Behoud van levende populaties van zeldzame Nederlandse dierrassen

Project title

Professionalized in vivo conservation of rare Dutch farm animal breeds

Description problem/question

Professionalized in vivo conservation of rare Dutch animal breeds requires the development and application of breeding programs aiming at conservation and use of small breeding populations.

Research objectives

International survey systems (Efabis and DAD-IS) will be filled with actual data of the Dutch breeds. Data will be collected with the Dutch Rare Breed Foundation or become available from research. Breeding programs will be developed in close co-operation with breeding organizations. Software will be developed to support these breeding programs.

Results and products

1)     An actual overview of size and characteristics of Dutch rare breeds of farm animals.

2)     An overview of the phenotypic and genetic characterization of rare breeds

3)     Breeding programs for rare breeds aiming at conservation of genetic diversity and genetic improvement

4)     Software to support breeding programs