From ncarroll@wolf.ces.ncsu.edu Thu Jul 28 12:39:40 1994 Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 08:49:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Nancy Carroll To: sanet Subject: "Taking Stock: The North American Livestock Census" The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) announces the publication of "Taking Stock: The North American Livestock Census." "Taking Stock" uses a national inventory of breeds to describe the status of livestock genetic diversity in the United States. The book considers the impact of current agricultural trends on these genetic resources, describes the significance of livestock for sustainable agriculture and makes the case for livestock conservation. "Taking Stock" reports on asses, cattle, goats, horses, sheep and swine, with information on all breeds within each species, graphs to illustrate genetic status and breed association addresses. Appendices describe the past extinctions of American breeds and present data on feral livestock populations. (Poultry will be the subject of a 1994-1995 census.) The report identifies 77 breeds as conservation priorities, about 30 of which are unique to North America. They include American Mammoth Jackstock, Milking Devon cattle, Fainting goats, Spanish Mustangs, Navajo-Churro sheep and Ossabaw Island swine. Also of great importance are those globally endangered international breeds for which the North American population is a significant portion, such as Cotswold sheep, Red Poll cattle and Tamworth swine. These domestic breeds have become rare due to agricultural industrialization and the decline of the diversified farm. Yet because these breeds are divergent from modern industrial types, they are well suited to today's sustainable, organic and low-input farms and represent significant genetic diversity for the future. "Taking Stock: The North American Livestock Census" is available from the ALBC for $14.95, plus $2 postage to North America or $6 airmail to other countries. To order, send a check or money order, payable in U.S. funds, to: ALBC, P.O. Box 477, Pittsboro, NC 27312 USA. Call (919) 542-5704 or fax (919) 542-2460 to charge your order to Mastercard or Visa. For more information, contact Don Bixby or Carolyn Christman at the ALBC. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization conserving genetic diversity by protecting endangered livestock and poultry breeds from extinction. In addition to investigations of breed status and characteristics, ALBC operates a semen bank for rare breeds, provides technical support to breeders and associations and supports an extensive education program to expand public advocacy for livestock use and conservation. The ALBC is the only livestock genetic conservation organization in the United States.