Advances in the Brazilian animal genetic resources conservation programme

Abstract

SummaryBrazil has various species of domestic animals which developed from breeds brought by the Portuguese settlers soon after the discovery. Over the last five centuries, these breeds have been submitted to natural selection in particular environments and therefore today, they present characteristics adapted to the specific environmental conditions. From the beginning of this century, some exotic breeds, selected in temperate regions, have begun to be imported. Although more productive, these breeds lack adaptation traits, such as resistance to disease and parasites found in breeds considered to be“native” but even so, little by little, they have substituted the native breeds to such an extent that the latter are, today, in danger of extinction. To avoid the loss of this important genetic material, Brazil created an Animal Genetics Resource Conservation Programme, coordinated by the National Research Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (Cenargen) of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMPRAPA). The conservation has been carried out by various Research Centres of EMPRAPA, Universities, State Research Corporations, as well as by private farmers, with a single coordinator at national level, Cenargen. The conservation is being carried out through Conservation Nuclei, situated in the habitats where the animals have been subjected to natural selection(in situ), and by the storage of semen and embryos(ex situ). The recently created Animal Genetics Laboratory of Cenargen allowed genetic characterisation studies on cattle and horse breeds to begin, and, in the near future, work with asses, buffalo and sheep will be conducted‥ From the results of this research it will be possible to compare the native breeds and estimate genetic distances between them. The harmonisation of chosen micro-satellites with those which have been used in other Latin America and Iberian Peninsula countries will be extremely useful for comparative studies and will allow future exchange of germplasm between countries.