Dwindling genetic diversity of farm animals is a threat to livestock production
Friday, October 16, 2015 - 07:00
in Biology & Nature
It is hard to overestimate the importance of global livestock production to society and the economy. It constitutes the main source of income for 1.3 billion farmers, providing vital food for 800 million subsistence farmers, and making up 40% of global agricultural GDP. But overbreeding and dwindling genetic diversity could limit the ability of livestock populations to adapt the environmental changes, such as global warming and related new diseases. Currently on the sidelines, lesser-known livestock breeds and the DNA they carry could become key to securing the future of livestock farming.