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I0 <br />Plow sha.+ cr-T <br />Page 8 <br />Table 2: Differences in Conservation of Domestic Animals and Plants <br />Animal Conservation <br />Domestic animals have become dependant on humans <br />for survival. <br />Plant Conservation <br />Many plants don't require human activity to survive. <br />Conservation best done with live animals and active use. but can belenually effective with dormant Ga active use <br />q <br />e.g. seeds. <br />Genetic material remains viable only under controlled Fertile seeds can be stored for a year or more and retain <br />conditions and can be easily lost. excellent viability (that's how they were created!) <br />Transport of genetic material is expensive whether fro- Transport of genetic material is easy and inexpensive. <br />zen semen or embryos or as live animals. The risk of <br />loss is significant. <br />Collection of genetic material for long -term storage re- <br />quires highly trained technical experts. <br />Storage of genetic material is expensive and requires <br />specialized facilities. <br />Collection of genetic material can easily be learned and <br />done with little technical expertise. <br />Storage of genetic material is easy and inexpensive. <br />Requires land, some facilities and zoning appropriate for Only a limited amount of land is required - can be done <br />livestock and poultry. in containers. No additional facilities or special zoning <br />is required. <br />Livestock have long reproductive cycles with few off- <br />spring. Poultry have short reproductive cycles with <br />many offspring. <br />Loss of individual animals can have a huge impact on <br />the genetic breadth in the breed. <br />Feral animals are often exterminated. <br />Short reproductive cycle with many fertile seeds. <br />Loss of individual plants or seeds has a limited impact <br />on the genetic breadth in the breed. <br />Feral plants are not often exterminated. <br />Most species have no wild relatives for genetic diversity I Feral plants are not often exterminated. <br />What is a Breed? <br />- Defining breed is important to the conserva- <br />tion issue. A breed is a population of ani- <br />mals that share common characteristics that <br />distinguish them from other populations <br />within the same species. When mated to- <br />gether, members of a breed consistently re- <br />produce this same set of characteristics. <br />Breeds are created over a long period of <br />time, and will have a history that docu- <br />ments this creation. Crossing breeds inter- <br />rupts this history of consistency in the off <br />spring and alters the genetic integrity of <br />