What are Heritage Breeds?

Heritage breeds are traditional, oftentimes rare or endangered, livestock that existed before industrial agriculture took hold. They have a long history of being in the United States (since at least 1925) and have been carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them highly adaptive to their local environment, natural disease resistance, and well-suited for pasture-based systems.

Heritage Species include Cattle, Chickens, Donkeys, Ducks, Goats, Geese, Horses, Pigs, Rabbits, Sheep, Turkeys.

Resiliency

These livestock breeds serve as an important genetic resource. By having a variety within livestock populations, farmers are helping maintain sustainability in an ever-changing environment. Heritage breeds are well-adapted to their respective local climate. There are over 10 different registered heritage breed pigs, each having their own strengths in their different climates and landscapes. Whereas in conventional commercial agriculture generally uses three main breeds of pigs, regardless of climate.

Conventional industrial methods usually focus on a bloodline with the highest production (rapid growth, continuous milk or egg production, etc.) which often does not take into account other aspects that the line can provide. Heritage breeders do select their animals for specific characteristics, but with other biologically important factors in mind such as hardiness, self-reliance, mothering skills, foraging skills, and they also must have the ability to reproduce naturally (as opposed to relying on artificial insemination).

Food Security

Since conventional commercial agriculture only relies upon a few breeds from each species, variety has disappeared and/or become extinct. And that could put our food security at risk. A singular epidemic could wipe out nearly all of a species at once. Traditionally, farmers throughout the world have raised thousands of different animal breeds and plant varieties. Most of these heritage breeds were common on small farms before the severe reduction of breed variety caused by the rise of industrial agriculture that started in the 1940s. Livestock breeds used in industrial agriculture are bred to produce lots of milk or eggs, gain weight quickly, or yield particular types of meat, oftentimes within confined facilities. These commercial breeds have not been selected to maintain important traits (listed above), making them very unable to handle change, losing their hardiness, and usually have lost their ability to survive without the help of humans.

How You Can Help

When you support small farmers who tend to heritage breeds, you become an important contributor to the work of preserving endangered animals and our food system. Conservation of their proven genetic traits is critically important to the future of animal welfare, agriculture, and food security.

Key Values of Heritage Breeds:

Biodiversity
Rare and valuable genetic traits lost to industrial agriculture are preserved for the future when you support the conservation of heritage breeds

Health
Strong immune systems are passed from mother to their young, making them naturally resistant to disease and less likely to need antibiotics. They eat at a natural rate and reproduce naturally

Local
You strengthen local food security by supporting local farms raising livestock that is meant for a specific climate and landscape

Better Flavor
Slow growth offers rich and unique flavors that you cannot find in industrial agriculture

Slideshow images are of heritage breeds and are from
The Livestock Conservancy

 To learn more visit:

The Livestock Conservancy
Heritage Radio Network

(Not Affiliated; For Education Purposes Only)


Support The Midwestern Plate