Heritage Foods USA (http://www.heritagefoodsusa.com/)

Abstract

Heritage livestock are traditional breeds of cattle, horses, donkeys, goats, pigs, rabbits, sheep, and other animals of agricultural value, which were once commonplace on farms around the world. These species evolved from natural processes and were selectively bred by farmers over hundreds of animal generations and represent a rich genetic legacy (Sponenberg, Beranger, & Martin, 2014). Each breed possesses unique characteristics, making them suitable to specific environments, farming types, and production purposes. As mainstream agricultural practices industrialized in the last half of the 20th century to focus on high yield, only a few livestock breeds were commercialized—for instance, fast-growing meat producers that could be raised in controlled conditions (Dohner, 2001). The drive for economic viability in an industrialized environment created a turning point for farmers who were faced with a choice: follow the market or continue the trade of generations before. For many years, heritage breeds were abandoned in favor of the higher-yielding breeds; anachronistic heritage breeds became threatened with extinction. There didn’t seem to be a way to raise heritage breeds and maintain farm viability. The Livestock Conservancy’s 2016–2017 Annual Report states that over 150 breeds of livestock are considered to be endangered, some critically, with individual animals numbering in the 100s, on the brink of disappearing forever (Livestock Conservancy, 2017c). Conserving rare breeds of livestock animals is important for many reasons, including biosecurity, disease resistance, genetic diversity, historical significance, supporting family farms and cultural traditions, and providing consumers with varied products (Livestock Conservancy, 2017c). Heritage breeds are bred to be healthy and strong, robust foragers better suited to survival and able to thrive in a changing climate. Kendall (2003) describes instances wheremodern standard breeds may not be the most productive, for instance, in developing countries where controlled environments are not available or in meeting consumer demands for free-range animals. Fortunately, through the help and hard work of groups such as the Livestock Conservancy (https://livestockconservancy.org), numerous breed