Abstract
2 Embrapa Recursos Geneticos e Biotecnologia ABSTRACT - Most livestock are not indigenous to Brazil. Several animal species were considered domesticated in the pre-colonial period, since the indigenous people manage them as would be typical of European livestock production. For over 500 years there have been periodic introductions resulting in the wide range of genetic diversity that for centuries supported domestic animal production in the country. Even though these naturalized breeds have acquired adaptive traits after centuries of natural selection, they have been gradually replaced by exotic breeds, to such an extent, that today they are in danger of extinction To avoid further loss of this important genetic material, in 1983 Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology decided to include conservation of animal genetic resources among its priorities. In this paper we describe the effort to genetically characterize these populations, as a tool to ensure their genetic variability. To effectively save the threatened local breeds of livestock it is important to find a niche market for each one, reinserting them in production systems. They have to be utilized in order to be conserved. And there is no doubt that due to their adaptive traits, the Brazilian local breeds of livestock can play an important role in animal production, to meet society needs.
Highlights
Animal domestication began 12,000 years ago and many subpopulations evolved due to adaptations to varying environmental conditions to which the animals were submitted due to migration of man over the centuries
The genetic diversity is fundamental for sustainable genetic improvement, facilitating the rapid adaptation to necessary and unpredicted change to the development of production systems, as it is not possible to objectively predict which traits may be necessary in the future (Mariante & Egito, 2002)
In 2003, FAO estimates that genetic variability relates to approximately 6,300 breeds or populations of domestic animals
Summary
Arthur da Silva Mariante, Andréa Alves Egito, Maria do Socorro Maués Albuquerque, Samuel Rezende Paiva, Alexandre Floriani Ramos. For over 500 years there have been periodic introductions resulting in the wide range of genetic diversity that for centuries supported domestic animal production in the country Even though these naturalized breeds have acquired adaptive traits after centuries of natural selection, they have been gradually replaced by exotic breeds, to such an extent, that today they are in danger of extinction To avoid further loss of this important genetic material, in 1983 Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology decided to include conservation of animal genetic resources among its priorities. To effectively save the threatened local breeds of livestock it is important to find a niche market for each one, reinserting them in production systems. They have to be utilized in order to be conserved.
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