Society for the Conservation of old and endangered Livestock Breeds in Germany (GEH)    Society for the Conservation of old and endangered Livestock Breeds in Germany (GEH)

The Conservation of endangered Breeds of Farm Animals in Germany

Conservation of Diversity - a common task
According to FAO - studies, out of the approximately 7800 breeds of farm animals being kept world-wide more than 1500 are endangered by extinction. Each week, one breed disappears. National and international efforts are necessary to conserve the diversity of farm animals. Since the UNCED-Conference in Rio in 1992, the disappearing biodiversity has increasingly become the focus of public attention, and the responsibility for its conservation has become a governmental matter.

The UNCED - Conference
Within the frame of the UNCED - conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, an agreement on biodiversity was reached which has, amongst others, the objective to conserve and to sustainably use the species used by man. In 1993, the Federal Republic of Germany has ratified this agreement and passed a law on national level. Thus, the Federal Republic of Germany is under obligation to elaborate national programs and strategies which guarantee the identification and monitoring of endangered breeds, their in situ as well as their ex situ conservation and their sustainable management.

The AEU - Decree and Funding by the Federal States
In 1992, the Decree No. 2078/92 (by the Council for environmentally friendly agricultural production systems which protect the natural biosphere) became effective. Within the decree, the conservation of genetic resources is a small fringe subject. However, this is at present the only possibility to support these issues with EU - funds.

The EU had a list elaborated including all those species whose population size has decreased below a certain minimum. The number of reproductive female animals is not to exceed 5000 animals for cattle breeds, and 7500 for sheep and goat breeds. Funding is carried through via the specific programmes of the respective country, at present, 100 Euro per LU. Partially, the Federal States subsidise the keeping of endangered breeds out of their own means. In Germany, 15 breeds of cattle, 12 horse breeds, 5 pig breeds, 15 sheep breeds, 3 goat breeds, 1 duck breed, 2 goose breeds, 2 dove breeds and 2 rabbit breeds are being supported.
Within the frame of the EU - decree, only premiums for animal keeping is set aside. Financial support measures in the form of litter premiums, foal premiums, rearing premiums, purchase premiums, support of breeding associations, subsidising the harvesting and conservation of spermatozoa and embryos for actual use as well as for long-term conservation. In some Federal States, very specialised funding systems have already been put into operation.
Starting from 2000, the endangered breeds are being funded via a new decree, which basically follows the present decree 2078/92.


The German Livestock Breeding Act
The aspect of conserving genetic diversity has already been integrated within the frame of the 2nd changes of the Livestock Breeding Act in 1996 and 2006 ( § 1 paragraph 2 „Purpose and Objectives of the law“). In paragraph 7, it is being guaranteed that breeding programmes may not only be formulated under the aspect of output or performance, but also as conservation breeding programmes. Selective performance breeding would, within a very short time, lead to changes of the original breed and reinforce the problem of inbreeding.