Are All Breeds Worth Preserving?
breed’s usefulness. Look at the shift in the percentage of working Aussie and Border collie lines compared with show lines. Look at the Norwegian Elkhounds, most of which can’t hunt anymore, and the Pugs, which have been bred for fashionable appearance until they can’t give birth naturally, but generally require c-sections. Consider Persian cats and Bulldogs, both of which have been bred for what my kids call smashed-in faces, that flat-faced look that results in a high incidence of sinus problems.
With those examples in mind, let’s turn to the livestock breeds. Are we selecting for the right traits? Are looks more important than hardiness, good mothering tendencies, and physical soundness? How do we balance the need to maintain a breed’s identity, its distinct ”look”, with the benefits of a diverse genetic background? Suggestions, please! Let’s talk about this.
Now consider this – some breeds are reaching critically low numbers. That means the gene pool is getting smaller and smaller. Do we keep the gene pool pure and risk magnifying any genetic flaws? Do we outcross and alter the unique character of the breed?
And now, for perhaps the most troublesome question of all – are all breeds worth preserving? And at what cost?