Phase II of the FAO/UNEP Project “Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources” provides support for the following:

1. Publication of Animal Genetic Resources Information.

2. Surveys of indigenous breeds of livestock in the USSR.

3. Establishment of pilot data banks in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

4. Development of pilot conservation schemes for selected indigenous breeds.

5. Training in conservation methodology.

In addition an FAO/UNEP Expert Panel on Animal Genetic Resources will be established.

Four of the many Ethiopian sheep breeds are described. These four breeds have evolved in different ecological zones, the Adal and the Somali Blackhead breeds in the lowland up to an altitude of 1100 m, the Horro in the middle altitude from 1400 to 2000 m, and the Menz in altitudes higher than 2500 m. Available estimates on their performance are reported.

Eight institutional herds in northern India with a breedable female population of about 750 are cooperating in a progeny testing programme for improvement of milk production in the Sahiwal breed.

This note describes work being carried out by ILCA on evaluation of the productivity of N'Dama, Sahiwal and Boran cattle breeds. Indications of the potential of the N'Dama to increase output from areas of trypanosomiasis risk has led to studies throughout West and Central Africa concerned with aspects of trypanotolerant livestock. Studies on the Sahiwal and many different crosses between Sahiwal and Ayrshires under a range of production systems have allowed suggestions to be made on achieving and maintaining optimal contributions from the Sahiwal breed. Similar ongoing studies on the Boran breed are described.

The use of Holstein cattle genes from Canada and the United States is increasing in European Friesians. Estimates of the rate of change are given.

National and Regional Parks in France are cooperating in the conservation of rare livestock breeds as follows:

Park

Volcans d'Auvergne

Cévennes

Landes de Gascogne

Marais Poitevin

Luberon

Breed

Ferrandaise cattle

Raïole sheep

Landais sheep

Poitou ass

Rove goat

Six institutional herds in northern India with a breedable female population of about 900 are cooperating in a progeny testing programme for the improvement of draught ability in the Hariana breed.

The second SABRAO Animal Genetics Workshop was held in Kuala Lumpur in 1981. The conclusions and recommendations are reproduced here; they contain many useful ideas which have general application to the documentation and evaluation of genetic resources. The importance of standardization in the methods of data collection is emphasized.