Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Education 101
In more than 15,000 years,humans have succeeded in domesticating less than fifty species of animals . From these species , through,thousands of distint breeds have been devolped worldwide. early in the process development was fairly informal.
Unfortunately,this genetic heritage is shrinking as many minor breeds disappear. More than one third of the livestock and poultry breeds in the United States are consider rare or endangered. 80% suffer from insufficient numbers of breeding animals to maintain a healhty diversty within the breed.
A look at the the American dairy industry provides a clue to what is happening to the livestock gene pool. 83% of all dairy cows in the United States are Holstiens and because of artifical insemination are bred to one of only twenty sires or their sons.
Losing minor breeds results in the loss of genetic varition, which can have tragic consequences.
When most animals come from the same stock thetr'e more vunerable to disease, parasites and enviromental changes.
In more than 15,000 years,humans have succeeded in domesticating less than fifty species of animals . From these species , through,thousands of distint breeds have been devolped worldwide. early in the process development was fairly informal.
Unfortunately,this genetic heritage is shrinking as many minor breeds disappear. More than one third of the livestock and poultry breeds in the United States are consider rare or endangered. 80% suffer from insufficient numbers of breeding animals to maintain a healhty diversty within the breed.
A look at the the American dairy industry provides a clue to what is happening to the livestock gene pool. 83% of all dairy cows in the United States are Holstiens and because of artifical insemination are bred to one of only twenty sires or their sons.
Losing minor breeds results in the loss of genetic varition, which can have tragic consequences.
When most animals come from the same stock thetr'e more vunerable to disease, parasites and enviromental changes.
