The Gene Scene Volume 3-1

I would like very much to take this early opportunity to thank Roger Buckland for the tremendous effort he has put in over recent years towards the goals of the Foundation. Without Roger’s efforts we would not have a Centre of Animal Genetic Resources, or the prospect of this first initiative growing into a truly National program.

I will continue to rely on Roger’s sage advice in many aspects related to animal genetic resources. To use a fishing analogy that I’m sure Roger will appreciate, I’m not going to let you completely off the hook.

Of course the whole team that has made this happen needs to be acknowledged, all the Foundation Directors have put in a great effort. To Directors Hunton, Cheng, Guenter, Huggard, Wilson, Lawrence, Nowosad, Patterson, Mathur, Vink, Chesnais and Lister thank you for all your efforts and support. I would particularly like to acknowledge, at this time Don Shaver and Jim Dalrymple for their tireless efforts.

We as a Foundation have not finished yet. As well as the advisory Board that Roger mentions in his piece, the Foundation needs to continue to raise awareness and support from industry and the general public, and to apply pressure where needed to ensure the vision of a National program aimed at the preservation of animal genetic resources is achieved. I do not believe it will be achieved without the Foundation’s continued input. It will however take the added industry commitment to make government take heed of the issues. We need to work hard to engage all the Nations animal agricultural industries in the process.

I look forward to a productive time ahead, and to seeing the growth of the centre in Saskatoon along with affiliated efforts across the country.

At the end of 2005, Hendrix Genetics, based in The Netherlands, announced the final agreement to merge the breeders controlled by ISA (in France) and those previously held by Hendrix. The brands now under the Hendrix umbrella include Bovans, Hisex, Dekalb, Shaver, Babcock and ISA. Twenty years ago, these were all separate companies.

The other layer brands available (which, together with Hendrix, probably account for over 95% of layers in the world) are Hy-Line, H&N and Lohmann, all owned by the Wesjohann Group in Germany.

During 2005, Wesjohann also became the owner of Aviagen, a major breeder of meat chickens and turkeys. Aviagen controlled the Ross and Arbor Acre brands, and Wesjohann, the Lohmann-Indian River Brand of meat chickens. Aviagen also owned Nicholas Turkeys, and later acquired British United Turkeys, two of only three breeders of turkeys in the world. The other is Hybrid, based in Canada, which remains under the ownership of Nutreco, based in The Netherlands.

So the world’s commercial poultry are now bred by only five companies. Such concentration must inevitably lead to loss of genetic diversity, resulting from both common origin of seed stock within each sector, and similarity of selection objectives at the foundation stock level. Even conservation of today’s germplasm would be a useful insurance against further breeder concentration in the future.

CANADIAN ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAM (CAGR)

The program is developing at the Centre in Saskatoon and across Canada with developments to date as follows:

The Centre of the Animal Genetic Resources (AGR) Program will be within the University of Saskatchewan involving the College of Agriculture, the Department of Animal and Poultry Science and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

The goals of the program are:
• enhance competitiveness of Canadian livestock and poultry industry through evaluation of the status of genetic diversity.
• develop capacity and optimal strategies for the conservation of AGR.
• develop cryopreservation technologies and tools.
• promote conservation of AGR.
• integrate Canadian activities with those at the global level, in particular FAO and the USA.

Professionals hired or to be hired include the following;

• Cryobiology scientist
• Gamete/Embryo Physiology scientist
• Specialist in genetic diversity
• Avian Conservation specialist
• Quantitative Geneticist

The acquisition will be targeted to fill in gaps (geographic/ desired traits), Canadian developed breeds, some elite germplasm, and germplasm with highly desired traits to solve current production problems. The acquisition will be from industry and A.I. centers, individual producers and Rare Breeds Canada.

An Advisory Committee will be established to advise on research direction, priorities and other issues.

The National Program will encompass plant, animal and microbes. There will be multi-locations across Canada. This program will tie in with programs being developed all over the world under the direction of FAO.

The Foundation appreciates the input that Hans Vink has provided over the past several years as the representative of the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Your contribution and commitment was very helpful in furthering the needs of the animal and poultry sector and conserving existing genetic resources.

The Foundation welcomes Michael Hall as the representative of the Dairy Farmers of Canada!

A MESSAGE FROM ROGER BUCKLAND

As I step down as Chair Of the Foundation I wish to thank all directors for their support and hard work and all members for their ongoing support without which the foundation could not function. Together with the untiring work of Don Shaver as Honorary Chair and the support of colleagues in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in particular Dr. Steve Morgan Jones who served with me as Co-chair of the Steering Committee that developed the business plan, Canada now has an Animal Genetic Resources Program. Two years ago Canada did not have such a program. Many people have worked hard to make this happen quickly and Canada’s livestock and poultry sectors are most appreciative.

Canada’s Animal Genetic Resource program is an AAFC program headquartered on the campus of the University of Saskatchewan in conjunction with its faculties of agriculture and veterinary medicine. The business plan calls for a “hub (University of Saskatchewan) and spokes” structure with the spokes being collaborating partners from the public and private sectors across Canada. To date AAFC have purchased various items of equipment and are in the process of completing the filling of three new positions dedicated to the Animal Genetic Resources Program.

As we look to the future the steering committee has completed its work and AAFC in conjunction with the Foundation will be establishing an Advisory Board, modeled after the National Focal Points as recommended by FAO. This advisory Board will include representation from industry, academe and government. This Advisory Board will ensure that the links between the user community and Canada’s Animal Genetic Resources program are strong.

In closing I again thank everyone for their support and I wish Steve Moore every success as your new chair.

In 1957, thousands of pork producers from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario applied to receive one of the 50 breeding groups of a new kind of hog known as the “Lacombe”. The Lacombe was the first breed of livestock developed in Canada and was the product of 10 years of swine breeding research by Dr. Howard Fredeen and the late Dr. J.G. Stothart at the Canadian Department of Agriculture Experimental Farm in Lacombe.

Canadian pork producers were eager to have access to better hybrid hogs similar to those available in Europe. When compared with the Yorkshire, which was the dominant breed at that time, the Lacombe hog was faster growing, heavier at birth and weaning, and had better meat quality. Because of the limited number of animals available, it was determined that the method of chance draw was the fairest way to distribute the hogs to qualified pork producers.

It was an exciting day for those producers fortunate enough to be drawn to receive Lacombe hogs. Although they were distributed across Canada, the very first name drawn was Kurt Preugschas, an Alberta pork producer. The Lacombe pig has been produced on the Preugschas family farm ever since and Peak Swine Genetics Inc., the breeding company founded by Kurt Preugschas, two sons Jurgen and Walter, is the only breeding company in Canada still producing purebred Lacombe pigs.

PROGRESS WORLDWIDE IN THE CONSERVATION OF
ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES

With a still increasing world population on a shrinking acreage of arable land, overall productivity has to increase to satisfy rising needs. In developed countries, market forces have led to improved breeds, leaving less performing ones behind. In contrast, in the developing world the introduction of “improved” breeds generally failed but still leaving indigenous breeds threatened due to indiscriminate crossing. Breeds in the developed world tend to be evaluated on the basis of market requirements, while those in the developing world usually have other criteria besides marketing.

International stakeholders, national and regional coordinators, professional colleagues in animal genetic resources have worked intensively to put all necessary arrangements in place to make the state of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources reporting process a success. Following the Intergovernmental working group meeting of FAO in September 2000, the Secretariat and a core team of professionals from all over the world have invested a tremendous amount of time and effort to prepare the documentation and other tools for the necessary man-power training at all levels. In late February 2001, a global training workshop of trainers was organized at FAO headquarters in Rome, in order to establish a pool of outstanding AnGR professionals to assist countries in the preparation of the country reports, analyze the global situation and prepare the first report on the state of Animal Genetic Resources.

An important milestone was the issuance of the formal letter of invitation to Member Nations and Organizations by the Director-General of FAO. An official “circular state letter” was sent to 180 member nations, one member organization (EU) and some of the non-FAO member nations, such as the Russian Federation, Belorussia, Ukraine, and the FR of Yugoslavia. Governments were invited to participate in the preparation of The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources, through an assessment of national animal genetic resources in the form of country reports, using the approved guidelines. As expressed by the Director-General of FAO, reports should constitute an official government document, which will clearly identify national priorities and set out a plan of action for the sustainable utilization and conservation of farm animal genetic resources.

The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture urged that the State of the World on Animal Genetic resources process be country-driven, which will require the full political, financial and human resources commitment of governments and national stakeholders.

The Director-General of FAO firmly assured member nations that the Secretariat was willing to coordinate donor support and assist Member Nations in implementing their national assessment whenever required. The Director-General of FAO also called on participating nations that the global assessment was to be completed by the established deadline.

As a response to the above mentioned invitation, so far more than 50 member nations confirmed their participation in the preparation of the First Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources, together, with details of the official title and address of the designated national authority responsible for coordinating the preparatory process in collaboration with FAO.

It is well understood that such an undertaking requires adequate financial support. Therefore, FAO is allocating substantial share of its resources from the Regular Program budget, which needs to be supplemented by extra-budgetary resources. The Secretariat is working closely with countries and organizations in order to secure funding of the core operation. It should be underlined that the financial and technical assistance is part of a global initiative to enhance national capacities in order to prepare country reports in animal genetic resources.

The most important objective of the process is to develop national capacities and promote regional and international cooperation for sustainable intensification of livestock production systems at country levels.

The process will enhance the wise use and development of locally adapted animal genetic resources in target countries, whilst taking into consideration the constraints and opportunities of a country’s livestock sector driven by growing food demands, changing climate, disease status and technologies.

Provided by Dr. Donald Shaver O.C. From FAO

Editor: Mike Nowosad Publisher: Jim Dalrymple	The Gene Scene Information letter of the Canadian Farm Animal Genetic Resources Foundation P.O. Box 3027, Brighton, Ontario, Canada KOK 1HO	Volume 3-1
Winter 2006

Chair’s Corner

CANADIAN ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAM (CAGR)

A MESSAGE FROM ROGER BUCKLAND

PROGRESS WORLDWIDE IN THE CONSERVATION OF
ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES

RESOURCE INFORMATION

Chair’s Corner

CANADIAN ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES PROGRAM (CAGR)

A MESSAGE FROM ROGER BUCKLAND

PROGRESS WORLDWIDE IN THE CONSERVATION OF ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES

RESOURCE INFORMATION

PROGRESS WORLDWIDE IN THE CONSERVATION OF
ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES