noire’’ (Black and White Brittany) breed being threaten by crossing and substitution with Friesian. Students and professor of Superior Beauvais agricultural school made a breed survey and helped to rebuild a breed society. Ministry of agriculture gave some money. From 1977 onwards new programs started. Surveys were made by ITEB (now Institut de l’Elevage) and CNAG gave favourable advice to Ministry of Agriculture to reserve some money to conservation programs. Steps were to make surveys to know if old breeds existed, then to locate herds or animals, then to locate bulls. If bulls existed it was possible to save the breeds. Technical work was: 1/ to register all the animals remaining (principle of exhaustivity) ; this work is made by Institut de l’Elevage for 14 breeds or populations 2/ to collect semen of the last bulls, 3/ to create new bulls using surviving bulls and good cows and to store semen. The choice of the bulls is done by the Institut de l’Elevage as IE has good knowledge of each population. Breed purity, type, morphology and genetic diversity are taken into account.
Fortunately quality of animals remaining was good. As Institut de l’Elevage had people on field it was possible to put the money of Department of Agriculture exclusively on semen collection. As there was good relationship between Institut de l’Elevage (ITEB) and UNCEIA all AI Centres concerned accepted to do the work. In the same time Department of Agriculture accepted to relax zootechnical rules concerning bulls of rare breeds. For example bulls without pedigrees were accepted to be collected. If semen is collected on farm, semen must be used only in the farm were it has been collected. Since 1976 almost 300 bulls of 15 rare breeds representing 900 000 doses have been collected by French AI Centres. At the beginning French Agriculture Ministry had money to pay the collection of semen (mean of 4000 euros by bull) but no more now. Money is still found at local or regional level. In some cases AI Centre participate financially to the collection of semen (for example URCEO for Armoricaine breed or CIA Créhen for Froment du Léon and Canadienne). They keep semen free of charge. For each program semen can be divided in two categories : 1/ Long term routine semen (semen can be used without restriction in routine but must be stored for a long time to be operational during a long period); 2/ Long term storage semen or ‘’genetic reserve’’ which can be used with restriction for special mating for example on bull mothers to create new bulls. In year 1999 was launched a ‘’French National Cryobank’’ (CBN). This project was co-funded by eleven organizations which signed a convention that gave the basic management rules for the French Cryobank. Department of Agriculture is one of the partner and main financial source. Among the other partners we found the INRA, also well represented in Scientific Committee, Livestock Institutes, UNCEIA and ACSEDIATE a sanitary laboratory depending from UNCEIA. The purpose is to preserve biologic material of domestic animal species mainly semen but also embryos, cells and serum, on a voluntary basis as depot in the CBN is not compulsory. The principle is that biologic material of the CBN must be preserve in almost two sites to prevent risks. Principal site is Maisons-Alfort ACSEDIATE laboratory near Paris. It is expect to preserve three categories of semen: 1/ type I is semen from bulls of rare breeds 2/ type II is semen from bulls with original and/or specific characteristics 3/ type III come from snapshot of commercial breeds or lines.
6) General description
Traditionally France is a country with great diversity of landscapes, farming systems and breeds (30 native breeds still exist). After second world war French government and dominant farmers trade-union, tried to modernize agriculture and breeding. They helped to make farms bigger and decided that smaller cattle breeds had to disappear. In respect to cattle breeds it was said that too much breeds hindered the greatest ones to have efficient selection programs. So when current AI organization was built up some breeds were not authorized to be used in AI. In the same time bull licensing for natural service excluded bulls of some local breeds. Fortunately some farmers continued to breed their own bulls and exchange them. Also merging of breeds similar in colour was encouraged. So Blonde d’Aquitaine was founded with three breeds : Quercy, Blonde des Pyrénées and Garonnaise. In fact only Garonnaise survived in the Blonde d’Aquitaine as it was more fast-growing than Blonde des Pyrénées and Quercy. For Quittet, ministry agent in charge of this policy, it was expected that one time Blonde d’Aquitaine (Garonnaise) merged with Limousin to give a new breed ‘’Blonde du Sud Ouest’’ ..! Paradoxically rare breeds with no breed society nor herd-book, managed by traditional breeders in their own farming or breeding system, were in better condition than larger local breeds with breed society as in the Sixties one thought that local breeds was inbred and difficult to be improved and that it was necessary to cross them with looking-like foreign breed to give them new blood, prestige, and genetic improvement. So breeds like ‘’Black and white Brittany’’, Mirandaise, Vosgienne, Armoricaine, Flamande started crossing in the Sixties and early Seventies. Flamande breed never stopped crossing (with old Danish Red called now RDM 1970) since the sixties and now no purebred living animal remains but purebred semen still exists in Genes Diffusion AI Storage Centre of Frais Marais. We distinct two kinds of minority breeds 1/ Breeds with less than 1000 cows (14 breeds and populations). It is not possible to work with only performance recorded animals and we try to work with all the animals and breeders of the breeds (principle of exhaustivity). IE is acting as main technical actor. 2/ Breeds with more than 1000 cows and less than 10 000 cows (4 continental breeds) where it is possible to work with the portion of animals recorded. It is possible to make some selection. Breed societies and AI Centre can make technical work.
Form B Collection and Analysis by breed or group of breeds, only for local cattle breeds
French local breeds can be classified in two categories :1/ rare breeds (less than 1000 cows=endangered maintained), 2/ local breeds (between 1000 and 6500 cows). Breeds are :
Breed Cows, 2006 Commentaries Rare Armoricaine 114 true breed, dual purpose, increasing Bazougers 3 true breed, meat, stable Béarnaise 116 true breed, mountain rustic, increasing Bretonne Pie Noir 1 000 true breed, dairy, increasing Casta 151 true breed, mountain rustic, increasing Ferrandaise 729 true breed, dual purpose, increasing Flamande (original) 50 true breed, dairy, decreasing Froment du Léon 165 true breed, dairy, stable Lourdaise 183 true breed, mountain rustic, increasing Maraîchine 527 true breed, meat, increasing Mirandaise 481 true breed, meat, stable Nantaise 422 true breed, meat, increasing Saosnoise 800 population, meat, stable Villard de Lans 235 true breed, dual purpose, stable Local Bazadaise 2 648 true breed, meat, stable Bleue du Nord 1 333 true breed, also in Belgium, dual purpose, decreasing. Rouge Flamande 2 075 Flamande x RDM 1970, dairy, decreasing Vosgienne 4 128 true breed, mountain dairy, stable
1. Objectives of the breed management and sampling strategies (breeding strategy, aims of storage)
a) Rare breeds The objective is to allow the reproduction in purebred, for the long term maintaining as possible the genetic diversity present in founders and useful animals whatever the number of cows and its evolution. Management has to avoid genetic drift. Except for the Bretonne Pie Noire, there is no systematic planning system. Only recommendations and genealogical information are given to the farmers. We need an important number of bulls to be used in the same time to avoid bottlenecks and for a long time to have long generations intervals. The choice of the bulls is done by the Institut de l’Elevage in consultation with the breed societies. The first criteria is the animal itself: morphology, type, pedigree, performance. Furthermore, if the number of straws per bull is huge (in France 3000 doses by bull), the breed is less depending on funding and can be maintained even if there is no new financing for several years. For example, for Villard de Lans breed a study shows that with 27 bulls available (without adding new bulls), we can maintain 100/200 cows during 100 years with the same level of relationship between cows and even decrease the average inbreeding if mating are planned. (Colleau, Avon) We prefer to have a large number of bulls and use them for a long time to avoid bottlenecks, instead of establish a rapid turn over-with few bulls.
6 b) Local breeds The orientation of the breed programs is to maintain the principal characteristics of the breed and if possible, improve them. The difference compared with the case of rare breeds is that we are working only with performance recorded animals. There is a management of the genetic diversity, particularly for the choice of the bulls even if the criteria are not always formalized. The idea is to have a sufficient number of bull’s fathers. The bulls are progeny tested and it is possible to reject the worse, and have a certain genetic progress without damaging genetic diversity. The danger is to have few very good bulls, too much used. It is better to have middle of the road bulls, used in the same way. Choice of the bulls is done by AI Centre and breed societies, related with Institut de l’Elevage.
2. Number of sires and doses in storage per breed
The information about the total number of bulls and total number of doses is not sufficient. It is important to know if the stock/bull is important.
Total number Number of bulls with Breed of doses <200 doses 200
3. Use/sale of germplasm on annual basis (number of doses, number of bulls, per breed)
Some of the bulls are only in “genetic reserves” (when the number of straws is less than 200), it means that they are not available for a routinely use, but for some particular mating. It depends on the number of bulls available. On average, ¾ or 4/5 of the bulls are used each year, but if we take into account several years, all bulls are used.
7 Number of doses/breed used for the year 2006 (even for crossbreeding): Breed Number of bulls available Number of first AI Total number of doses used Armoricaine 11 64 109 Béarnaise 19 33 56 Bretonne Pie Noir 24 1 621 2 904 Casta 19 24 40 Ferrandaise 29 498 847 Flamande (original) 24 425 722 Froment du Léon 12 119 202 Lourdaise 16 64 107 Maraîchine 28 34 58 Mirandaise 15 78 128 Nantaise 17 67 114 Saosnoise 14 127 216 Villard de Lans 27 62 105 Bazadaise 27 1 759 2 616 Bleue du Nord 18 1 393 2 368 Rouge Flamande 50 1 918 2 698 Vosgienne 43 5 672 9 642
4. Responsible stakeholders a) For rare breeds: The herd books for these breeds are kept by the IE, and the breed societies represent the breeders and their interests.
b) For local breeds The herd-book and the CAI (AI coops) and IE.
Breed CIA Armoricaine URCEO Bazougers GENOE Béarnaise MIDATEST Bretonne Pie Noir URCEO Casta MIDATEST Ferrandaise UALC Flamande (original) Gènes Diffusion Froment du Léon CIA Crehen-Amelis Lourdaise MIDATEST Maraîchine GENOE Mirandaise MIDATEST Nantaise GENOE Saosnoise GENOE Villard de Lans UCEAR Bazadaise MIDATEST Bleue du Nord Gènes Diffusion Rouge Flamande Gènes Diffusion Vosgienne Alsace Génétique
5. Involvement of other stakeholders, how? As the national level no more give money directly to the programs, regional and local level are concerned via ‘’Regional preservation centres’’ (conservatoires Régionaux), ‘’Natural Regional Parks’’ (Parcs Naturels Régionaux) and breed societies or others ‘’maître d’oeuvre’’
8 like Departmental Breeding Organisation or Office (Etablissement Départemental de l’Elevage), etc.
6. Use of AI (percentage of cows inseminated, current and historical data)
Thirty years ago, herd size was smaller and cows were tied, then it was easier to inseminate them.
Breed % cows inseminated Tendency (%) Tendency (first AI) Armoricaine 50 Decreasing Stable Béarnaise 70 Stable Increasing Bretonne Pie Noir 75 Decreasing Stable Casta 10 Stable Increasing Ferrandaise 50 Decreasing Increasing Froment du Léon 60 Stable Stable Lourdaise 30 Decreasing Increasing Maraîchine 5 Increasing Increasing Mirandaise 30 Decreasing Decreasing Nantaise 20 Stable Stable Saosnoise 90 Stable Stable Villard de Lans 40 Stable Stable Bazadaise 20 Decreasing Decreasing Bleue du Nord 40 Stable Decreasing Rouge Flamande 60 Stable Stable Vosgienne 80 Stable Stable
For beef breeds, when size of herds increase, natural service is also increasing. For the dairy breeds, it is the same tendency, except when there is a progeny-test program and when there are bulls with positive indexes. Sometimes natural service bulls are used on heifers. Even if the percentage of cows inseminated is decreasing, the importance of the AI bulls for genetic management is maintained.
7. Collection methods (% on farm or on centre)
In France, all bulls are collected in AI centres with quarantine.
8. Semen packaging (straw, pellets)
We can find 1ml straws (Armoricaine) and pellets (Mirandaise) for older bulls. Since 1969, all the straws are 0,25 ml.
9 9. Storage sites (number, for each sites: ownership, location, sanitary status)
Breed Storage sites Armoricaine 2 sites : Plounevézel (URCEO), Locminé (OGER) Bazougers 2 sites : Trelazé et Joue les Tours (GENOE) Béarnaise 2 sites: Cadaujac et Soual (MIDATEST) + CBN* Bretonne Pie Noir 2 sites : Locmine (OGER) et Plounevezel (URCEO) Casta 2 sites : Cadaujac et Soual (MIDATEST) Ferrandaise 1 site : Le Suquet (GENESIA) Flamande (original) 1 site : Frais Marais (Gènes Diffusion) Froment du Léon 1 site: CIA Créhen Lourdaise 2 sites : Cadaujac et Soual (MIDATEST) + CBN* Maraîchine 3 sites : Trelazé et Joué les Tours (GENOE) La Roche sur Yon + CBN* Mirandaise 2 sites : Cadaujac et Soual (MIDATEST) Nantaise 2 sites : Trelazé et Joue les Tours (GENOE) Saosnoise 2 sites : Trelazé et Joué les Tours (GENOE) + CBN* Villard de Lans 1 site Bel Air (UCEAR) + CBN* Bazadaise 1 site : Cadaujac (MIDATEST) Bleue du Nord 1 site : Frais Marais (Gènes Diffusion) Rouge Flamande 1 site Frais Marais (Gènes Diffusion) Vosgienne 2 sites : Gunsbach et Brumath (Alsace génétique) *CBN= National Cryobank, the doses are stored in 2 sites.
10. Legal aspects (ownership, criteria for use, restrictions, who decides about collection, storage, use etc)
The AI centre which produces the doses is always the owner of the straws and is responsible of their maintenance. They can use the doses freely if it does not threat the management of the breed. No legal aspects were written about the use of the doses. But to be used, bulls need to have an authorization from the ministry of agriculture and for this authorization they must have the same sanitary status than mainstream breeds. In respect to zootechnical aspects derogations are possible.
Even in the case of doses in National Cryobank, AI centres continue to be owners of the doses too.
11. Funding (sources, total amount, objective)
Since 1976 and till 1990 Ministry of Agriculture gave an amount of money per breed (~5- 6 000 €/breed), without directives for use. Then priority was given to finance the collection of bulls instead, for example to subsidy the breeders directly. Nowadays Ferrandaise breed continue to receive almost 3 000€ and Bretonne Pie Noire 5 000€.. Since 1985 and particularly 1990, breeds receive subsidies from the local authorities (Region and/or Department) For local breeds bulls collection can be self-financing by CAI, for example for the breeds Bazadaise or Vosgienne, when enough straws are sold per year. In some cases Region, Département or special funds can help and allow to collect more bulls.
10 12. Veterinary aspects
Rare breeds bulls are submitted at the same sanitary rules than bulls of large breeds. For these reasons all bulls are collected in approved EEC AI Centre. Even with the new “Loi d’Orientation Agricole”, no difference between breeds except some derogations: the bull has to be declared with a “sanitary number” given by the collection centre, then the doses are put in a storage site (it can be the collection centre itself) and then given to enterprises doing AI. Each structure (collection centre, storage centre, enterprise doing AI) needs an agreement. Rare and local breeds must not be accused to play a special role when a disease is declared. Fortunately rare breeds were almost in good sanitary conditions. For two or three very special cases derogation for on farm collection was obtained.
13. Information available (pedigrees, breeding values, etc.)
a) Rare breeds. Except for breeds with old herd-book like Bretonne Pie-Noir, Armoricaine, Flamande, Maraîchine, Mirandaise (Parthenaise) pedigree information was not available at the beginning of the conservation programs. For the other breeds founder bulls were collected. As herd-books have been created for each rare breed young bulls can have three or four generation pedigree now. Only ‘’Bretonne Pie-Noire’’ have some bulls with milk production indexes. However it is possible to know the profile of some old bulls as they are used extensively since a mong time.. Since 2002, genotyping of the myostatin gene (mh) is done for Bleue du Nord, Bazougers, Ferrandaise, Lourdaise , Maraichine, Mirandaise, Nantaise, Saosnoise bulls.
b) Local breeds. Vosgienne breed have indexes for milk and morphology. Flamande and Bleue du Nord only indexes for milk production.. Genotyping of kappa-casein of milk occurs for Vosgienne et Flamande breeds.
14. Quality management (rules, legal aspects, incl. safety)
All breeds are well known and technical work on field is important. Bulls are chosen carefully by IE but the rules are not always written. The herd-books are well kept with a control on purity and quality of the animals. Pedigree is proved with DNA genotyping for all AI bulls .The sanitary status is guaranteed by the sanitary status of the doses. There is a follow-up (control) of the inbreeding, but no strict planning to keep it as low as possible. PEDIG software can be used to analyse the genetic situation of each breed. There are no written agreements with AI centres to protect the doses for long term use, except for the doses in the National Cryobank.
11 15. Costs (collection, storage, use, etc.)
To collect 3 000 straws from each bull (international rules) it costs 6000 €, without counting the previous actions for management, approach, choice etc. Collection alone cost between: 3500- 4000 €. Depending on the breeds, the costs can be financed by the AI centre, the programs (finance by national, regional or local level) or both of them. In many cases costs are shared between different partners. In general, sale of straws covers the storage of doses. A first AI costs between 35-40€ .
12 Total Number of bulls with Birth date of Breed number of the bull <200 doses 200
13 Form C Analysis by topics (horizontal analysis among breeds using data from form A and B)
• Sanitary situation (collection methods, storage sites, quality management like collection protocols etc)
The collection methods of the bulls is the same as for the other breeds, then the straws can be sold for export too. Most of the breeds are stored in at least 2 sites in the AI centres and for some of them in the CBN.
• Legal aspects (ownership, criteria for use, restrictions, who decides about/pays for collection, storage, use etc)
The AI centre who produced the doses is always the owner of the straws and they are responsible of their maintenance. They can use the doses freely if it does not threat the management of the breed. No legal aspects were written about the use of the doses. But to be used, the bulls need to have an agreement and for this agreement they had to follow the same sanitary status as the other breed but they may have a derogation for the zootechnical aspects (genealogy, known breed, progeny testing program…).
• Sampling strategies (breeding strategy, aims of storage)
The choice of the bulls is done by the “Institut de l’Elevage” in consultation with the breed societies. The first criteria is the animal itself: morphology etc, and then its origin is considered. In France, we prefer to have a large number of bulls and use them for long term, instead of a rapid turn-over with few bulls. It avoids the bottle-neck. 3000 straws are kept per bulls. It is important to have a sufficient number of doses, because, particularly for the very small breeds, it allows to use it for the very long-term. When the stock of one bull is less than 200 doses, it can not be use for routine purpose and the straws are only use for some cases of “planed mating”.
• Responsibility assessments (involvement of stakeholders, organisation in charge) The herd books for the rare breeds are kept by the IE, and the breed societies represent the breeders and their interests. The AI centres. For the local breeds: the herd-book. Regional conservatory: financing, administrative and sometimes technical.
• Funding (sources, total amount , objective)
The minister of agriculture gave an amount per breed till 1985 (~5-6 000€/breed), it had no requirement for the use of the money and it was used by choice to collect bulls, instead of subsidies for the breeders for example. Only some breeds continue to receive it now? From 1985 and particularly since 1990, the breeds receive subsidies from the local communities (the region and/or the department)
For the local breeds: they can have a self-financing of the bulls collection, when enough AI are sold per year and the subsidies from the region, to complete the self-financing and allow to collect more bulls.
14 SWOT analysis: cryoconservation
SWOT Table: Analysis of national cryoconservation program in terms of efficiency: France
S.1 Financial support from the Ministry of Agriculture and local and territorial communities S.2 AI centre involved Strengths S.3 Breeders and Breeders Association involved and conscious S.4 Regulatory framework, some derogations on zootechnical aspects
S.5 National coordination by the Institut de l’Elevage S.6 Availability of a national database by the Institut de l’Elevage S.7 Persistency in the cryoconservation activities S.8 Important stock of semen collected in approved AI centre
W.1 Lack of regulation of doses cryoconservation by AI centres
Weaknesses
O.a Involvement and interest of AI centres O.b More and more breeders interested by these breeds O.c Increased sensibility in local breeds conservation Opportunities O.d Capacity to manage these breeds with cryopreserved semen
T.a Liberalization of AI business T.b Persistency of national coordination Threats T.c Negative trend in public funds (national and regional) T.d Possible drift in the perception and use of these breeds
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SWOT matrix Strategic alternatives to implement a national cryoconservation program: France. Internal Strengths Weaknesses
SO WO • Promote the communication • Securise the cryoconservation between AI centre and breeders of doses with the AI centres (S2, O.b) (W1, Oa) • Promote importance of AI and cryoconservation for the general public, communities and breeders (S2,3, O.a,b,c) • Mise en place program of Opportunities management of these breeds for long term with cryopreserved semen (S.4,5,6,7,8;O.b,d) • Sale of some of these doses for commercial purpose can help the sustainability of the system (S.8
External External ST WT
• Use the amount of stock to avoid • Guarantee the storage of the possible drift in the future (S8, doses for the long Td) term(W1,Ta,b,c,d) Threats • Guarantee the persistency in the conservation activities (S5,6,7; Tb,c) • Involvement of the AI centres should avoid impact of liberalization (S2,Ta)
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