Farm life

Limousine sheep. Photo credit: BiacheB CC BY-SA 3.0 (creativecommons.org)

Old Breeds for Modern Farmers

IT’S TIME FOR TRADITIONAL BREEDS TO SHINE AGAIN, AS AGRICULTURE MUST BECOME MORE ECO-FRIENDLY

Regional livestock breeds have be a part of that solution, in that they can Farmers interested in preserving struggled to survive since the Second be employed to manage the landscape, traditional breeds benefit from enhanced World War, as high-yielding commercial enhance biodiversity, and provide flavour and character in their products. strains have taken centre stage in the food nutrient-rich food more efficiently. They also appreciate their ease of system. Fortunately, these rare breeds have been saved by devotees who have Why Native Breeds Thrive Better management, hardiness, and adaptability to different environments. The animals formed societies dedicated to protecting a Native breeds are often used for mature more slowly and the initial yield is viable population (ASP: associations de conservation grazing because they need lower, but in the long term the return sauvegarde et de promotion). Now, as little labour or input, being self-sufficient evens out. Firstly, they provide higher environmental experts and organisations, on natural flora and being hardy to local quality products. They process native flora including the UN, are pressing for reform conditions. Their natural adaptation to the more efficiently, and produce more of agricultural local landscape nutrient-rich products on this diet, practices, rare breeds Their natural adaptation to the means they make the including a higher omega-3 content. may come to the rescue. The intensification of agriculture has provided a steady supply of cheap food, but at a terrible cost to the environment. most of native vegetation and can meet their own needs in natural surroundings. They can actually thrive in extreme conditions, because this is how they lived for many local landscape means they make the most of native vegetation and can meet their own needs in natural surroundings Secondly, they live longer productive lives, as many sheep, goats and cattle continue to reproduce into their teens. Thirdly, expenses are greatly reduced, as they need less purchased food, veterinary care and facilities. These benefits depend on access to adequate natural pasture and resources. This can be resolved by radically changing centuries, before we started building barns Currently, many rare breed farmers farming methods to reduce pollution, and growing cereals for farm animals. transform their own products - for enhance carbon capture and restore biodiversity. Environmental advisers, such Can Native Breeds Provide Income? example cheese - and market them under special labels, such as organic, AOP or as France’s IDDRI, present practical But native breeds can do so much more AOC. This enhances their product to bring solutions to meet such a challenge. A than just conservation grazing. Even in extra income. For many, still, other major part of the solution is to adopt breeds previously type-cast as semi-feral forms of income are required, such as healthier diets. Native livestock breeds can are rediscovering a place on the farm. tourism. These small farms generally

Poitevine goats. Photo credit: ADDCP (www.chevre-poitevine.org)

manage small natural pastures with trees, The land itself can be used for multiple that enhance the local ecology, and have purposes, thus enhancing biodiversity: low carbon footprints. Government animals can graze among trees grown for schemes are starting to reward their efforts forestry or fruit. Pigs can clear the ground as stewards of nature-friendly landscapes. of windfalls or leftovers after the harvest How Native Breeds Help is done. Regenerative Agriculture The pasture-fed system has a lower carbon Regenerative methods are needed in footprint than cereal-fed systems and there agriculture to improve the soil and is no need to buy in soya products. As more biodiversity, capture carbon and reduce local resources are used, less transport pollution. This means moving away from is required. monocultures, planting more varied crops, allowing tree growth, minimising pesticides and fertiliser, and less intensive How Native Breeds Meet Climate Challenges strains of animals with resistance to future diseases. land use. Native breeds are well suited to a Native breeds live outdoors all year round Local adaptation of species provides managed grazing system, where they graze and have no need to be housed indoors animals with healthy resilience. Farming each area for a short time and each pasture over winter. Exceptions are if there is not with these animals for the local market is given time to recover fully. Their lighter enough land to support them or during provides economic resilience to the weight and lower stocking density leaves lambing or kidding where there are community and security to its food supply, less impact on predators, such as foxes. a need that has been much highlighted the landscape. The pasture should contain a variety of natural species, rather than be sown with a monoculture, such as ryegrass. Trees and bushes provide natural shelter as well as nutritional In the latter case, breeding can be coordinated so that families can be kept in for the first three weeks after birth. Pasturing all year round means that dung does not accumulate in one place and require transportation. In addition, the The pasture-fed system has a lower carbon footprint than cereal-fed systems and there is no need to buy in soya products during the current pandemic. supplements. As tree roots grow deeper, spread of dung over the landscape their leaves provide nutrients otherwise naturally fertilises the ground and enriches unavailable in the sward. Native breeds habitats for many beneficial insects. know how to balance their diet and use Genetic diversity is key to surviving trees for medicinal purposes, including challenging and changing conditions. Rare against parasitic worms. There is less or no breeds conserve diverse genes andneed to use pharmaceutical wormers, hardiness traits for tolerance of weather,which are damaging to insects that form a parasites and disease resistance.vital part of the ecosystem. As the animals Commercial breeds have been bred for are moved on quickly to new pastures, high yield and have lost a lot of hardinesstrees do not suffer excess damage, and vegetation can recover. Combining sheep or goats with cattle or horses enhances the system, as the species eat different plants. Horses and cattle are not susceptible to as a result. Through maintaining functional native breeds we are preserving a variety of genes that will be key to surviving and thriving in future conditions. parasitic worms that infect goats and As temperatures rise, tick-borne diseases sheep, but they clear the pasture of them, are foreseen to proliferate and spread. and vice-versa. Genetic diversity is necessary to find

By Tamsin Cooper

Tamsin Cooper is a smallholder and writer with a keen interest in animal behaviour and welfare

www.goatwriter.com

LOCAL BREEDS: ● Sheep: Charmoise, Limousine, Solognote, Vendéen, Berrichon de l’Indre ● Goats: Poitevine ● Pigs: Cul Noir Limousin ● Cattle: Parthenaise, Maraîchine, Limousine

Sources:

ADDCP: Association pour la Défence et le Développement de la Chèvre Poitevine (www.chevre-poitevine.org) IDDRI: (www.iddri.org) Rare Breeds Survival Trust (rbst.org.uk) Peart, G., Genetic Advantage of Native Breeds (thesis presentation). Grampian Graziers (www.grampiangraziers.co.uk)