Effective strategies for local breed definition and conservation Estrategias efectivas para la definición y conservación de razas locales Phillip Sponenberg1* & Chuck Reed2 1 Department of Biosciences and Pathobiology. Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Virginia Tech. Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. 2 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) retired. P.O. Box 1162. Rawlins, WY 82301, USA *E. mail: [email protected] Enviado el 30 de Julio de 2015/ Aceptado el 02 de Septiembre de 2015 ABSTRACT RESUMEN Conservation of local breeds (landraces) is difficult but im- La conservación de razas locales (landraces) es difícil pero impor- portant because they are likely to have traits of adaptation tante, porque es probable que posean características de adaptación as well as of production. For their final composition, breeds y también de producción. Las razas dependen para su conforma- depend on a combination of founding genes, isolation, and se- ción final de una combinación de genes fundacionales, aislamiento, lection, and each of these must be evaluated carefully when y selección, y cada una de estas debe ser evaluada cuidadosamente considering a landrace. The usual steps in animal conserva- cuando se están considerando a las razas locales. Los pasos más tion are discovery, definition, securing and sustenance. isco- comunes para la conservación animal son: descubrimiento, defini- very is helped by using local knowledge of animal resources, ción, preservación y mantenimiento. El descubrimiento se ayuda as well as by outside expertise in breed and animal resources con la utilización del conocimiento local sobre los recursos anima- in the region. Definition is deciding which animals to inclu- les, como también por la experticia externa en razas y recursos de, and which to exclude, in a conservation program. This animales dentro de la región. La definición significa decidir cuáles can be accomplished by developing a phenotypic matrix that animales incluir dentro del programa de conservación, y cuáles is scored for aspects typical for purebreds and crossbreds in desechar. Esto se puede lograr desarrollando una matriz fenotí- the local area. Securing the resource can sometimes involve pica que se califica con los aspectos típicos de los animales puros outright rescue and removal of very small and very endange- y los cruzados dentro de la localidad. La preservación del recurso red populations. More frequently, it may involve organizing algunas veces puede involucrar el rescate propiamente dicho y la breeders and breeding of the animals in order to assure a remoción de una población animal muy pequeña y muy amenaza- broad genetic base to avoid inbreeding. Secure breed resour- da. Más a menudo significa organizar a los criadores y establecer ces also depend on high demand for breed-specific products. la reproducción de los animales para asegurar una amplia base Key words: local breed, landrace, rare breed, breed conservation genética que impida la consanguinidad. La preservación de los re- cursos genéticos animales también depende de que exista una alta demanda por los productos específicos de la raza. INTRODUCTION Palabras clave: raza local, landrace, razas inusuales, conser- Standardized, trans-national breeds are in- vación racial creasingly what comes to mind when the word “breed” is used by most people involved in important as security for future agricultural animal production. Such breeds have a high systems, especially in systems with few avai- level of definition and documentation, and are lable inputs. The relatively low level of docu- rapidly becoming the most common breeds mentation of the production levels of landrace used for agricultural production throughout animals makes their conservation situation the world. This has long been true of tempe- especially risky, because they are often repla- rate regions, and is also increasingly true in ced by trans-national breeds before the true any region with ample feed and other support potential of the landrace is fully known. Once such as health inputs. they are gone they cannot be replaced. In contrast, local breeds (the English word One problem in landrace conservation is an “landrace” describes these) are usually asso- understanding of the definition of “breed.” The ciated with more peripheral or disadvantaged term “breed” has various cultural contexts, to production systems. Landraces usually have the extent that FAO generally declines to give low levels of documentation, and also little a firm definition of “breed.” A reasonably res- definition that can aid in their effective con- trictive definition is that a breed is a group of servation. These issues are important because animals that is phenotypically similar, recogni- landraces generally have high levels of envi- zable from other members of the same species, ronmental adaptation and most of them re- and when members of the breed are mated to- main productive in the face of limited inputs. gether the result is the same phenotype. Ano- Their effective conservation is therefore highly ther way to put this is: “A group of animals that Quehacer Científico en Chiapas 11 (1) 2016 29 has been selected by man to possess a uniform for isolation to result from conscious choices appearance that is inheritable and distinguis- and strategies. Practical ways to assure high hes is from other groups of animals within the levels of isolation in local landraces are beco- same species” (Clutton-Brock, 1981). This de- ming increasingly difficult. finition is powerful, because at its core is the Selection is also important in shaping gene- concept that a breed is a reasonably uniform tic resources. Selection has two main aspects; genetic resource. It is this genetic uniformity one of these is natural selection imposed by that provides for the predictability of outcomes, the environment in which the animals resi- and predictability is at the core of the utility de. While health and nutritional inputs can of breeds. Each breed should represent a ge- minimize the importance of environmental notype that produces a predictable phenotype adaptation, it remains true that all breeds so that producers can select whichever breed is are subjected to some level of natural selec- likely to succeed in their environment and for tion. When natural selection is at a high level, their production goals. adapted genetic resources are the result. A Breeds, as genetic resources, usually depend second type of selection is imposed by human on a combination of foundation, isolation, and owners. Human selection is subject to change selection to achieve their current status. These as desired products and infrastructure change act together in important ways, and each must over time. The two types of selection, natural be present for an effective breed to result (Spo- and human, can be very effectively used toge- nenberg, Beranger and Martin, 2014). ther to result in adapted, productive breeds. Foundation is often the result of accidents If the final concern of animal breeding is a of history rather than deliberate choices made functional breed, then a few additions to the concerning which specific animals would be basic definition of “breed” are appropriate. introduced into which regions. In the Ame- A functional breed is a genetic resource ―as ricas this foundation was often Iberian, and defined above― that resides and produces in Iberian livestock in their own turn have a glo- a specific environment that has both natural bally unique foundation due to the peculiari- and agricultural aspects. These aspects in- ties of livestock introduction into the Iberian clude ranges of temperature, humidity, and Peninsula both from Europe and Africa. This vegetation, but also include production sys- unique foundation makes criollo landraces of tems and production goals that are imposed special interest and importance globally, des- by human caretakers. This brings in the idea pite the fact that their foundation was largely that these genetic resources are partners with accidental due to their convenience at ports of human caretakers, ideally in a system that embarkation from Iberia. A more significant assures the survival of both humans and ani- experiment could hardly have been devised mals. It is essential to consider the cultural any better by deliberate consideration. These environment in which these genetic resources resources need to be very carefully conserved reside and produce if their conservation is to in order to not lose the opportunity they pre- proceed logically and effectively serve their sent for sustainable animal production. human partners. Isolation, in a similar nearly accidental manner, usually was imposed by limitations Steps to Landrace Conservation to communication and transportation. These Landrace conservation must start from the limitations were much more present in the very beginning. While local owners may know past than they are currently, which has chan- and appreciate the resource, most landraces ged the fate of many landraces. Isolation in have no formal definition. The result is that the past could be assumed, and did not need that outside observers, experts, and develop- to be deliberate. In today’s world of improved ment planners can easily overlook landraces infrastructure for both communication and and fail to recognize their importance and role transportation it is more and more necessary in local production. It is common for landraces 30 Quehacer Científico en Chiapas 11 (1) 2016 to be overlooked as genetic resources with real communities. Both natural and cultural iso- production potential, and to be lost to extinction lation facilitate the persistence of landraces, by replacement with trans-national breeds. and such locations should be diligently explo- The usual steps in effective landrace con- red for unique genetic resources. servation are discover, define, secure and sus- tain. Each of these steps has challenges, and Define failure in any one of them leads to failure in Defining a landrace can be difficult, especia- conservation. Each step must be considered lly if the landrace has experienced any level carefully in order to achieve success (Sponen- of crossbreeding with outside animals.