[27] The organization has written or published over a dozen books on heritage livestock breeds, including several on heritage poultry and waterfowl and more on general livestock conservation. Whenever you are looking for books online, please consider going to the website store. [9], The Conservancy has been involved with the Red Wattle hog since the 1980s. [12] One major initiative with cattle is the Heritage Dairy Cattle Breed Recovery program, which assists heritage cattle breeders and breed organizations with funding, marketing and communications, with a focus on selling their product to other small operations, including cheese and dairy operations. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. In large part due to the efforts of the organization, heritage turkey populations have increased more than tenfold in little over a decade, and several breeds that once stood on the brink of extinction now maintain healthy populations. A current Livestock Conservancy membership is required to post in the Marketplace. [18] By 2009, this amount had jumped to slightly more than US$440,000, mainly from donations, grants and service revenue, but also including investment income. [44] Work with cattle has also been limited, although in one case, a member rescued the last of the Randall Cattle herd from slaughter; the breed has since been built up to more than 300 members. … Founded in 1977, through the efforts of livestock breed enthusiasts concerned about the disappearance of many of the US's heritage livestock breeds, the Conservancy was the pioneer li… Any Livestock Conservancy member can post unlimited, free listings from breeds on the Conservancy’s Priority List on this mobile-friendly website. Each year, it gathers population data on all breeds of livestock, including registration data and, for poultry, census numbers gathered from members, hatcheries and breeders. Finally, there are 11 rabbit breeds listed on the CPL: three in the critical category, three threatened, and five in the watch. Marketing Your Fiber Products Available until . A full membership with The Livestock Conservancy is required to create listings, but browsing listings for sale is free to the public. Deborah Niemann % COMPLETE FREE From Farm to Fiber Folk Available until . This study and other programs increased awareness of heritage turkey breeds and by 2003 the breeding population stood at 4,275 turkeys of all breeds. [35] In 2014, the Conservancy published the book An Introduction to Heritage Breeds describing conserving and care of animals under the purview of the organization, detailing each breed's specific needs and characteristics.[36]. Submit yours today at http://bit.ly/Micro-Grant Founded in 1977, through the efforts of livestock breed enthusiasts concerned about the disappearance of many of the US's heritage livestock breeds, the Conservancy was the pioneer livestock preservation organization in the United States, and remains a leading organization in that field. Of seven goat breeds listed, two are in the critical category, two in the watch, two recovering and one in the study. [25][26], In 2004, the Livestock Conservancy entered a partnership with Slow Food USA, Chefs Collaborative, and four other organizations to found the Renewing America's Food Traditions collaboration. The Conservation Priority List (CPL) is the Conservancy's list of breeds for which conservation is a priority. Home Your purchases from The Livestock Conservancy Store and our Cafe Press Store help support our conservation work. As a result, these historians and others decided to attempt preservation of other rare breeds facing extinction. [53], A breeding program for Buckeye chickens was developed in 2005 by staff members, focusing on using selective breeding to improve the breed and expand its numbers. Requirements for heritage cattle breeds include having a long history in the US, being purebred, and being a true genetic breed. Jessica ~ Cold Mile Farmstead The Livestock Conservancy is a great resource. The 19 cattle breeds listed include eight in the critical category, two in the threatened, three in the watch, five recovering and one in the study. Breeds are placed in the first three categories based on annual registrations with breed registries in the United States and estimated global populations. Livestock Conservancy Use this directory to find rare breek stock and products. Included are cattle, chick-ens, donkeys, ducks, geese, goats, horses, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and turkeys. When the final scores were read, first place went to the Midget White Turkey, second to the Bourbon Red and last place to the Butterball – the single non-heritage breed. The program has since become the template for similar programs focusing on the preservation of other rare chicken breeds. Recovering breeds are those that have exceeded the numbers needed for the watch category but that the organization still wishes to monitor. The Livestock Conservancy’s new book An Introduction to Heritage Breeds is a wonderful addition to any library. It maintains a close relationship with the NAGP, including assisting in the collection of genetic material from additional rare breeds. The latter is less of a concern in chickens than in turkeys, as artificial insemination has not progressed as far in the development of industrial chicken farming. [34], As of 2010, the Conservancy was undertaking several programs to help breeders and the public understand the need for and the way to preserve heritage breeds. [12] It also assisted in formulating a conservation and breeding strategy for a strain of Colonial Spanish horses from Santa Cruz Island in California. It has also developed and published several heritage definitions, including parameters for heritage breeds of cattle and poultry. For this conference, it partners with other organizations to teach members and other attendees about various aspects of rare breed livestock.