Mainstream approaches to documenting livestock breeds ignore indigenous knowlege, so miss important aspects that influence an breed and its conservation. The sustainable management of animal genetic resources is only feasible with the active participation of farmers and pastoralists. Local breeds have been neglected in breeding programmes, and the rights of livestock keepers are routinely ignored. It is both technically and ethically imperative to communicate with stock raisers and grassroots groups who have stewarded breeds through the centuries and who stand to lose the most if these unique resources disappear.
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