ERFP Animal genetic resources in Europe

13/01/2025

[Focus on - The quality of cryopreserved semen in native over several decades]

It is essential to check the quality of cryopreserved semen from native cattle on a regular basis. Recently, a study was conducted to evaluate the semen of PR bulls preserved for 40, 50 and 60 years in liquid nitrogen.

✅ Key findings:
👉 Long-term storage had no effect on s***m characteristics after thawing.
👉 Differences in plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial transmembrane potential were observed between bulls, independent of storage duration.
👉 No significant differences were detected in s***m chromatin damage, with DNA fragmentation remaining low (0.4-0.8%).

This study underlines the reliability of cryopreservation for long-term genetic conservation! 🌱🐂

💡 More information: https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/aspr-2023-0034

06/01/2025

[Istrian cattle]

Local breeds are essential for maintaining diversity, but many of them are facing the challenges of globalisation and industrialised production. One such breed, the Istrian cattle, was on the brink of extinction just three decades ago.

Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, the population has bounced back, regaining economic importance and securing its place in local agriculture. 📈✨

A recent study analysed the status and trends of Istrian cattle using pedigree data.

The results are promising:
✔️ Population numbers and herd sizes have stabilised.
✔️ Inbreeding and parentage levels have reached a plateau (4.00% and 3.14% respectively).
✔️ No signs of bottlenecks have been detected.

However, systematic monitoring remains essential to ensure the long-term survival of this unique breed. 🐂💚

More information :https://www.wageningenacademic.com/pb-assets/wagen/WCGALP2022/61_013.pdf

16/12/2024

[ Native donkeys of Croatia ]

Did you know that Croatia's two native donkey breeds, the Littoral-Dinaric donkey and the Istrian donkey, were once on the brink of extinction? In the second half of the 20th century, these incredible animals were marginalised, but thanks to sustained conservation efforts, their story has taken an encouraging turn for the better.

A recent study analysed the demographic and genetic health of these breeds two decades after conservation measures began. Here's what the research revealed:

✅ No genetic bottleneck: Both breeds show stable genetic diversity, with no signs of high inbreeding.
Healthy genetic structure: microsatellite analysis revealed high genetic diversity with high levels of heterozygosity.
✅ Rich ancestry: Mitochondrial DNA places both breeds in the Equus asinus africanus group.
Unique haplotypes: 11 haplotypes and 28 polymorphic sites were identified in all samples.
✅ Differentiation preserved: Genetic differences between the two breeds have remained stable over the last two decades (FST = 0.028).

This research highlights the importance of using a variety of analytical approaches to monitor and safeguard genetic resources, ensuring the long-term preservation of these native breeds.
More information : https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/5/322

10/12/2024

[Did you know?]
🐐 Goats are a key part of Greece’s livestock sector, with two main indigenous breeds: Eghoria and Skopelos. 🇬🇷 researchers analyzed the genetic profiles of these breeds using genomic tools.

Key findings:
🔬 Both breeds show high levels of genetic diversity
📉 Low levels of inbreeding between the two breeds (Fst = 0.04362)
📍 Farms tend to group by geographical location

This study marks the first genome-based analysis of these native breeds and opens the door for future selective breeding, traceability, and conservation efforts. 🌱
To find out more about this study : https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0226179

10/12/2024

10/12/2024

BIEN-ÊTRE ET ENGAGEMENT - Au cœur du CHI de Genève 🐴

Cette année, le CHI de Genève vous invite à participer à ses Forums sur le bien-être, où experts et passionnés échangeront sur des sujets clés liés à la santé des chevaux, des cavaliers et de l’environnement. 🐴💚

📅 À ne pas manquer dans le village des exposants :

👉 Vendredi 19h15 : Prise en charge et management du cheval de sport
👉 Samedi 17h00 : Accueil et bien-être des chevaux au sein des grandes manifestations
👉 Samedi 18h45 : Conférence spéciale ProSpecieRara, notre association partenaire 2024, dédiée à la préservation des races animales et végétales menacées. Pour chaque billet vendu, 1 franc est reversé à cette cause essentielle.
👉 Dimanche 13h30 : Sélection et développement du jeune cheval de sport �
Rejoignez-nous pour réfléchir ensemble à un futur plus respectueux et durable. Plus d’infos sur notre site 👀

©CHIG /

03/12/2024

[Focus on - The Zobor ]

🐇 The Zobor rabbit, a meat breed from Slovakia that was created in the 1970s, is perfect for both households and intensive rabbit farms. 🏡🐰

However, the loss of breeders has significantly impacted the population, with only 14 registered animals in 2023. The Breeders Association is actively raising awareness and encouraging new breeders to join the cause. 🙌

Thanks to a recovery effort using semen doses from the NPPC (300 doses stored), 10 doses have already produced 24 offspring from 3 females. This marks a hopeful step forward in preserving the Zobor rabbit! 🐾

25/11/2024

[Uncover Europe's Hidden Treasures with Arca-Net🌱]

🌍 Dive into a world of rare, traditional breeds and endangered plants across 46 countries! With Arca-Net, you can explore over 600 one-of-a-kind locations : ark farms, open-air museums, pet parcs, arboretums...—all open to the public!

🔍 Discover endangered breeds, learn their incredible stories, and find unique locations near you in 4 different languages.

📱 Real-time updates directly from farmers and institutions mean you’ll always know the best time to visit!

Whether you're a nature lover or manage an institution, Arca-Net is your gateway to Europe's biodiversity. 🌿

Ready for your next adventure? https://arca-net.info/

19/11/2024

[ Event ]
💻 Webinar on ”indigenous breeds for sustainable livestock farming systems in Africa"
📅 November 21, 2024, 11 .00 am – 1 pm CET Paris (UTC+1)
👉 Organized by the livestock group of the TSARA initiative (Transforming food systems and agriculture through partnership research with Africa)

The program :

✅ Place and role of indigenous breeds in Africa, in a global change context
✅ How are indigenous breeds considered in the activities of researchers? Summary of surveys across the continent
✅ Indigenous breeds: challenges, threats and opportunities : North Africa, West and Central Africa, Eastern Africa and Austral Africa
✅ Introduction to the « episode 2 » expected in 2025: Indigenous breeds: unveiling their genetic potential and socio-ecological significance
✅ Discussion and perspectives

ℹ️ Registration : https://framaforms.org/registration-tsara-webinar-indigenous-breeds-for-sustainable-livestock-systems-in-africa-ep-1-facing

18/11/2024

[Spotlight on]

🚨 Big news for the of the Churra Lebrijana ! 🐑

In August, the Andalusian Association of Breeders made a major move to protect this indigenous breed by starting a retro-crossing process aimed at reducing high consanguinity levels. 💪

On the "Monte San Antonio" farm, 200 Churra Lebrijana females were inseminated with Churra breed semen, thanks to the support of the Excma, Diputación de Sevilla and ANCHE.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹?
To restore the purity of this historic breed, which has deep roots in Andalusia’s culture and heritage. 🌿

💻 https://rfeagas.es/recuperacion-raza-churra-lebrijana/

11/11/2024

[Did you know?]

Rare 🐄 are an important part of Dutch cultural heritage, but their is at risk.

↪️ To raise awareness and engage a wider audience, a group of students from diverse fields came together to create an exciting promotion plan.
Their hard work paid off—they’ve even been nominated for the 2024 Groenpact Impact Award! 🌿👏

💻 https://www.wur.nl/nl/onderzoek-resultaten/kennisonline-onderzoeksprojecten-lvvn/wettelijke-onderzoekstaken/centrum-voor-genetische-bronnen-nederland/show-cgn-nl/studenten-onderzoeken-promotie-zeldzame-veerassen.htm

Wageningen University & Research

07/11/2024

WANTED WANTED WANTED WANTED
Local breeds are often held up as examples of how they provide ‘ecosystem services’. Except... except that the studies to prove it are hard to find!
As part of the ERFP Animal genetic resources in Europe network, an initiative is underway to identify as many such initiatives as possible.
If you have internship reports, accounts, reports or articles that show this to be the case, please send us a PM.
Your contribution will be a key element in understanding the relationship between local breeds, ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Thanks in advance!

Photos: Solognotes ewes, coll. Louis Reveleau

04/11/2024

[Exciting news 🐴]

The Croatian Posavina has been thoroughly analyzed through an extensive study.

This research looked at :
👉 pedigree data
👉 traits of stallions and mares
👉 even explored the structure using microsatellites.
A step forward in understanding and preserving this 💡

💻 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/7/2130

30/10/2024

Power to the imagination of rare breed farmers!
Halloween is there for this French Red Flemish cow, an endangered cattle breed. Closely related to the Belgian Red and the original Danish Red cattle, both also endangered, these breeds are known for their resilience, fertility, and adaptability.
While Holstein cattle surged in popularity through the dairy industry in the '80s and '90s, replacing many local breeds, these heritage cattle remain invaluable. They are exceptional dairy producers and offer unique qualities for artisanal cheese making, bringing distinctive flavors and sustainable practices to the table.
Picture by Lucie Markey

28/10/2024

[Spotlight on]

🐐 Russia’s diversity reflects its unique environmental and sociocultural conditions, featuring breeds selected for down, mohair, and pastoralism traits. However, DNA-based data for effective breeding and conservation programs have been lacking—until now.

📊 A recent study analyzed the genetic diversity of seven local Russian breeds (Altai Mountain, Altai White Downy, Dagestan Downy, Karachaev, and more) using the Illumina Goat SNP50 BeadChip.

Key findings:

🔬 High diversity, despite historical population declines
📉 Effective population sizes remain stable
🌍 Genetic links between Russian and Turkish goats, hinting at past admixture events

These insights could guide future breeding and conservation strategies to preserve Russia’s local goat heritage! 🐐

More information : https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.708740/full

Frontiers

21/10/2024

[Cattle Application 🐄🌍]

The ’s Animal Production and Health Division is developing an innovative app that uses image recognition to identify breeds in the field—starting with cattle breeds! 📲✨

𝐖𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲!

📸 If you have photos of cattle breeds, you can contribute to the image database that will power this app. There’s no limit to the number of photos you can upload!

How to participate:
👉 Visit this link : https://cattle-image-retrieval-microservice-tzpoevo4wq-ew.a.run.app/
👉 If you're not a National Coordinator, select the country you’d like to upload images for.
👉 Choose a breed from the dropdown menu and upload your photos! ✅
👉 Preferred format: JPEG.

Your images will remain private and will only be used for developing the app. Thank you for supporting this important project! 🌱📷

18/10/2024

17/10/2024

What is the status on the conservation of farm animal genetic resources in the Nordics? This question is discussed in a new report published today by NordGen!

This report presents the status of all Nordic native breeds and offers the first comprehensive overview of the 40-year journey in official Nordic collaboration for conservation Nordic farm animal genetic resources (AnGR). It examines the diversity, distribution, and conservation status of these farm animal breeds. By presenting the current methods used for conservation, it also highlights internal and external pressures in the Nordic region. Read the full report here:
https://publication.nordgen.org/The-First-Status-Report-on-the-Conservation-of-AnGR-in-the-Nordics/index.html..
Hur ser statusen ut för bevarandet av husdjursgenetiska resurser i Norden? Denna fråga diskuteras i en ny rapport som publiceras idag av NordGen!

I publikationen presenteras statusen för alla nordiska lantrasdjur och ger den första heltäckande översikten av den 40-åriga resan av officiellt nordiskt samarbete för bevarande av nordiska husdjursgenetiska resurser (AnGR). Läs hela rapporten (på engelska) genom länken ovan.