Fears over rare livestock breeds

TWO iconic native sheep breeds have been moved to the most urgent ‘priority’ category on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's (RBST) newly updated Watchlist.

- ATHWENNA IRONS

While a number of the rare livestock breeds in the charity's annual situation report have seen welcome stability or improvement in their latest data, it says the Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool breeds have both seen “significant declines” in the number of dams producing pedigree offspring - continuing negative trends of recent years.

The RBST is now calling on the Environment Secretary to re-establish the Ministerial Native Breeds Roundtable which was designed to support strategic and co-ordinated action for native breeds, across departments and alongside rare breed organisations, under the previous Conservative Government.

It also highlights that the encouraging new signs of stabilisation in several very rare breeds which were previously showing declining numbers, such as Gloucester cattle and the Large White pig, show the positive impacts that can be achieved through “concerted and co-ordinated action.”

Christopher Price, chief executive of the RBST, said: It is very positive to see signs of stabilisation in several very rare breeds which were previously showing declining numbers, such as Gloucester cattle and the Large White pig, following concerted conservation activity and breed promotion by breed societies together with RBST.

“However our concern is deepening for others among the UK’s irreplaceable native breeds which are seeing their numbers continue to fall, including the Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool sheep. These two iconic breeds really pay testament to the fantastic and invaluable diversity within the UK’s native sheep breeds, both breeds have distinct characteristics which enable the animals to thrive in their typical landscapes and environments. Both continue to provide nutritious and sustainable food, and highest quality fibre, to this day, as well as playing an important role in sustainable habitat management projects.”