CL-September 2024 - 6

COOPERATIVE FOCUS
Breeding Success
(continued fr om page 5)
qualities of heritage breeds. " I discovered
that these animals are very adaptable,
have good parenting skills and are more
manageable, " explains Farrell. " I love
them because they are not skittish.
Th ey're even-tempered and they do
great in the winter and even in the heat.
Th ey're sturdy. "
Th ese breeds also bring historical
and cultural value, explains Shirley,
who for more than three decades cared
for poultry and livestock at Colonial
Williamsburg.
FRAMING THE FUTURE
Such living history is displayed at
places such as George Washington's
Mount Vernon in northern Virginia.
Washington was one of the leading
agricultural innovators of his day.
Among his many interests was improving
livestock, including the development
of the American Mammoth Jackstock
donkey, a breed that could be used to
produce strong work mules. Examples
of critically endangered donkeys can
still be seen at Mount Vernon.
Dr. Phillip Sponenberg taught
future veterinarians as a professor in
the Virginia-Maryland Regional
College of Veterinary Medicine for
42 years. He also has served as technical
and scientifi c adviser to Th e Livestock
Conservancy since 1978. He says there
are several reasons for preserving these
agricultural breeds. " One reason is the
genetic insurance policy and, at fi rst
blush, that seems to be the most
compelling reason. Second would be
other scientifi c interests, things like
models of human disease: basic biology.
Th e third is the idea that these breeds
are the fi nal products of cultural
endeavor. Th ey're actual living
consequences of human culture. "
Heritage breed products are even
sought out by artisans. Ohlinger
6 * Cooperative Living * September 2024
Since fi rst establishing the Conservation Priority List 37 years
ago, the organization has not lost a heritage breed to extinction.
The " Shave
'Em to Save
'Em " program
encourages
the use for
new wools.
Laura Farrell with
a San Clemente
Island goat.
Keith Ohlinger
raises Dexter
cattle on his
farm near
Woodbine, Md.
applauds what offi cials at Th e Livestock
Conservancy call " giving these animals
a job " - eff orts to expand markets
for heritage livestock products.
Th e group is working to develop a
way of connecting consumers to
endangered-breed food products
and it has found success with " Shave
'Em to Save 'Em, " an eff ort to encourage
fi ber artists, weavers and spinners
to discover and advocate uses for new
wools from heritage breed sheep.
Th e programs seem to pay off .
Since fi rst establishing the Conservation
Priority List 37 years ago, the
organization has not lost a heritage
breed to extinction. In fact, in the last
dozen years, 12 breeds have graduated
off the CPL, meaning animal
populations are such that the breed
no longer needs continual monitoring.
In 2024, two breeds - Southdown
sheep and Hereford pigs - graduated
from the list and 15 breeds were
reclassifi ed with in the CPL's four
tiers, most in a positive direction.
Farmers, educators and
conservationists, like Shirley, Ohlinger,
Martin and others continue to promote
heritage breeds and their products.
*
For more information,
visit livestockconservancy.org.
co-opliving.com
PHOTO COURTESY KEITH OHLINGER
PHOTO COURTESY LAURA FARRELL
PHOTO COURTESY LYNNE UPDEGROVE
http://www.livestockconservancy.org http://www.co-opliving.com
CL-September 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CL-September 2024
