Peace and Environment News* February 1996
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Peace and Environment News * February 1996 |
by Teressa Trollope
A Newfoundland Pony, a rare breed under protection at Joywind Farm Rare Breeds Conservancy. |
Of the approximately 220 breeds of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses in Canada, 30 percent are rare or in declining numbers. Some 98 percent of dairy herds in Canada are Holstein cows, and 75 percent of these are bred to only 12 bulls.
These are the kinds of statistics that Rare Breeds Canada (also known as Joywind Farm Rare Breeds Conservancy Inc.) is fighting.
The modern livestock industry favours a few breeds primarily for their high levels of productivity (meat, milk, eggs, etc.). Rare and minor breeds have traits that could well be in demand in the near future, such as ability to forage on poor land, low cholesterol and fat levels, ease of giving birth, mothering abilities and resistance to disease. Changing weather patterns, the greenhouse effect, economics, disease, pollution, changing farming practices and the changing fancy of consumers, all will require genetic breeding stocks with these traits. Conserving genetic diversity in our farm animals is going to be the key to sustaining agricultural growth, biodiversity and flexibility in the face of changing requirements.
Rare breeds are also historically important, representing centuries of human-controlled breeding. A good example is the Canadienne Cow, which has many of the positive traits of rare breeds.
According to Dr. R.D. Crawford, Animal and Poultry Sciences professor at the University of Saskatchewan, "Maintenance of biological diversity, in all its many aspects, is essentially an insurance policy for future needs. Canada cannot afford to be complacent with regard to its animal genetic resources.... There is an urgent need for Canadians to undertake conservation action as both long and short-term insurance against our changing needs."
Already some traits are being lost due to very selective breeding policies in the livestock industry. Many turkeys can no longer mate naturally due to enormous weight gains, and fertility is declining, increasing the use of artificial insemination. In cattle we are losing many of the traits associated with rare breeds, while the industry depends upon high-tech medicines and foods. The situation is similar for the swine industry.
Joywind Farm is an excellent place to visit to see rare breeds. This demonstration farm and park is located in Rawdon Township, Hastings County, Ontario between Belleville on Highway 401 and Marmora on Highway 7. All ages—even farmers—can learn something new by seeing animals being born, watching the harvest, collecting eggs and trying their hand at milking. Rare and traditional farm animals, poultry and plants are the main attraction. The dairy herd is made up of breeds such as Guernsey, Jersey, Holstein and Brown Swiss. Heritage varieties of wheat, oats and other crops are grown in small plots to show the evolution of field crops in Rawdon. Native beans and corn are grown alongside common garden vegetables.
Genesis, the journal of Rare Breeds Canada, is a good source of information on innovations in conservancy breeding. The fall 1995 issue contains updates on various organizations and events, science news and an article about one farm's experience with adopting a Swedish open pen method of raising pigs with less stress and better results.
Other programs operated by Rare Breeds Canada include a chance to adopt an animal for a year ($25 for chickens and up to $500 for a horse), a Canadian Gene Resource Collection of frozen semen, a Satellite Breeding Network across Canada, the Heritage Hatchery Network, publications, information, International Networking and a Student Intern Program.
The Newfoundland Pony is a rare breed which sorely needs to be adopted. This pony is a mix of breeds brought to Canada by English, Irish and Scottish settlers, and it has evolved the ability to survive this land's harsh climate. It is estimated that there are only 125 breeding ponies alive, some in Ontario and the rest in Newfoundland.
Only twenty-nine Lac La Croix Indian ponies, peculiar to Upper Canada and parts of Michigan, exist. In 1993 Rare Breeds Canada obtained three mares and a breeding stallion to form the first foundation breeding group in Canada since 1977. More recently six ponies were saved in Minnesota and are on their way to Ontario.
You can contact Joywind Farm and Rare Breeds Canada at 40B North Front Street, Campbellford, Ontario, K0L 1L0 or by phone at 705-653-0231.
Converted March 29, 2000 - Lg
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