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The Livestock Conservancy
The Livestock Conservancy is America's leading organization working to save over 150 heritage breeds from extinction.
Heritage breeds are traditional livestock breeds that were ...view moreThe Livestock Conservancy is America's leading organization working to save over 150 heritage breeds from extinction.
Heritage breeds are traditional livestock breeds that were raised by our forefathers. These are the breeds of a bygone era, before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. These breeds were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well-adapted to the local environment and they thrived under farming practices and cultural conditions that are very different from those found in modern agriculture. Traditional, historic breeds retain essential attributes for survival and self-sufficiency – fertility, foraging ability, longevity, maternal instincts, ability to mate naturally, and resistance to diseases and parasites.
The Livestock Conservancy tracks populations of these breeds and works with a large network of small farmers to develop conservation programs to conserve their genetics while promoting the breeds and their products to consumers.view less