ALBC in Action

Breaking the Ice on Animal Dehydration

2012-02-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

As you have probably noticed, the majority of the United States has experienced a relatively mild winter thus far. With that said, most of us will likely still experience several cold snaps where freezing temperatures will occur. Along with freezing temperatures comes the dreaded trips to the water trough to break the ice so animals can get a drink. Frozen water troughs also increase the possibility of dehydration among our animals which can lead to other complications like colic, decrease in milk production, and weight loss. While dehydration is often associated with warm temperatures, it can just as likely (and sometimes more likely) happen during the winter as well.

Some ways to minimize your trips to break the ice include:

Purchase a water heater from a farm supply store if frozen water is common in your area. Both floating and submersible models are available. Make sure the model you purchase has an automatic shutoff feature in case your animals remove the heater from the water and cover the cord with PVC pipe to keep animals from chewing the cord.
Place a basketball or soccer ball in water troughs that do not have electricity nearby or do not freeze as often. As animals drink or as the wind blows, the ball will move around preventing ice from building up as quickly.
Some automatic waterers are designed to prevent ice accumulation. Remember that the water source should not be exposed to the elements though, so be sure you are purchasing a model that is freeze-resistant.
Wrap all exposed pipes to prevent the water inside them from freezing. Certain types of faucets such as Bury Hydrants are designed to automatically drain water from the pipes that are above ground, thus preventing frozen pipes. In extremely cold areas, heated pipe tape or in-line pipe heaters can be used.
If your pipes do freeze, start unthawing them at the faucet in the “on” position, then work backwards. Starting in the middle could build up pressure that could burst the pipe.

A few ways to tell if your animal is dehydrated include: irritability, lack of energy, dry mucous membranes (mouth, tongue, nostrils, and eyes), decreased lactation, and “sunken in” looking eyes. A way you can test for dehydration includes the “pinch test” – grasp the animal’s skin between your thumb and index finger, then let go. If the skin stays tented for a couple of seconds, the animal is likely dehydrated. Well hydrated animals’ skin should quickly snap back into place. Another test includes lightly pressing your thumb against the animal’s gums. The gums should turn white, then back to pink soon after. If gums remain white for more than a few seconds, this is another sign of dehydration.

Following these suggestions will help keep your animals hydrated and healthy and hopefully minimize your trips to the water trough with the crow bar!

Getting Started with Rare Breeds

2012-01-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

By Ryan Walker
Have you been thinking about joining ALBC's conservation efforts by getting some of your own rare breeds? Perhaps you already have animals but are considering adding a new breed or species to your farm or ranch. The idea seems simple enough. Take a look in the Rare Breeds, Breeders and Products Directory, find someone with animals, call them up or email to arrange the purchase, then pick up or have your animals delivered, right? Although this is the general process that many people follow when choosing new animals, there are other important things to consider as well.

ALBC has defined five criteria to consider before purchasing new animals for both first-timers and experienced farmers alike. These criteria include: considering your long range plan, your farm context, your resources, your market, and deciding on an appropriate species/breed. When choosing an appropriate animal, it is important to take all of these items into consideration. Much thought should be given to climate, as this is something you cannot change unless you decide to move. Some breeds are adapted to certain climates and may not be able to thrive in others. Infrastructure also ties in to weather-related considerations. Weather extremes often prompt the need for facilities like barns, sheds, or available water supply which can be crucial for successfully raising animals.

Another factor that needs to be addressed is the financial feasibility of owning particular animals. Although your animals will need to eat, you still need to eat too, so make sure you have the resources available to take on a new line item in your budget. If animals are going to be bought and sold, comprehensive market research can be greatly beneficial in identifying if there will be a demand for them in your area. You can also identify customer demographics and develop an effective marketing plan to promote your products.

Additionally, make sure you have time to devote to raising your animals. We all have commitments in our lives, but when acquiring new stock, we also acquire the responsibility of caring for them. Each species and breed has certain requirements that may be different from what we are used to or have experience with. By doing your homework and thoughtfully evaluating which animals will work best for you, you can ensure that both you and your heritage breeds will live happy, healthy, and productive lives while simultaneously contributing to rare breed conservation.

Visit ALBC's Getting Started With Rare Breeds page for a complete overview of the five criteria mentioned in this article and for a species-by-species comparison of the animals ALBC works with. Click Here to visit the page now!

Projects for the Upcoming Year

2012-01-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Conservation Programs Goals:
The goal of ALBC’s Conservation Programs is to establish and maintain premier, science-based processes, practices, data systems, and action models that create a thriving environment for the conservation of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry.

2012 Conservation Initiatives:

For our thirty-fifth anniversary year, ALBC is seeking funding for several projects that will actively serve conservation. These projects are diversified, meaning they encompass elements from each of the three phases of successful conservation: Discover, Secure, Sustain. Through a variety of efforts to rediscover lost breeds, to secure existing breeds, and to plan for the long-term viability and sustenance of identified breeds, ALBC’s programs will help rare breed stewards around the country to achieve conservation success.

· Saving Endangered Hog Breeds Project
The goal of this project is to ultimately make Heritage Pork production an economically viable enterprise for small and mid-scale farmers, to increase endangered breed swine populations so that they are numerically and genetically secure, and to develop models for pastured, heritage swine production that can be applied nationally. ALBC has received funding from the USDA to complete bloodline identification, breeding strategies, and carcass evaluations for the heritage hog breeds identified on the ALBC Conservation Priority List; however, additional funding is being sought to fully implement the project. Full implementation of the program would include the addition of nutritional analysis of heritage breed hogs, development of workshops to present findings to producers, creation of cooperative marketing materials, and support for breed associations.

· 2012 Census of Livestock
The goal of the census project is to engage in a ten-year population census to provide a snapshot of conservation and to help determine conservation priorities for the U.S agricultural system. This census will include both rare and non-rare breeds in order to gather an overall picture of the diversity of livestock breeds in the United States. ALBC is also investigating technologies that would allow for the systematic collection of census information on a yearly basis.

· Master Breeder Program

This program is based on the fundamental premise that the existence and continuity of “old-time” (Master) breeders’ knowledge is critical to conservation. There is an emerging group of interested and capable future stewards who would benefit by having access to the knowledge and experience of current Master Breeders to ensure continued conservation. This project includes in-the-field interviews with recognized Master Breeders, documentation of their methods, and publication of the findings. This program also includes the development of breed profiles, which provide concise information about individual breeds, and workshops to disseminate the information gleaned through the Master Breeder interviews. ALBC has already published materials obtained from Master Breeders of chickens and turkeys, and is nearly finished with the same for waterfowl. Investigative research for swine, cattle, and rabbits is well underway.

In 2012, ALBC hopes to expand this program to focus on returning veterans and their role in modern farming. In the past few years, the number of veterans contacting ALBC has increased dramatically. ALBC is currently exploring options for including veterans as a potential next generation of viable rare breed stewards. Working with partners like the Farmer-Veteran Coalition, ALBC hopes to utilize the skills, talents, and interests of veterans to perpetuate its Master Breeder Project.

· Heritage Chicken Recovery Project

One of ALBC’s most successful projects was the 5-year Buckeye Chicken Recovery Project. This project helped significantly increase the number of Buckeye chickens, moving them from critically endangered to the threatened list. Last year, ALBC began an extension of this project using the Java chicken. Through careful selection and breeding, ALBC is working with a pilot group of breeders to bring back the production characteristics of the Java chicken. Each year, the project expands and new breeders are added. ALBC is also working with breeders and producers to develop economic models for successfully raising and marketing heritage chicken breeds. ALBC is currently working with university researchers who want to do DNA collection and analysis of these flocks.

· Rare Breed Discovery Project

According to ALBC’s Technical Advisor, world-renowned conservationist, and professor Dr. Phillip Sponenberg, the window for rediscovering old breeds and strains is closing. With the loss of old-time breeders and the continuing threat of urban sprawl, these breeds may disappear forever. It was only two years ago that ALBC discovered an old strain of Spanish goats on an island in South Carolina. This is just one example of the many populations that may exist. Because this work is timely, and because the window is closing, ALBC is seeking funding to pursue active investigations of breeds in several “hot spots” around the country. In 2012, ALBC staff will identify these hot spots, begin networking with members and breeders in these areas, and develop a plan for documenting these breeds.

· Heritage Breed Outreach Initiative

The demand for ALBC’s knowledge and services is growing exponentially. The Heritage Breed Outreach Initiative will bring ALBC’s expertise and services to those people around the country who are eager to hear about heritage breeds. In 2012, this initiative will take ALBC’s technical programs staff to a variety of national conferences where they do presentations on rare breeds. This program will also include ALBC-sponsored workshops and lectures across the country. The significant costs of this program include travel, workshop development, and material production.

All I want for Christmas....

2011-12-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, the ALBC staff had a little fun answering the following question:
If you could have any heritage breed for Christmas, what would it be?

Anneke with Dutch Belted Oxen

Anneke Jakes, Breed Registry Manager:I’d have a Dutch Belted cow because of my heritage (and current registry work with them), but also because it would really look great on my lawn – of course I’d be better off with Lakenvelder chickens – same good looks and heritage, but easier to handle and could provide me with eggs, it would however not be able to mow my lawn! (Dutch Belts)

Angelique Thompson

Angelique Thompson, Operations Manager:A Dexter cow because they are cute and fuzzy and not listed as a “banned” breed on my apartment complex lease. I think Lucy ( my dog) would enjoy. (Dexters)

Ryan Walker with Randall Oxen

Ryan Walker, Membership Services Manager

I would choose a Runner duck just like the one we saw at Conner Prairie. That little guy had the best personality and I was amazed that he liked to be petted so much. It was fun to see him “take charge” of the barn and make sure the other animals were on their best behavior for visitors. (Runner ducks)

Jeannette with Poitou

Jeannette Beranger, Research and Technical
Programs Manager I’d get a Poitou donkey. I find them to be one of the most charming and likeable creatures I have ever encountered and with my current coyote dilemma, a Poitou could earn its keep on the farm as a guardian. It’s a pie in the sky wish but, the fact is that if it weren’t for my fondness for Poitous, I might not have found myself working for ALBC today. (Long story but true….) (Poitou donkeys)

Chuck Bassett

Chuck Bassett, Executive Director
My choice would have to be a flock of Buckeye chickens. They are great dual purpose birds, easy keepers, and I love the way they look. They are also one of ALBC’s best conservation success stories. (Buckeye chickens)

Michele with Choctaw horse

Michele Brance, Donor Information Manager
Marsh Tacky or Choctaw horse – I’ve always wanted a horse and I’ve liked the horses of these breeds that I’ve been around. I especially love the grullo color. I saw a Choctaw mare at Debbie Hamilton’s farm that was steel gray with black points, mane, tail, dorsal stripe and primitive markings on the legs. I still remember how she took my breath away, and if I’m going to have a horse, I’d like a horse that would take my breath away each time I looked at it!
(Choctaw-Colonial Spanish horse)

Jennifer with Guinea hog

Jennifer Kendall, Marketing and Communications Director
I'd probably start with something fairly small ..... although my long-term goal would be to have a draft horse. Maybe a little Spanish goat would be good for this Christmas. They have a rich history, are a manageable size, and they can do my lawn care this Spring. (Spanish goat)

Alison Martin

Alison Martin, Research and Technical Programs Director
This Christmas I would select a heritage breed not for myself but as a Christmas gift. My mother lives on some of the last undeveloped land in southern California. It was a working cattle ranch from the time the Spaniards arrived until around 1980. Without active grazing, the brush has grown and invasive star thistles are found throughout the pastures. Mom’s land is less than 60 miles from San Clemente Island as the seagull flies, so I would get her a flock of San Clemente goats to manage the invasive plants (and a goat herder to manage the goats). (San Clemente Island goats)

ALBC on the West Coast

2011-10-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

In September, ALBC technical staff Jeannette Beranger and Alison Martin visited ALBC members in California and Nevada and attended the National Heirloom Expo in Santa Rosa, California.

First on our trip were visits to two master breeders of Native Milking Shorthorn cattle in Fallon, NV. Fallon is a high desert town about 70 miles from Reno and averages less than 9 inches of rain per year, falling mostly between November and May. Driving out to Fallon we marveled at the stark hills, the grasses dry and golden in late summer, contrasted in places by irrigated alfalfa fields of emerald green. We watched a band of wild horses across the valley pick their way down a rocky hillside toward the river. Cattle ranching in this area requires careful pasture management. We expected to find hardy animals on the two ranches, and we were not disappointed.

Our master breeders were father-son team Ron and Norris Albaugh, and Jack Barnes. Jack and Ron have both been raising and breeding Milking Shorthorns since the 1940’s, and their careful attention to the quality of their breeding stock really shows. More recently, Norris Albaugh’s breeding decisions using the Gearld Fry method have taken the Albaugh herd to an even higher level of uniformity and productivity, and allowed improvements in calving ability and parasite resistance. Both ranches focus on beef production first, but emphasized that bigger calves are not always better, instead favoring cows with slightly smaller but rapidly growing calves. In order to achieve that rapid growth, they select for milking and mothering ability. The Albaughs leave calves on the cow as long as 10 months to take advantage of the rich milk their cows produce on pasture. Barnes favors easy tempered cows that are so laid back that they share mothering duties with calves grabbing a sip wherever they can. The Albaugh ranch lies near the Carson River, so they are able to irrigate their pastures for a purely grassfed operation. At Barnes’s smaller ranch he supplements with hay. Both ranches have found receptive markets for their meat and breeding animals. During the visit ALBC staff documented the wisdom of these master breeders for inclusion in Breed Profiles and other outreach documents.

After a detour through Tahoe, we drove over the Sierra Nevada and made our way to Santa Rosa for three days at the National Heirloom Exposition. It is fitting that the expo was held at the county fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, home to famed plant breeder Luther Burbank (1849 – 1926), who was responsible for introducing more than 800 new varieties of plants. This year

Californians from across the state brought their pigs, sheep, chickens and cattle to the event. We were fortunate to share space for two days with ALBC member Christina Nooner and her team from Sunshine Sanctuary for Kids and Horses. They brought two beautiful Santa Cruz horses: Enshalla (age 3 months) and her uncle Cochise, who adopted the filly when she was orphaned shortly after birth. There are fewer than 30 breeding Santa Cruz horses remaining, so it was a great opportunity to tell their story while we talked to visitors about the importance of preserving rare breeds. About 150 birds were on display at the expo and APA judge Walt Leonard selected a handsome Buff Orpington rooster as the winner of the poultry competition. Turkey breeds were well represented at the show, and Magpie, Welsh Harlequin and Indian Runner ducks were among the waterfowl attendees.

In pens under spreading oaks we found Shetland and Navaho-Churro sheep. The Shetland is a small, fine-boned sheep prized for its fine, soft, strong wool. Shetland sheep come in several colors, so the sheep and their wool products attracted much attention from fiber artisans. Navaho-Churro sheep are remnants of the once widespread Spanish sheep populations of the Southwest. Spanish missionaries and rancheros established the first flocks as sources of meat and wool. After the Spanish-American war, American ranchers established flocks of “improved” sheep breeds such as the Romney that were more common in the rest of the country. However, remnants of the Spanish flocks remained, most notably among the Native American populations for whom sheep rearing fit well into their agricultural lifestyle. The famous Navaho rugs continue to be are woven with the wool of the sheep now known as Navaho-Churro.

While in Santa Rosa, we visited the home of Carole Coates, a breeder of San Clemente goats. This rescue story put ALBC on the map in the mid-80’s as we partnered with other groups to ensure that breeding animals were kept together following the last removals of goats from San Clemente Island. The Coates’ small flock of San Clemente goats is helping to expand the breed and includes a Santa Catalina doe from a related bloodline. The goats were happy to demonstrate their foraging ability with yard clippings including thorny branches of blackberry and rose. A noxious California weed, yellow star thistle, is readily consumed by goats, and Coates is considering putting her goats’ appetite to use in the brush clearing business.

All in all, the time we spent in California and Nevada was a great opportunity to connect with what is on the minds of heritage breeders in this part of the country and reminded us of the diverse environments that influence the breeds we work with.

Just Another Day at the Office...

2011-10-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

ALBC had a special visitor in the office last month – of the reptilian kind. A Black Rat Snake found its way in overnight and showed up in the kitchen, assumingly looking for breakfast. Breed Registry Manager Anneke Jakes was the first to meet our scaly friend, nearly stepping on it when turning the lights on for the day. Unfortunately, before the staff was able to catch the snake, it slithered its way behind the counter and out of reach. After some brief contemplation, it was decided that we would simply have to wait for the critter to reappear on its own will before catching it.

The day’s business resumed until the afternoon when staff were packing up materials near the front door of the office. Membership Services Manager Ryan Walker caught a glimpse of the snake out of the corner of his eye lounging nearby on some boxes recently received in the mail. Apparently it had made its way stealthily past everyone while they were at their desks to the front of the office.

Luckily, Research & Technical Programs Manager Jeannette Beranger had previous experience with snakes and leaped into action. Before joining ALBC, Jeannette had worked as a zookeeper for the Roger Williams Park Zoo and cared for a 20 foot Boa Constrictor, so our little Black Rat Snake was no problem for her.

After donning her gloves, she reached down to nab our friend, which wasn’t going to give up its lounging spot easily. The snake wrapped itself around a bookshelf in an attempt to keep Jeanette from grabbing it and after a brief struggle; it decided to take a different route. The snake came loose in Jeannette’s hands and curled back around as if to give her a wink, then slithered out onto the ground across the office and the race was on.

Jeannette ran after the snake, diving to the ground and catching its tail while Executive Director Chuck Bassett stepped lightly on the back of its head to gain control of the animal. Jeannette then carefully picked up our friend, took it outside, and released it into a lot nearby. “It’s hopefully resting happily by the bakery out back now”, said Jeannette; “There is never a dull moment at ALBC”, said Jeannette.

Just In! New APA Standard of Perfection

2011-09-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

The ALBC staff was delighted to receive the new 2010 APA Standard of Perfection earlier this week. The APA Standard is the "bible" when it comes to chickens. Much of ALBC's work is focused on ensuring that breeds are bred to certain standards, and for chickens the APA Standard is it!

The Standard is a valuable tool in the office. Whenever I can't find the book on the shelf, I know I can find it on the desk of one of our technical staff members. We often evaluate our images of chickens and poultry against the pictures provided in the Standard to help us determine whether or not an image is a quality representation of the breed. The Standard is also a great tool when we are answering questions from members or breeders. For example, people will ask how much a particular breed should weigh at market weight or they will ask what colors are acceptable. The Standard is our "go to" resource for helping people with these questions.

It seems silly, but around this office we get giddy over the Standard. Congratulations to APA for getting this new and updated publication into the hands of breeders!

Click here to purchase a copy from APA.

An Exciting Farm-to-Fork Event Benefitting ALBC

2011-08-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Join the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Harvest Moon Grille on Monday, August 15 for an exciting event featuring heritage breeds, the farmers that raise them, and their tasty treats! Harvest Moon Grille is celebrating our culinary and agricultural heritage with their second dinner in a Guest Chef Series. This dinner will feature Guest Chef Charles Taft – foodie, farmer, and Vice Chair of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. ALBC staff will also be on hand to help raise awareness about the value of rare breed animals to our agricultural system.

The Harvest Moon Grill menu that night will showcase rare and endangered breeds of livestock, as well as heirloom varieties of vegetables. The menu will include Delaware chickens, St. Croix lamb, and Tamworth hog. The special meal is $55 per person (excludes tax, gratuity and beverages), with a portion of the proceeds being donated to ALBC. Other donations are welcome to help ALBC carry out its important mission. Reservations suggested. This special menu will be available from 5-10pm.

ALBC is excited to visit with friends, members, and supporters in the Charlotte, NC area. What a neat opportunity to taste rare breeds, meet the farmers who raised them, and enjoy a meal made from the farmers' hands. Farm to fork takes on a whole new dimension with this special dinner!

Harvest Moon Grille is located in Charlotte, NC.
235 N. Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
http://harvestmoongrillecharlotte.com/

To make reservations, call (704) 342-1193.

In Honor of Independence Day

2011-07-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

An American Hereo: Randall Lineback cattle

Historians suggest that Randall Lineback cattle may have been used in one the most important operations in the American Revolution. In 1776, George Washington and his fledgling army had surrounded Boston with the hopes of capturing the city from the British. However, Washington’s army had no heavy artillery and they faced a heavily armed and entrenched British force. Henry Knox, a young soldier, was sent to the seized Fort Ticonderoga in New York to retrieve cannons and artillery. The story goes that he arranged for eighty yoke of New England landrace oxen and their drovers to pick up the artillery on sledges at the southern end of Lake George and to haul tons of deadweight over the hills and valleys of New York and western Massachusetts. Without the Randall Lineback cattle, the cannons would have never made it to Boston where they were used to liberate the city from British control. Learn More

The Swamp Foxes’ Steady Stead: Marsh Tacky (Colonial Spanish) horse

During the American Revolution, Marsh Tackies were used by many of the troops of the famous “Swamp Fox”, Francis Marion. Known as the “Father of American Guerrilla Warfare,” Marion not only was a great tactician but his troops inadvertently had the additional technical advantage of being mounted on horses superbly adapted to the rough and swampy terrain of the region. British troops mounted on larger European breeds may have been at a disadvantage in trying to maneuver in the dense and wild swamps of the lowlands. Learn More

A Founding Father’s Legacy: American Mammoth Jackstock donkey
The American Mammoth Jackstock was developed in the earliest days of the United States, and is an integral part of American agricultural history. America’s own George Washington was one of the innovators that helped to develop the breed. In fact, in 1788 Washington began offering his Mammoth jacks for stud service. Learn More

These breeds helped save America, isn’t it time we help save them?

Christmas Goose in July

2011-06-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Beranger
Our family has always had a taste for something different on the holiday table and the Christmas goose is among one of our favorites. As our family farm continues to grow, we thought that perhaps adding geese to our property would be a boon for our holiday festivities. Because we didn’t want to dive head first into any major goose production, we started slowly with only three goslings and chose the American Buff breed based on its reputation for being an amicable bird. They arrived on our farm in the steamy month of July. We thought long and hard about what to call the youngsters since they were very likeable creatures whose ultimate fate was for the table. We decided upon Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year as a constant reminder of their purpose on the farm.

Even as newly hatched goslings, their natural curiosity made them want to know everything that was happening around them. When the time came to introduce them to the outdoors, we carried them from their enclosure to the pasture so they could forage under the watchful eyes of the family (and the nearby Great Horned owls.) It became quickly apparent that we were approaching this task all wrong since the normally calm and tame birds seemed to be very “put out” when handled and moved. It was then that my husband, who was born and raised in France, remembered how his grandfather would herd geese on his farm with a couple of sticks and guide them on a walk through the field.

When the time came that the American Buff goslings were no longer the size of an easy meal for the owls, the birds stayed out on pasture full time and in the evening they were locked in a “goose tractor”. They lavished the green grass and to supplement they were fed a waterfowl grower feed accompanied by an ample supply of water next to their feed pan so they could dabble the food directly in it.

For wading opportunities, we came up with the idea of using a bed liner from a pick-up truck that we placed on a small hill in order to create a pool with a shallow end on one side and a deep end for the birds to wade in and out of easily. The American Buffs loved the pool and water consumption was minimal compared to larger baby pools that are often used by folks raising geese. Also we learned that it is important to make sure the food is far away from the wading pool so that the geese do not dabble food in the wading area and foul the water twice as quickly as they would otherwise. Incidentally, much to our annoyance, the pool also served as a great evening perch for the Great Horned owl that would come down at night to take a drink and peek at the geese in their tractor.

Time passed quickly and soon the holiday season approached. The plan was to keep the birds until the weather got cold and they put on an extra fat for the winter. This is the optimal time for processing the holiday bird so that it has ample fat and will cook properly.

As farmers, we are always mindful of an animal’s purpose on our farm and each one is respected and well-cared for up throughout its life. We eat them knowing they had a great life that few animals in industry would have and that we go above and beyond to provide a good quality of life that expresses itself in the bounty on the table. Raising a small flock of American Buff geese for the holidays is not for the soft hearted as they are such likeable and amicable creatures. But for those interested in holiday tradition and an extraordinary dining experience, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn why the goose was aptly named by chefs as the “prince of poultry."

For more information about the American Buff goose, visit www.albc-usa.org.

Journey of a Thanksgiving Turkey: Part Two

2011-04-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

The irony is not lost on this farmer that the second leg of these turkeys journey to Thanksgiving began on another holiday...Easter. Yep, these turkeys hatched on Easter Sunday.

Here you can see in the first photo they have just hatched and are ready for the small temporary brooder in the incubator room. There they will continue to dry out and fluff up, strech their legs from being in that egg, and have their first meal...Easter Sunday dinner of starter crumbles...yum!

Here you see the same turkeys on Tuesday as they get moved into the big brooder. They will stay in the big brooder for the next few weeks until they grow their feathers and are strong enough to handle life on the lush green pastures of the farm.

Stage two of the jurney is underway, the poults have hatched very successfully and are in the brooder. I'll post an update from the brooder after the birds have grown up and have some feathers. Stay tuned for the brooder update and then it's on to the third leg of the journey...life on pasture...

Turkey Season

2011-04-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

In my neck of the woods the statement 'Turkey Season' refers to hunting wild turkeys. However, on my farm it means collecting and hatching eggs for the eventual Thanksgiving Holiday season. I will be blogging over the course of the season about the process of going from breeding flock to Thanksgiving dinner as a turkey farmer.

I have raised several heritage breeds of turkey in the past (Narragansett, Bourbon Red, Midget White) but I fell in love with the Black turkeys. Now the Black turkey is the breed of choice on my farm.

The Black turkey is listed on the ALBC conservation priority list as 'Watch' status... http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/black.html

In managing my breeding flock of about 30 birds, I keep them out on open pasture until February when I know it will soon be time to start collecting eggs for hatching. At that point the birds are moved into portable hoophouse structures where they are secure from predators and the eggs are clean and easy to collect. This year the turkeys began laying a bit late and kept me waiting until the first of April before they really started to lay well. That delay was starting to become a concern because with turkey production for the holiday market you have a short window of opportunity to hatch your poults in, if you hatch too late in the season then your birds do not have enough time to grow and mature to the desired market size.

I like to hatch as early as possible in the season and don't hatch turkey eggs after early June. Any later than June and the birds don't have time to grow to a good market size and put on a little fat. A minumum of 24 weeks is what I am looking for as far as a grow out time.

So this seasons hatching egg production began a few weeks ago and we are collecting eggs for us to hatch out as well as to sell to a local/regional hatchery that specialized in heritage poultry breeds. When we collect the eggs we are looking for clean eggs that are not oddly shaped. We then store the eggs in a controlled manner until we have enough to set in our incubator or send to the hatchery.

Once we have a two week supply of eggs collected it is time to package them for transporting them to the hatchery. Hatching eggs are fragile in more ways than one. We do not want to have the eggs broken in transporting them, nor do we want them shaken up too much, disturbing the potential hatchability of the egg.

The eggs are carefully wrapped in tissue paper and placed inside an egg carton with the small end down.

The cartons are then taped shutand placed in a box with generous ammounts of packaging material to further protect them during shipping. Ideally they will be shipped with the box upright. Once the eggs arrive at the hatchery they are allowed to sit and rest from all the motion for a day and then placed in the incubator to hatch.

Once in the incubator the waiting and monitoring begins. A precise balance of temperature and humidity must be maintained for the next 28 days while the embryo develops and turns into the turkey poult. On day 25 the turning of the eggs will stop and they will be placed in the hatching tray for 3 days. On or about day 28 the poults will hatch out of their eggs and beging the next phase of their journey towards Thanksgiving.

Stay tuned for the next blog post following our turkeys journey to Thanksgiving dinner...hatching and brooding of the turkey poults...

Java Chicken Recovery Project

2011-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Java chicks - just hatched!

ALBC is currently conducting a Java Chicken Recovery Project. The goal of the project is to utilize established breeding and selection protocols to assist in recovering breed production characteristics for the Java chicken using a pasture-based system of husbandry. Central to this project is to restore the Java to the APA Standard of Perfection for the breed to identify and select for the four distinct color types and to select for rate of growth and egg laying without compromising physical health, fertility, or breed standard.

Today the Java chicken is listed on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List as “Threatened”. A “Threatened” status means there are less than 1000 breeding birds and less than 5000 birds globally, with seven or fewer primary breeding flocks.

The Java wasn’t always an endangered breed, in fact, it was once a highly preferred breed and was widely seen at poultry shows and on homesteads all around the country. The Black Java saw its true peak of popularity from the mid to late 1800s as a market chicken. The reason for the popularity was the black feathering, which required the pin feathers be meticulously removed, this translated as a measure of the quality of plucking and processing.

First set of Java chicks being picked up by the farm
that will grow out and work with ALBC on
selection and breed improvement.

Javas eventually lost favor, but ALBC is working to bring this second oldest American breed back into the limelight. This morning, our first group of Java chickens was picked up by the family that will be growing them out for the project. A number of “growers” are working on the project to help increase numbers and diversity. Stay tuned for more updates about the project!

For more information about the how to selectively breed for production standards go to the ALBC website http://www.albc-usa.org/EducationalResources/chickens.html

For information about the Java Recovery Project contact ALBC at 919-542-5704 or Steven Moize at smoize@albc-usa.org

New Partnership Hatched

2011-03-11T05:54:00.000-08:00

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is pleased to announce a new promotional partnership with Tractor Supply Company (TSC) that will raise awareness of endangered and heritage poultry breeds.

Beginning in March 2011, over 1,000 Tractor Supply stores across the country will participate in the annual Chick Days program. This year, the program will include a number of heritage breeds of poultry, many of which are considered endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

“This partnership will bring awareness to a critical issue facing the American agricultural system – dwindling diversity and the subsequent loss of many breeds of livestock and poultry,” said American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Executive Director Charles Bassett. “For ALBC, this is an opportunity to educate Tractor Supply’s current and future customers by providing them with the support and information necessary to raise endangered poultry breeds.”

As part of the partnership, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has provided research, information and technical expertise, helping Tractor Supply to share the message of heritage breed conservation with their customers.

“Heritage breeds are the original backyard chicken,” said Jeannette Beranger, Research and Technical Program Manager for ALBC. “It makes sense for hobby-farmers, ranchers, and even suburban and rural homeowners to take interest in these breeds. These are the breeds of our grandparents and great-grandparents – and they are disappearing.”

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 21 percent of livestock breeds worldwide continue to be at risk of extinction. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is the only organization in the United States working to stop the extinction of these breeds – ensuring the future of our agricultural food system.

“We are proud to be associated with ALBC,” said John Wendler, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Tractor Supply Company. “The popularity of backyard flocks in America has spurred demand for additional information and support. As the leading farm and ranch store, our relationship puts TSC in the unique position to help those interested in raising poultry to get started successfully while raising awareness of the diversity of breeds out there, many of which are in need of conservation.”

In 2011, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy listed over 188 breeds of livestock and poultry on its Conservation Priority List, a list that designates population levels for endangered domesticated breeds. Twenty-nine poultry breeds were listed as critically endangered, making the TSC partnership an even more important step in the promotion and conservation of heritage breeds.

For more information about endangered poultry breeds, visit http://www.heritagechicken.org/

For more information about TSC’s Chick Days program, visit http://www.tractorsupply.com/

***

About the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy:
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a nonprofit membership organization working to protect over 180 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. Included are donkeys, cattle, goats, horses, sheep, pigs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. Founded in 1977, ALBC is the pioneer organization in the U.S. working to conserve historic breeds and genetic diversity in livestock. ALBC’s mission is to ensure the future of agriculture through genetic conservation and the promotion of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry.

About Tractor Supply Company:
Tractor Supply Company is the leading retail farm and ranch store brand in America. Founded in 1938, Tractor Supply Company operates more than 1001 stores in 44 states supplying daily farm and ranch maintenance supplies to a targeted customer base. The Company’s stores are focused on supplying the lifestyle needs of recreational farmers and ranchers. The Company also serves the maintenance needs of those who enjoy the rural lifestyle, as well as tradesmen and small businesses.

Talking Waterfowl With Metzer Farms

2011-02-15T08:20:00.000-08:00

By Jeannette Beranger
ALBC Research & Technical Program Manager

In January, my work at American Livestock Breeds Conservancy took me to California to lecture at the Ecofarm Conference in Monterey. As luck would have it, I had an extra day to take a side trip to visit the noted waterfowl producer, John Metzer, at his farm in Gonzales, not far from the conference site. Because ALBC continues to develop the production selection materials for these species, it was an opportunity not to be missed while in the area.

John’s father had brought the hobby of waterfowl production to the Metzer family over 30 years ago. When John graduated from college, he thought he could turn his dad’s hobby into a full-time business which he began in 1972. With much work, his endeavor has proven successful and the farm has become one of the largest hatcheries for waterfowl in the U.S. Currently Metzer Farms works with 17 breeds of ducks including a number of endangered breeds including Rouen, Khaki Campbell, Blue Swedish, Buff, Cayuga, Welsh Harlequin, White Runner, Black Runner, Blue Runner, and Chocolate Runner ducks. There are 12 breeds of geese managed on the farm including the endangered Toulouse, Chinese, Pilgrim, Buff, African, and Roman Tufted and Classic Roman geese. Egg production on the farm ranges from a winter time low of about 2,500 eggs per day to an impressive spring high of about 7,000 eggs per day.

Upon arrival at the farm, I was greeted by John at his office and we immediately began a tour of the facility beginning with the incubation rooms. In 2008, new Jamesway incubators were installed in the facility replacing the old incubators, some of which were over 50 years old. The new incubators were a big step for the facility because each incubator can hold 35,000 eggs at a time! These incubators differed from the old ones in that they are used as “single stage” incubators. This means that all of the eggs in each are of the same age and are due to hatch together at the same time period. With this system it is easier to manage the changing needs of eggs as they mature without disrupting the needs of younger or older eggs that may be in the same incubator. John has been very pleased with the new incubators and has seen a 4-18+% increase in hatchability with the most dramatic improvement being found with the hatchability of the geese eggs. To learn more about single stage incubation results, read John’s article at http://www.metzerfarms.com/Articles/SingleStageIncubation.pdf .

As we finished touring the incubation facility, we moved out into the farm and were greeted by hundreds of ducklings on pasture. The area was filled with Pekin ducklings whose bloodlines originated overseas in France. The Pekin is the breed most commonly used for meat in the U.S. and is one of Metzer’s biggest sellers. We moved from the Pekins to some of the areas that housed some of the rare breed ducks and we came upon the largest groups of Buff and Swedish ducks I’d ever seen. The Buff duck is an attractive, dual-purpose duck with the ability to lay up to 150-220 eggs per year. It grows quickly and can be ready for market within 8-10 weeks. Its light pin feathers do not show on the plucked carcass so this breed makes for an excellent table bird. Swedish ducks are medium-sized birds that weigh between 6 1/2 and 8 lbs. They provide well-flavored meat and up to 100-150 eggs per year. They are known to be a calm breed and are found in several colors including Blue, Black, and Splash. The multiple colors arise due to heterozygosity in their color gene. With this in mind, if a Blue Swedish duck and drake breed, the ducklings are typically 50% Blue, 25% Black, and 25% Splash. The American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection only allows for the Blue Swedish. The Buff duck is listed as “threatened” and the Swedish is listed in the “watch” category of ALBC’s Conservation Priority List.

Beyond the duck enclosure, there were the pens that held an impressive collection of geese ranging from the small and delicate Chinese to the massive Dewlap Toulouse geese. Chinese geese are among the best layers and are desirable as “watchdogs” that will be the first animals on the farm to alert farmers of intruders on the property. This breed is in the “watch” category of the CPL and is a popular choice for small farms. At Metzer farms, they can be found in the Brown and the White varieties.

An interesting breed included in the Metzer collection was a flock of Classic Roman geese that came from the noted waterfowl breeder, Dave Holderread. Over the years, the Tufted Roman has become more popular in North America but it is the non-tufted, classic variety that is the original form of the breed. Few of this variety remain in the country and Metzer Farms is in the process of building numbers within their breeding flock before they will be able to offer goslings for sale. Roman geese are considered critically endangered.

Other rare breed geese on the farm included the Pilgrim and the American Buff. Both of these breeds are American in origin and a great choice for backyard flocks. The Pilgrim goose is an auto-sexing breed meaning that males and females can be distinguished after hatching. Male goslings are silver-yellow with light-colored bills and females are olive-gray with darker bills. As adults the males are white and females are mostly brownish-gray with some white on their bodies and faces. American Buffs are known for their gentle disposition. Because of the light color of their pinfeathers, they dress out cleanly and make a great table bird for the holidays. Both breeds are considered critically endangered.

Visiting with John was a rare opportunity to see such numbers of endangered waterfowl. As time grew short, the visit came to an end and I was on my way back to North Carolina, but not without some great images and useful food for thought on large scale incubation.

To learn more about Metzer Farm visit http://www.metzerfarms.com/ and for more information on endangered waterfowl visit American Livestock Breeds Conservancy at http://www.albc-usa.org/.

Heritage Chickens Go High-Tech

2011-01-25T12:45:00.000-08:00

In response to the chicken movement sweeping the United States, Mother Earth News and Funny Farm Industries recently launched the Pickin’ Chicken app, a downloadable iPhone application that will help everyone from full-time farmers to backyard chicken enthusiasts research breeds from their iPhones, iPads, or iPods.

Keeping chickens is becoming as mainstream as having a cell phone, so why not make chicken breed information easily accessible to the technologically savvy? The new application features an illustrated guide to more than 75 chicken breeds and 100 varieties with 250-plus photos. Users can find the ideal chicken breed for eggs, meat, personality, or any combination based on results from 14 searchable characteristics.

ALBC worked with the creators of the app to include the ALBC conservation priority status of any endangered chicken breeds. When a user opens a profile for a specific breed, the CPL status is listed, and they are linked through to the ALBC website. This is a great way for ALBC to reach a new generation of chicken fanciers.

If you have an iPhone, you can download the app for $2.99 from the Reference section of the Apple App Store. Not an iPhone user, check out ALBC’s Pick-A-Chick chart to review similar breed selection information.

Fell Pony Breed Type Article

2011-01-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

The January/February issue of the ALBC News has a great article about the Fell Pony and how the breed type is changing due to the various jobs it is expected to do. The author of the piece, Jennifer Morrissey, suggests that this change in breed types is "ok" so long as the original type is preserved. As agriculture changes, breeds are adapting to new demands which often means the breed type evolves. Morrissey looks at the impacts of this shift in breed type, and what it means for conservation.

This is just one of many articles that is regularly published in the bi-monthly ALBC News. This newsletter is a full-color, 20-page piece that features articles about rare breeds of livestock and poultry. Learn from the experts and the newbies! To get the ALBC News delivered to your door, join the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Tips For Keeping Livestock in Cold Weather

2010-12-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

Ancient White Park cattle, photo by Cecilia Whitaker

Here are some quick tips for keeping livestock healthy and hardy in the abnormally cold weather plaguing many parts of the country.

Animals should have plenty of fresh water. Dehydration is a common problem in winter due to ice. Check several times a day to ensure water is not frozen and consider a water heater or some other option to keep water from freezing.
Ample food is necessary during the cold of winter. It enables animals to produce energy in the form of body heat.
Make sure animals needing shelter have access to clean, dry living spaces. Many breeds can cope with weather extremes so long as they can be dry. The health of animals housed indoors can suffer if bedding becomes too soiled with ammonia and fecal build-up.
Even the hardiest animals should have access to a windbreak. High winds can create bitter cold that can be dangerous for livestock.
For some livestock, (such as horses or youngsters born out of season) you may consider a waterproof, insulated blanket.
Keep de-icers and other chemicals away from livestock. They can be toxic if ingested and can cause irritation if they come into contact with feet.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-21T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hope you all have a great holiday season. ALBC is so thankful for all of its members and supporters, and we look forward to 2011. Thanks to all the breeders and producers out there raising these rare breeds so that they will be here for future generations.

Jeannette Beranger, ALBC Research and Program Manager, is also one of ALBC's best photographers. When she travels to farms around the country, she is always taking pictures! Jeannette has gathered some of her favorite images taken over the course of this past year. Hope you enjoy this tiny glimpse of some of our work! Best wishes for the New Year.
Jeannette Beranger's slideshow of rare breed images

Heritage Cattle Definition

2010-12-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

In an effort to secure the term Heritage in the food and agricultural marketplaces, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), a non-profit organization working to ensure the survival of rare breeds of livestock and poultry, has defined the term Heritage Cattle and established criteria for beef and dairy products made from Heritage Cattle breeds. In 2005 and 2009 respectively, ALBC defined the terms Heritage Turkey and Heritage Chicken which have become widely accepted in the marketplace.

“The goal of defining Heritage for cattle and their products is to secure a market niche for the term so that these historic breeds can be promoted in their own right,” said ALBC’s Executive Director Charles Bassett.

Cattle have been a part of the American agricultural landscape since the arrival of Spanish colonists beginning in 1493. During the colonization of America, cattle indigenous to Europe were brought over with the settlers. For centuries these breeds provided milk, meat, leather, tallow, draft power, and companionship.

Today, many cattle breeds that were once core components of regional cultures are in danger of extinction. Variety is decreasing as production is increasing. As cultures are homogenized and historic agricultural traditions are abandoned, the flavors and food traditions of these breeds, and the breeds themselves, are threatened. Through Heritage branding efforts, ALBC hopes to raise awareness of and support for endangered breeds of livestock. The ultimate goal is to ensure the long-term genetic conservation of these breeds.

Heritage Cattle, as defined by ALBC’s definition, must meet several criteria:

1. True Genetic Breed. The breed is a true genetic breed of cattle. That is, when mated together, it reproduces the breed type.

2. Endangered Breed. The breed is or has been endangered, as defined by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), and appears on the ALBC Conservation Priority List in the Critical, Threatened, Watch, or Recovering categories. (CPL)

3. Long History in US. The breed has an established and continuously breeding population in the United States since 1925. If developed since 1925, foundation stock is no longer available. If more recently imported, the breed is globally endangered.

4. Purebred Status. Heritage Cattle must be registered purebred animals or immediate offspring of registered purebred animals. Cattle that are the result of a breed association sanctioned grade-up program must have obtained purebred status.

Once cattle have met the criteria above, their products too must be evaluated against the criteria established for Heritage Cattle products.

ALBC worked with a number of partners and organizations to develop these criteria, addressing elements such as diet, management practices, antibiotic and hormone usage, environment, and humane treatment. The crafters of the definition struggled with including the management criteria, but sound arguments for management’s influence on a breed’s genetics prevailed. “We are after a definition that catches the interaction of genome, management, and manufacturing that provides for a sustainable, closed system,” said ALBC Technical Advisor Dr. Phillip Sponenberg.

Belted Galloway breeder Karen Thornton illustrates the point. “Genetics are lost when management practices are homogenized,” said Thornton. “There were once thousands of farms with varying environments which allowed for gene expression and perpetuation of many characteristics not needed in intensively managed systems. Adaptation to varying management practices led to the development of breeds to suit many more purposes than we see today.”

So why does the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, an organization interested in genetic diversity, care about defining Heritage Cattle? As late as the mid-1950s, cattle breeds such as the Pineywoods, Randall Lineback, and Red Poll were found on small farms across the country. In less than 50 years, nearly 60 percent of all beef cattle operations closed their doors, production strategies changed, and breeds of interest changed. Animals valued for their survival skills, reproductive health, and sound, functional bodies were replaced by animals with faster growth rates and larger sizes.

As a result, many breeds disappeared from the American dinner table. “We need to give these animals their jobs back,” said Marjorie Bender, research and technical programs director for ALBC. “These hardy, tasty, historic and culturally significant breeds need to find a market niche again. If we can help them find their place at the table, we are much more likely to save their valuable, versatile genes.”

“Genetic diversity is the key to change,” added Bender. “Diversity brings options and choices. Agriculture has changed dramatically in the past 60 years and it will continue to change. If our generation stewards the animals well, we – ourselves, our children, and future generations - will have options.”

Heritage breeds provide necessary genetics for a healthy, diverse food system. These genetics help to secure our food system. “To rely on only a few breeds is, well, to put all our eggs in one basket,” said Bender.

While the definition of Heritage Cattle may be complex, the goal is to ensure that the legacy left to succeeding generations has as much genetic breadth and biological robustness as the current generation has inherited from previous generations. The definition draws attention to endangered breeds of cattle, supports their genetic integrity and long-term conservation, encourages management strategies that are biologically appropriate and agriculturally sustainable and celebrates the cultural and culinary traditions of these breeds.

To see the complete definition of Heritage Cattle and their products visit: http://www.heritagecattle.org/

***

Red Poll - Quality Performance on Your Plate

2010-10-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Guest blogger, John W. Leimgruber III, shares his experiences with Red Poll cattle.

After embarking on my Red Poll adventure just over a year ago, I quickly realized the dizzying array of confusing numbers that exist in the beef cattle industry: EPDs, birth weights, hanging weights, frame scores, shear tests, ultrasound rib-eye area, genetic marbling scores- the list never ends! While all these numbers are undeniably important for tracking and improving cattle performance, I think it is possible to get too caught up in all the statistics and lose sight of what often matters most to consumers: quality, price, and convenience. So I decided to test my beef where it matters most: on the dinner plate! I entered the 3rd annual PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) 100% Grass-Fed Beef Cook-off1 where a dozen professional chefs, fine-food purveyors, and food critics sampled and rated rib-eye steaks from 14 farms representing a variety of cattle breeds all across Pennsylvania.

I understand that many cattlemen sell to the commodity beef industry, which grades and rewards for carcass quality before anybody even sees the end-product. However, a growing number of consumers are creating a market demand for locally raised beef fattened on a grain-free diet. Opportunities exist, given the right location, for beef to be marketed directly to consumers at potentially higher profit margins than conventional commodity markets. As for market volume, my experience has been that demand is increasing and currently outstrips the supply of grass-fed beef as a number of existing CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and restaurants in the Pittsburgh area can't seem to find a sufficient and steady supply. Despite all of these positives, I believe that it is imperative to maintain the momentum by delivering these three key attributes of quality: a great first impression with consistent product experiences, tenderness and full-flavor enough to convert a vegetarian, and a belief that eating this beef makes you a better person. The Red Poll breed is in a great position to excel at exactly these qualities.

Firstly, with mainstream marketing historically emphasizing corn and grain-fed beef, it is vital that new potential customers have a wonderful first impression with grass-finished beef to keep them coming back for more. Hamburger currently seems to be the best "gateway-drug" to grass-fed beef because it can be easier to control by varying the grind, can be cooked more easily by customers (than steak), and usually costs less than other cuts . As for a consistent steak, very few if any directly marketed carcasses are ever graded, so the responsibility falls to the cattleman to select for genetic consistency in order to have confidence that every piece of meat they sell will make a great beef experience. As a pure breed, Red Poll can provide a great base for genetic consistency whether as a source of prepotent sires for a commercial herd or as a straight purebred herd.

Next, while tenderness and taste can be a very subjective experience, it seems to me that consumers of grass-fed beef expect a tender (but not mushy) mouth feel and a full nutty buttery flavor. For
tenderness, it is important that your abattoir not chill the meat too rapidly after slaughter; this is to prevent the affect known as "cold shortening."2 The meat should also be allowed to dry-age in the
cooler for about two weeks. To develop flavor when finishing on grass, it is important to be patient
and allow for the animal to mature and truly fatten before harvesting. The cattleman must account for this additional time and plan for extended grazing seasons and likely seasonally finish off of the spring or fall flush. Most entires into the grass-fed beef cook-off were harvested between 18-30 months of age; my steer was just shy of 2 years old. Here again the Red Poll has advantages due to its moderate frame size, early maturing ability, ability to fatten on grass alone, and tenderness associated with the British breeds.

Finally, many customers turn to grass-fed beef because of how it makes them feel as a consumer. Grass-fed beef is typically raised with an all natural or similar protocol in a non-confinement rotational pasture based environment. Beyond environmental impact, it has been suggested that grass-fed beef may have some health benefits over traditionally finished beef.3 It also allows for a direct face-to-face connection between farmer and customer bolstering local economies and building integrity into the often anonymous and highly regulated food industry. Additionally, the status of the Red Poll as a "Heritage Breed" allows for a unique marketing proposition that consumers can quickly understand and on which they place value.

That’s all great, but how does that steak perform on the plate? The judges finished their first round of blind taste testing and narrowed the competition down to six finalists. After a second round of fresh sizzling steak samples, the ballots were cast and out of all 14 competitors: my Red Poll beef took home a third place ribbon! I couldn't have been more happy with the results! I really can't take much credit for the result, as I've had a lot of help getting started from PASA, the Red Poll community, and of course my grazier, Rudy D.H. Byler. Also, all of the steaks that I myself sampled that day made for good eating; and just between you and me, unbeknownst to me, I even rated a few of them higher than my own steak! This level of competition tells me that producers are getting serious about delivering great grass-finished beef (especially the top two contestants representing Irish Black and Salers breeds). So even though there's no one number that can truly measure success, I'm confident that my team is off to a good start and with enough time, patience, and mistakes, we'll eventually get even better at delivering consistent quality performance onto your plate (and hopefully have a little fun doing it too!).

References:

[1] 3rd Annual PASA Beef Cook-Off:

http://pasafarming.org/our-work/regional-marketing/western-region/beef-cook-off

[2] Cold Shortening:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ0856.html#cold

[3] Potential Health Benefits:

http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

Bio:
John Leimgruber lives with his wife Stephanie in a one-bedroom apartment in Pittsburgh's Northside neighborhood of Manchester. There they farm approximately 36 square feet of garden in their backyard and have one steer of a mutt dog named Linus. John purchased his foundation herd of Red Polls from Dr. Dan Schmiesing of Mardan Acres in May 2009 and contract grazes his cattle with Rudy D.H. Byler of Eastbrook Homestead near New Castle, PA. John became interested in raising grass-fed beef cattle after reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and watching Joel Salatin's Polyface Farm DVD. He decided to actually do something about it after attending the 2009 PASA 100% Grass-Fed Grass-Finished conference track where guest-speaker, Greg Judy, suggested that he should "just get started".

New Heritage Turkey Publication Just in Time for Thanksgiving!

2010-10-05T06:37:00.000-07:00

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is pleased to announce the release of a new Heritage Turkey resource entitled Selecting Your Best Turkeys for Breeding. This is the second publication in the ALBC Master Breeder series, which is a collaboration of known master breeders, researchers, and ALBC staff working together to codify knowledge and historic information about heritage breed selection, husbandry and breeding.
With growing consumer demand for tasty Heritage Turkeys to grace their holiday tables, more farmers are trying their hands at raising them. However, farmers often find themselves struggling to find production information specific to raising these colorful cousins of the Broad-Breasted White turkey found in supermarket freezers. Since the industrialization of turkeys in the late 1950s, much of the knowledge and printed information on how to select, raise and breed traditional turkeys has slowly been lost.

The information found in Selecting Your Best Turkeys for Breeding was once widely available at a time when small-scale agriculture and pastured-poultry keeping was commonplace. Changes in agricultural practices have caused this information to be largely lost to subsequent generations.

“ALBC recognized that there was a knowledge gap when it came to raising and breeding Heritage Turkeys and many other rare breeds,” said ALBC Research and Technical Program Director Marjorie Bender. “If we want to establish a sustainable market for these birds, we’ve got to give the farmers the tools they need to raise and breed quality animals.”

As people once again become interested in the systems suited to rare breeds, it is extremely important that the knowledge once used to successfully manage these systems be made available again. ALBC is pleased to lead the effort to re-educate the entrepreneurial farmer in the production of one of America’s agricultural treasures, the Heritage Turkey.

As recently as 1997, Heritage Turkeys were in danger for extinction – remembered only by the “old-timers”. At that time, only 1,335 breeding birds were found in the United States. Today, thanks to the efforts of breeders, producers and consumers, the Heritage Turkey’s numbers are on the rise, with a reported 2006 census number of 10,404 birds.

To download and view ALBC’s new publication Selecting Your Best Turkeys for Breeding, visit:
www.albc-usa.org/EducationalResources/master_breeder_turkeys.html

ALBC Enews

2010-09-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

If you haven't signed up for the ALBC E-news, check out the most recent issue.

We just started this electronic newsletter in January of this year, and so far we have received very positive feedback from members and supporters. The e-newsletter provides educational materials, upcoming event information, conservation food for thoughts, and more.

You can sign up to receive the newsletter on our website. This publication is free! It's a great way to get to know our organization, learn about some of our projects, network with other members, and more.

ALBC Conference Quickly Approaching

2010-08-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

The ALBC Conference is rapidly approaching. Join us November 11 - 13, 2010, in Hamilton, NY for this exciting event themed Healthy Herds – Healthy Markets.

The conference website is now live and online registration is available.

Some of the highlights from the conference program include:

Pre-conference Clinics (Friday, November 12)

• Hog Husbandry and Breeder Selection

• Haute Cuisine of Heritage Poultry

• The Tricky Business of Managing a Breed Association

• Raising Heritage Turkeys on Pasture

• Managing Bulls

Conference Session Topics (Saturday, November 13)

• Managing Stallions and Jacks

• The Rationale for Selecting for Body Type in Chickens

• Raising Rare Rabbit Breeds for Market

• Heritage Dairy Cattle and Where They Fit

• A Perfect Pair: Land Conservation and Rare Breed Conservation

• Chickens in the City

• Having Fun with Youth and Heritage Breeds

• The Art of Incubation

• Managing Rams and Bucks

• Marketing Using Social Networking

• And many more!

This year's conference features a two-day intensive Dairy Processing 101 clinic - a must for anyone interested in dairying with heritage breeds!

Register now!

Conservation Priority Projects

2010-08-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

July 1 started ALBC's "new year". Our fiscal year runs July - June, so the summer brings new opportunities and projects that we hope to achieve in the coming year. Below is a summary of some of the key projects we are hoping to accomplish and hoping to acquire funding for. These are just a few of the many projects that are constantly in motion here at ALBC.

Heritage Dairy Cattle Breed Recovery Program
In the U.S., the rebirth of the farmstead cheese industry is rather new. It began during the 1980's and has grown exponentially since 2000. This is due primarily to the increase in interest in the local food movement and the diverse palate of consumers looking for something that tastes great. With the current interest in local foods and dairy value-added products, there has been significant interest in selecting heritage cattle breeds for their traditional use as milk-, cheese-, or cream-producing breeds. The goal of the Heritage Dairy Cattle Breed Recovery program is to develop science-based tools, funding, and marketing and communication strategies for breed organizations and breeders of heritage cattle to help them market heritage dairy cows to small dairy operators and cheese makers.

Recovering Breed Production Characteristics in Endangered Poultry Breeds
In 2006 and 2007, ALBC conducted a pilot project to recover production qualities in endangered chickens. The project first focused on the critically endangered Buckeye chicken. This rare breed was chosen by ALBC for the pilot project for several reasons: the breed’s ability to thrive in a pasture-based, husbandry system; its hardiness in a variety of climates; its excellent reproductive qualities; its reputation for producing fine broilers, and the availability of stock. The Buckeye project produced a protocol for breeder selection that improved the productivity of an ALBC line of Buckeyes and resulted in a highly marketable bird for farmers wishing to sell non-industrial pasture raised poultry. The goal of the expanded project is to recover production characteristics in endangered poultry breeds to enable producers to recapture the production qualities of the breeds that made them successful in the past. Prior to the emergence and domination of industrial breeds, many breeds of poultry were productive and flourishing across the US. Through this project they may once again find a place on the American table and provide good income for farmers interested in diversifying production on their farm.

Saving Endangered Hog Breeds
Several trends are indicating that the U.S. is now on the cusp of a new era of livestock and swine production. There is growing consumer demand for locally and less intensively produced agricultural products. There is also a sense that the genetic variation found in the endangered U.S. swine breeds may be useful to the swine industry as a whole. Rare breeds of pigs are a vital part of this nation’s agricultural resource. They are the seed stock that fed the nation and formed the basis of the swine industry. Most of these breeds are now critically endangered. Industry no longer maintains seed stock of these old breeds. Rare pig breeds need to be saved for their genetic wealth, which makes them healthy, hardy, sturdy, and actively foraging animals. They also must be saved as potential genetic reservoirs for disease resistance.

To capitalize on this emerging mindset, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) proposes a project that will secure and fully utilize the genetic variation embodied in endangered swine breeds, improve herd husbandry, and develop niche markets. ALBC will assist with genetic research, breeding strategies, marketing support, and more.

The Master Breeder Program
Throughout history, uncounted numbers of individuals have dedicated themselves to caring for domestic animals. Each generation of livestock and poultry keepers served as stewards for the complete array of “local” breeds. Changes occurred in each generation, but the pattern remained stable. The complete package of genetic material embodied in an individual breed, along with an understanding of its specific husbandry needs, production uses, and marketing strategies, passed from one generation of keeper to the next. Unfortunately, the continuity of this legacy is now threatened.

The need for livestock genetic resource conservation is urgent. This is true of both breeds and the systems that fostered and shaped them for production and adaptation. The Master Breeders’ Apprentice Program is based on the fundamental premise that the existence and continuity of master breeders is critically endangered, while at the same time there is an emerging group of interested and capable future stewards of rare breeds of livestock and poultry that can replace them. Getting these two together is the critical piece of ALBC’s conservation initiatives.

Breed Rescue and Conservation Acquisition Program
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) is dedicated to the conservation and promotion of endangered breeds of livestock and poultry in the U.S. ALBC promotes breed conservation through research on the status of livestock populations, by educating its members and the general public about the importance of genetic diversity, and by informing and supporting the efforts of breeders, farmers, ranchers, and other guardians of rare breeds. In addition, ALBC has established partnerships with breeders and breed associations where it serves as the inspiration and the catalyst that brings people together with the scientific knowledge and understanding needed for successful conservation. Successful breed conservation is a mission that must involve many individuals and organizations. Individual breeders have always been and will continue to be the best stewards of genetic diversity, provided they have the skills and resources they need to be successful. A major contributor to their individual success will be ALBC’s ability to provide them with the knowledge, information, networking capacity, and the resources that are essential if they are to keep rare breeds alive and vital in their agricultural niche.

Southeastern Livestock Breed Initiative
Following the emergence of industrial agricultural practices in the mid 20th century, many of the regionally historic breeds of livestock and poultry kept by farmers in the southeastern United States have slowly declined in numbers as breeds better suited for industrial production have been favored over the old breeds. Although these regional breeds may not grow as large or fast as industrial breeds, their strong point has always been that they are well-adapted to the challenging climates and environments of the Deep South and thrive with little input from farmers. They represent unique genetic resources that are not found in the industrial breeds. Beyond their adaptations, these breeds have unique cultural connections with the community that, in some cases, span hundreds of years. Heritage breeds are superbly adapted for sustainable agriculture yet, their producers struggle to find a niche for their products in emerging markets.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy proposes the reintroduction and expansion of a once productive sustainable food system in the Southeast using regionally historic breeds integrated into traditional and environmentally low impact farming systems. ALBC will connect farmers, processors, and consumers to develop a regional model for rare breed production and marketing utilizing proven expertise and projects that have been successful in other regions of the country. Together these collaborators will identify and implement a production and marketing strategy that will benefit the system as a whole. This will be accomplished by gathering an in-depth understanding of the existing meat production systems as well as the inherent taste and nutritional qualities of the meats that can benefit consumers. Utilizing this data, the project will then focus on researching and implementing new market opportunities for historic breed products.

ALBC on Mother Earth News Radio

2010-08-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Check out ALBC's recent discussion with the staffers at Mother Earth News Radio. The interview will air this Saturday (August 7th) at 11:00am Central time. (http://www.motherearthnews.com/radio.aspx)

Also, don't forget that ALBC's own Jeannette Beranger does a regular feature on the Chicken Whisperer Talk Show. Jeannette is featured the first Tuesday of each month and talks about many of the rare breeds on ALBC's Conservation Priority List.

In the meantime, we'll be working on several pieces featuring some of our recent travels and fieldwork.

Letter from a Donkey

2010-07-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

ALBC members are very active in promoting rare breeds. Through out the country, members attends shows, fairs, and gatherings to spread the word about ALBC. This particular 4-legged member decided to share her experience.

Dear Friends at ALBC,

My name is Lake Nowhere Eden and I am a 5 month old American Mammoth Jackstock jennet. My human mom saw in your newsletter that there was going to be a Rare Breeds Show at the Garfield Farm Museum in LaFox, IL on May 23rd, 2010. She wrote to Mr. Johnson, the Executive Director of the Museum and asked if they would like for me to visit. He told her that I was invited and that she could come as my wait staff. I have no idea where Illinois is, but I had a grand time in the trailer for 8 hours playing with my Jolley Ball and eating out of TWO hay bags!

We got to the museum three days before the show so that I could rest and check out the farm. It is a really neat place, but they put me in an old barn next to some big oxen and I did not like that one bit! My accomodations were lavish with all sorts of straw and food and water, but there were no humans there at night to keep me company. My Mom walked me a mile and 1/2 everyday up to a feed store near the farm and I had great fun visiting the animals there. I also got to see all the wonderful human volunteers that came to the farm to help set up for the show. I tried to help, but without thumbs I really could not do too much! The day of the show I got up early and got my halter (with rhinestones on it) and lead rope on and my mom let me eat the nice grass that was outside the barn. Then all the other animals started to arrive.

All sorts of cows, sheep, horses, mules and poultry that I have never seen before were at the show. It was really interesting walking around even though some of the animals did not like my big ears! I wanted to become friends with the oxen, but they had no interest in talking with me at all. That was o.k. because then the humans started to arrive! I got petted and adored and just had the best time, but I got tired, so about half way through the show I decided that I needed to roll on the nice dirt floor of the barn and decided to take a siesta. Humans still came and visited me, as well - they should have and I enjoyed it immensely! It was a very hot day, but I walked in and out of the barn. There was a table with ALBC pamphlets on it and a wonderful display in the barn too. My mom told me that I could not touch the ALBC display, but I did try to eat an ALBC pamphlet and let me tell you, they don't taste so good! What about hemp paper and soy ink in the future? Anyway, I just wanted to tell you what a great trip I had and I hope that I can do it again next year. Mom said something about an ALBC annual conference. I am ready to go, I will just have to alert my wait staff! Thanks for letting me know about wonderful events like this.

Your friend,

Eden AKA The Diva

PS - I met a very nice lady who loved "my fiber" (I think that is fur?). She told my mom that when I get body clipped that my mom should send my fur to her. She is going to spin it and make my mom a hat! One for herself too...I think it will be funny to see my mom wearing my fur...maybe the lady can put big ears on my mom's hat so she will look more like me.

The Office Dogs

2010-06-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Beranger

Loads of folks call the ALBC office thinking that we keep or sell livestock from the office. Although this isn’t the case, what we do have here on four legs are the ALBC dogs. National Bring Your Dog to Work Day (June 25th) is upon us and I thought it would be appropriate to shine a light on the animals that have become an integral part of the ALBC family to connect us to the animal kingdom while serving as ambassadors to our office visitors.

The decision to allow dogs in the office actually began with a feline visitor who got stuck in the crawlspace under the old ALBC office. We were able to get him out of the space after two days and had him settle into life in the office as we searched for his owner. We started calling him “Toby” as “cat” didn’t seem to fit him at all. He was well-mannered but had a knack for getting stuck in the weirdest places you could imagine. After a few days of Toby-proofing the nooks and crannies of the office, he seemingly found life in the office appealing. Visitors would often find him relaxed sunbathing in the front display windows on sunny winter mornings. A month-long search around the community and with local shelters ended with no one claiming the cat. At that time our office manager, Angelique, brought Toby home one long holiday weekend and found that her husband Arnold had instantly fallen in love with the cat. It was decided that this was fate and that Toby had found a permanent home with them to this day.

The ALBC staff all agreed it was pretty neat and relaxing to have an animal around the office so Chuck, our Director, graciously agreed to allow my old Border Collie mix, Sydney, to come to the office. She had recently needed extra attention in order to monitor a medical condition so coming to work was a real boon for her. She was a perfect office dog that was well mannered, quiet, but gently exuberant whenever a new face walked into the office. Sydney happily came to the office with me for over a year before she finally succumbed to renal failure at the ripe old age of 16.

Sydney was gone but having an office dog was now a part of life at ALBC. The problem was we all had dogs we would like to bring to work. We decided that we would begin rotating days so we all had a chance to have our four legged friends accompany us to work. We have a dog for every day of the week now!

Our longest standing office dog is Lucy, a Dachshund/Rat Terrier mix who began coming to the office shortly before Sydney passed. She was adopted by Angelique and basically grew up in the ALBC office with all of us. She is a dog with a definite mind of her own but once inducted into her “circle of friends” you are there for life. She’s extremely intelligent and has a great portfolio of tricks she’s learned over the years from dog training classes and even a canine acting workshop.

Buck is a Catahoula Curr that came into my life shortly after Sydney passed. Because of all of the work I have done for ALBC in the Southeast, I became interested in Currs as they are very common farm and hunting dogs in this region of the country. Catahoulas are a traditional farm dog originating from Louisiana and are used for everything from herding cattle, pest control, hunting, to guarding livestock. They are high energy working dogs but Buck knows when he’s in the office, he is to be on his best behavior. You most often find him snuggled on his blanket under my desk or not far from my feet. One thing for certain, in the office you’ll never hear a peep out of him outside of an occasional yawn or the jingle of his dog tags. It isn’t until we get back home that his high energy nature kicks in and drives him to run and play until dark with our farm’s guardian dog, Gigi, a large Anatolian cross rescued from a local shelter.

Michele is the official ALBC office dog aficionado and expert. During their free time she and her husband Brian are very successful show dog handlers and breeders of champion pure bred Branestorm Kennel Collies. Their dogs are not only successful in the show ring but they are also trained to herd sheep and duck as well as compete in agility events. Michele rotates several dogs on her assigned day including Lark, a champion show and agility dog and mother to the latest litter of puppies. One of her pups, Joy, is another that comes to work. Joy is future star in the making for Michele who hopes she will succeed and excel as a show Collie just as her mother has over the years.

A beautiful English Setter by the name of Geoffrey comes to the office through Marjie. Geoffrey came to Marjie by way of one of the finest field trial kennels in the country. Because of Geoffrey’s timid but sweet nature, he did not make the cut as a field & gun dog and needed to be placed in a good home. Marjie stepped up to the challenge of raising this high energy pup and we have all delighted in watching him blossom into a joyous and stunning young dog. Despite his hulking size, he still considers himself a lapdog when he can but has the athletic drive that keeps Marjie on the go outside of his down time.

The newest addition to the ALBC office dog line-up is Daisy Mae, a very sweet Chihuahua mix rescued from the local dog pound a couple of months ago. It was love at first sight for Anneke when the two met. Daisy loves coming to the office and will “make the rounds” to everyone’s desk several times a day to be sure no one forgets about her. She’s sweet and affectionate and it seems like she understands that she made out like a bandit when she found her now home with Anneke.

Jennifer and Chuck like to joke that they have their pick of pets since a different dog is in the office each day. The both share an affinity for Basset hounds. Jennifer has a Basset mix, Sadie, who on occasion visits the office. She prefers her soft bed at home to the hard floors at the office. Chuck (Bassett) appropriately had a Basset hound for many years but now he just enjoys the office pets.

Much of ALBC’s work is based behind a desk or on the phone so it is easy to sometimes feel disconnected from the animal side of our work. Although they aren’t rare breed livestock, the office dogs represent a direct animal connection to constantly remind us of the living, breathing creatures we all work so hard to conserve.

Spanish Goat Rescue: Update

2010-06-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

As many of you may have read or heard, ALBC is in the process of rescuing a feral population of Spanish goats on an island in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The following provides an update about the rescue and explains the importance of this specific population.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) has completed the first phase of rescuing an isolated population of Spanish goats on an island in South Carolina. This population is one of only two known strains of Spanish goats to exist in the Southeast. Their genetics are extremely valuable to the Spanish goat population as a whole which currently numbers less than 2,500 animals in the entire United States.

This specific population has adapted to the challenges of the hot, humid, swampy environment of the Southeast for 500 years. These adaptations are unique among Spanish goats and are worth conserving.

According to Dr. Phil Sponenberg, professor of pathology and genetics at Virginia Tech University, “Spanish goats are important as one of the main landrace representatives in the US for the goat species. As is true of landrace livestock, they tend to be adapted and productive in compromising environments. The southeastern representatives of the landrace are extremely important, because these are the very ones expected to have the most inherent resistance to parasites and other environmental challenges. These few remaining herds are extremely important to save as an intact genetic resource.”

Due to inbreeding and predation, the South Carolina Spanish goat population is threatened with extinction. Just 30 years ago, there were over 100 goats on the island. Today, fewer than 30 remain. These animals possess valuable genetics that need to be maintained for future generations. Removing selected animals from the population and placing them into a conservation breeding program will ensure the survival of this unique strain.

On May 15th, ALBC staff members Jeannette Beranger and Marjorie Bender traveled to South Carolina to complete the initial phase of the removal process. Previous trips ensured the herd was documented and photographed. Photos were then evaluated by ALBC’s Technical Advisor, Dr. Phillip Sponenberg to determine Spanish phenotype and to identify target conservation animals prior to beginning removal.

ALBC staff members worked closely with the local community to ensure they were educated about the breed and the process for removing the animals. They were supportive of the efforts and a local Native American group, Keepers of the Word, assisted with the rescue. The group consisted of teens and their leaders from the Keepers of the Word “Venture Crew” which is a scout group for teens with a focus on Native American principles. “This was an opportunity to connect tribal members with animals they would have traditionally kept hundreds of years ago and incorporate them into the genetic rescue efforts,” said ALBC project leader Jeannette Beranger. “Ideally, one or more residents will want to become conservation stewards so the animals would literally return home, but to a safer environment.”

In the first phase of the rescue, two pregnant does were removed along with one doeling and one buckling. Members of Keepers of the Word assisted with moving the goats, while volunteers provided their boats for transport. Director of Keepers of the Word, Cathy Nelson, felt “this was a true service learning experience.” She added, “We’ve been trying to shed light on how DeSoto and other Spanish explorers impacted the tribes in our area and these goats are a living legacy of that era.”

Goats were brought to the mainland where they were documented, hair samples were taken for genetic analysis, and they were moved into a large trailer for transport. The pregnant does were transported to Brookgreen Gardens, a sculpture garden and wildlife preserve just south of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Brookgreen Gardens has agreed to work with ALBC to develop a conservation breeding herd that can be dispersed as numbers are increased. Brookgreen has several other rare breeds of livestock and has devoted over 6 acres to house the goats. The proximity of Brookgreen Gardens to the island ensures the goats will be kept in a natural habitat similar to that of the island.

The young doeling and buckling that were removed are being kept by volunteers, as they require regular bottle feedings. Once they are able to browse and forage, they will be transported to Brookegreen Gardens to join the rest of the herd. Removal of the young animals was necessary to ensure they were not eaten by predators.

Select animals will continue to be removed and transported to Brookgreen Gardens. As the population grows, satellite flocks will be established. “Following conservation breeding strategies will be critical to the survival of this line. The small population makes the challenge significant, but with the cooperation of satellite breeders and careful management this strain and its unique adaptation to the hot, humid and marshy Southeast can be saved,” said Marjorie Bender, ALBC Research and Technical Programs Director. “The goal of our efforts is to secure these animals and their genetics for future generations.”

Lowcountry: Part 4

2010-05-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival - February 27th, 2010

Saturday was the Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival at the Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horne Plantation. The Coastal Discovery Museum has been very supportive of ALBC’s efforts to preserve rare breeds of livestock, and they have been great partners in educating people about these breeds.

The purpose of the Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival was to educate people about heritage breeds. ALBC set up several displays and gave two presentations including an Intro to Rare Breeds and a History of the Marsh Tacky Horse presentation. These presentations were very popular and each had standing room only!

Aside from the presentations and displays, the most exciting part of the day was the animal display. ALBC coordinated with several members in the area to bring rare breeds of livestock and poultry to the event. Many breeds native to the Lowcountry were on display including Pineywoods cattle, American Buff geese, Black turkeys, Leghorn chickens, an American Mammoth Jackstock mule, a Marsh Tacky horse, Guinea Hog piglets, Ossabaw Island hogs, and more. People enjoyed petting the animals, talking to the farmers, and learning about the breeds.
Although this was the first time for the event, we had about 1,200 people in attendance. This was a great turn-out and we hope to expand the event next year to include many more breeds and presentations. The event was a great kick-off and complimentary event to the Marsh Tacky Horse races occurring the following day.

Lowcountry Part 3

2010-04-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

Auldbrass and Marsh Tackies

On Friday we had to be at Auldbrass Plantation at 11, so we had some time in the morning to stretch our legs before spending most of the day in the car. We decided to walk around the Beaufort waterfront. We wondered down some side-streets and saw beautiful old southern homes, covered in Spanish moss, echoing the sounds of history.

After leaving Beaufort we headed to Yemassee to Auldbrass. Auldbrass is a Frank Lloyd Wright plantation owned by Hollywood director Joel Silver who produced Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, the Matrix, and more. It's the only southern plantation designed by Wright. The reason for our visit was that Frank Lloyd Wright actually designed stables to fit the Marsh Tacky horse native to South Carolina. There are large stables on the property and then smaller stables for the Tackies since they are smaller horses. It's a testament of the history of the breed in this area.

We got to view and photograph the stables which were indeed a lot smaller than the stables for the Friesians. We also got to see the owner’s Friesians and Texas Longhorn cattle. He had several other animals on the property including Zebras, Hippos, and Pigmy Hippos. In our trek around the property, we saw a gorgeous Cypress Swamp. It looked like something out of a movie.

After leaving Auldebrass, we headed to Ridgeland to visit an old-time Marsh Tacky breeder. D.P. Lowther's family has had Tackies for years and years and he continues to raise them. He has the largest herd in the country and has helped keep the breed alive. We went to his property and he showed us around. There were probably over 100 horses, all in different fields and pastures. There were all sorts of colors, types, geldings, stallions, etc. After looking at the horses we visited with D.P. and his wife, Ms. Dan while they talked politics and Marsh Tackies. D.P. is a living legend when it comes to the Tackies and he’s well respected for his knowledge and breeding of the horses. The visit allowed Jeannette to get some information for the Marsh Tacky Studbook as well as learn and glean more information about the Tackies. D.P. also shared a story about the “old Wood cattle” that used to be common in the area. Most likely these were Pineywoods cattle. After leaving the Lowther place, we headed to Hilton Head for the next leg of our journey.

Lowcountry Adventures: Part 2

2010-04-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

Day 2: Charleston, Good Food, Goats, and More

After saying our goodbyes to the Lockwoods, we headed to Charleston. There is a chef in downtown Charleston working with Guinea Hog meat. Guinea Hogs are critically endangered and we are just now getting to a point where there is a large enough population where we can market them as a food source. The chef's name is Craig Deihl and he is the Executive Chef at Cypress Restaurant about 4 blocks from the Old Exchange in downtown Charleston. He's not your average chef, in fact, he's been nominated for a James Beard award which is like the Oscars of the chef world (more about Oscars later).
We had a few hours to kill before our meeting with the chef, so Jeannette and I toured the Exchange Building. The current building was built in 1781, but for many years it was the site of other important buildings in the early colony. In the basement of the Exchange, you can see the old walls that used to surround the city. The dungeon area was used as a prison for pirates, Revolutionary War prisoners, and more. We tried to catch a glimpse of the old images in the building to determine if any historic or rare livestock breeds were depicted.
At noon, we went to Cypress to meet with Chef Deihl. The restaurant isn't open for lunch, but he agreed to meet us, give us a tour, and cook us some samples of Guinea Hog meat. Since he's one of the first to cook with this meat, our goal was to learn his thoughts on the Guinea Hog meat. ALBC is trying to understand how these products handle in order to help market them. Chef Deihl is really excited about the project and he was delighted to share some of his treats. We enjoyed Guinea Hog liver patte, Guinea ham, shoulder, tender loin, and belly. It was all quite impressive!

While we were trying samples of the meat, Chef Deihl’s next Guinea hog carcasses arrived at the restaurant. It was interesting to see the process come full-circle. I’ve seen the live animals, seen the carcasses, and now tasted the delicious meat they provide. This type of experience provides a much deeper appreciation for the complexities that producers and chefs face when working with rare breeds – but the result is very rewarding!

After lunch we headed to Walterboro to meet with a woman affectionately known as “the goat lady.” This woman has had wild goats on her property since 1985. She lives in a marshy area and the goats survive on the island with little to no input from humans. ALBC believes the goats are traditional, brush goats from the area which would likely mean they are Spanish goats or are of Spanish descent. Phenotypically, they sure looked like Spanish goats! We photographed and documented the goats for further investigation. These isolated pockets of breeds could prove to be a valuable genetic resource that could help add increased genetic diversity to the current Spanish goat population.
After our visit with the goats, we headed to Beaufort. Beaufort proved to be a good stopping point since the following day involved several investigations near the Beaufort area. Along the way, we stopped at Hunting Island State Park. It's a maritime forest of ancient palmetto trees. It looks almost tropical. In fact, the Vietnam scenes from Forest Gump were filmed here. After finding a place to stay, we turned in for the night and prepared for another long day of field investigation and documentation on our way to our final destination.

A Little Lowcountry History

2010-04-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last month, Jeannette and Jennifer headed to South Carolina for a whirlwind tour that accomplished many conservation and marketing objectives. They met with many conservation breeders, members, and organizations in effort to promote many of ALBC programs and projects. The next series of blog entries will focus on this field work.

We left on Wednesday morning for our tour of the Lowcountry of South Carolina. On our way down, we met ALBC member and conservation breeder Gra Moore to drop off Java and Buckeye eggs. Gra has the facilities to hatch many eggs, and he’s helping with the Buckeye and Java recovery projects.

After dropping off hatching eggs, our first stop was the home of Rabbit Lockwood and Debbie Chard which is North of Charleston, in Huger, SC. Rabbit owns Marsh Tacky horses and is a harbor pilot in Charleston harbor. At 70 years-young, he knows a lot of history about the Lowcountry. We drove many miles through the swamp and through the Francis Marion National Forest, before we arrived at the inconspicuous gate for the home. Driving up the driveway, we could see open fields and huge, century-old live oak trees cloaked in Spanish moss. Up on the hill was the house of Longwood Plantation. It was beautiful.

When we arrived, Rabbit offered to give us a tour of the place - so we hopped on the golf cart to ride around the property. At over 350 acres, walking the property would have been a challenge. He had 2 labs and a little Maltese that joined us for our jaunt around the property. As we were riding through the woods, Rabbit shared some of the history of the property. It was first established by Saint Julienne de Malichare (sp?), a French Huguenot who moved to the area sometime in the 1600s. As we were riding through the woods, we happened upon a chapel. The chapel was built on the property because the British declared that they wouldn't recognize any marriages not performed in an Anglican Church - so the French Hugenots just built an Anglican church so their marriages would be legal. The chapel was rebuilt/bricked in the 1700's and you could see dates carved into the bricks. In fact, there was a free mason symbol etched into one of the bricks along with a 1700 date. The property sits along a tributary of the Cooper River and right at the edge of the chapel was where they'd dock the boats to come to church. Today, they open the chapel up twice a year for a service and they have a picnic in the meadow afterwards. It was amazing to see such an old piece of history.

Just when we thought we couldn't find any more historical gems, we rode through the woods some more and arrived at Middleburg Plantation, one of the oldest wooden plantation homes on the eastern seaboard that is still standing. The plantation home has a "live oak drive" with some of the largest trees I've ever seen. The Spanish moss is draped from them. It's a scene out of a movie. This property was occupied by both the Union troops and Confederate troops during the Civil War. On the glass panes in the windows, you could see where Union "General Potter" had etched his name into the glass of the house.

Next to the plantation house was the original commissary building. It was in rougher condition but still standing. On one side of the building there was a holding area, where they'd keep slaves when they were first brought to the plantation. We rode around back of the house and saw the remains of the old rice plantation. There were the rusted remains of where a water wheel once was to mill the rice. In later years they had a steam engine to turn the wheel. They had built a huge brick furnace structure where they'd start the fire. There were pipes that transferred the heat. All these pieces were still there, but in poor condition.

We continued to ride around the property where we made our way to the Marsh Tackies. We took many photos for the Marsh Tacky studbook. We saw some chickens on the property that are referred to as “Hell Hole Swamp chickens.” It is rumored that these chickens were fighting chickens that lived wild in areas of the Hell Hole Swamp. Something has figured out how to kill and eat these birds, so there are very few if any left. Rabbit still has two roosters. ALBC is investigating this lead to determine if these birds are still around in other pockets and if they may be of genetic importance.

After dinner and documenting local history and animals, we turned in for the night. Next stop, Charleston….

Thinking About Heritage Turkeys

2010-03-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

Spring is finally here and with the warmer weather and longer days comes hatching season. With that being said, have you reserved your Heritage Turkey for Thanksgiving? It may seem a little premature to be thinking about Thanksgiving dinner in March, but in reality, all those Heritage Turkey producers are preparing NOW for Thanksgiving.

This past year I answered a number of media calls about Heritage Turkeys. These birds are all the craze around November, but what about every other day of the year? I think sometimes people forget all the effort that goes into raising these birds. For most consumers, a Heritage Turkey is a one-day event, but for the producers of these birds Heritage Turkeys are a year-round committment. I'm not sure the average consumer understands what goes into raising these birds, and to be honest, I'm not sure I have a complete and wholistic perspective of what it takes to save these breeds. The blood, the sweat, the tears.....they are often forgotten.

Last year after coming to this realization that there is an untold story behind the Heritage Turkey, I decided that 2010 would be the year of the Heritage Turkey Project. It needs a catchier name, but essentially I've already reserved my Thanksgiving turkey for this year and I plan to track my turkey through the process from conception to consumption. I want to share the farmer's story, the bird's story, the breed's story, and all the side stories that result from raising these breeds.

I've reserved my bird from Border Springs Farm in Virginia. The farmer, Craig Rogers, has agreed to help me tell this story by providing regular updates, images, and dialogue as we go through the process of hatching, growing out, and finally eating this bird. I'm excited about this venture and I hope it will help capture the conservation process. Heritage Turkey conservation doesn't happen on Thanksgiving day alone - it happens every other day of the year - and we need to remember that!

A word from the farmer:
I asked Craig to paint a picture of his farm for me and for others interested in this project. Enjoy!

Border Springs Farm - By Craig Rogers
Border Springs Farm is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge area in Virginia, just a stone’s throw away from the North Carolina border. Our nearest Tractor Supply, movie theater, and McDonald’s is in Mt. Airy, NC, better known as Mayberry on the Andy Griffith Show. We can see Pilot Mountain (Mt. Pilot on the TV show) from our farm.

Everything on our farm has an aesthetic purpose. Our sheep are our primary farm business but they came to us as a result of our love and admiration for working Border Collies. For Joan and I, nothing is more serene and beautiful than a flock of sheep grazing on the green pastures on the foothills of the Blue Ridge.

We have a donkey, Marshall, who was supposed to guard the sheep but instead fell in love with Tuff and Maverick; a Quarter Horse and a Tennessee Walker. Really, Tuff and Maverick are nothing more than pasture ornaments as well.

We have several livestock guardian dogs living with the sheep, or chasing buzzards, or “greeting” new guests who add color and an evening serenade known as the “Shepherd’s Lullaby”.

There have been the occasional chickens to provide eggs for the dogs diet and an even less frequent omelet. But the latest addition that just tickles me endlessly, are my Heritage Turkeys.

Last year, as a result of my fascination and disdain with the claims of “sustainable” farmers who buy livestock through the US Mail, I decided to try a new “hobby” to test the challenges of truly sustainable poultry rearing.

As a sheep dog handler who has traveled the country competing with my dogs, on both sheep and cattle, I have always found turkeys on a farm hosting a dog trial to be so incredibly cool. I love the way they strut around, I enjoy the show of colors, and I get a kick out of their chatter.

Fortunately, there is a breeder of game birds and poultry just across town and his father raises heritage turkeys. So to get started last year, I bought an assortment of day old poults; Bronze, Bourbon Red, Royal Palm, and Slate; and it appeared some “mistakes” shall we say.

I had a great time raising these birds, first in my basement and then in the barn before they were released to enjoy the entire 60 acre farm. It was nothing short of an amazing learning experience. Fortunately, we had no major problems. The turkeys did very well. They enjoyed the trees surrounding the barn, a couple of pesky Toms terrorized the livestock guardian dogs much to the dismay of my wife, the roamed every inch of our farm but always found their way back to the barn 30 minutes before sun down.

They added so much fun to farm tours. When children would come to the farm, we would search out the turkeys. When one of the children would “gobble” all of the turkeys would answer back. It made children and adults laugh and it was not long before Mom, Dad, Granddad and Grandma were gobbling and chatting with the turkeys.

About the only thing I knew about turkeys, I had learned with all of my other livestock ventures, that if you want to have the best livestock you must search out the best foundation breeding stock. So off to Lindsborg, Kansas I was bound to see Mr. Frank Reese – the Godfather of Heritage Turkeys.

More to come on the breeds and the foundation stock in the next edition of the Heritage Turkey Project.

Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival

2010-03-04T07:37:00.000-08:00

This past week, Jeannette and I spent several days in the Lowcountry of South Carolina doing field work, outreach, education, marketing, and promotion. It was a busy trip with lots of interesting side stories that we will share here over the next few weeks.

On Saturday, ALBC participated in the first annual Lowcountry Heritage Breeds Festival held at the Coastal Discovery Museum in Hilton Head, SC. The event was a success! There were over 1,200 people that attended and everyone was engaged and eager to learn more about heritage breeds.

We tested out our new display which features then and now images of endangered breeds. It's great to see photos from a 100 years ago next to pictures from today - and these breeds look the same! They really are the breeds of our ancestors. Jeannette also did two presentations at the event. These were both very well received. There was standing room only and probably 70+ participants at each one. It's exciting to see people wanting to learn more about these breeds, how they shaped agriculture, and how we can help save them.

We are still catching up from the trip, but I wanted to post a few images from the Heritage Breeds Festival. More images to come from the 2nd Annual Marsh Tacky Races!

President's Day - President's Influence

2010-02-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

This past Monday we celebrated Presidents Day. For many this is a day of car and furniture sales, but historically the holiday was to honor George Washington's birthday. In the later year's of American history, the holidaybecame a day to also honor Abraham Lincoln's birthday.

In honoring these historic figures, we often forget that their influences went beyond government. In fact, George Washington was very influential in the development of many of the early American livestock breeds.

Check out the breed profiles of the American Mammoth Jackstock, the Leicester Longwool sheep, and the Tunis sheep to learn how George Washington had a hand in developing these breeds in the United States. Each of these breeds is now on ALBC's Conservation Priority List, yet they've been here since the early days of our country. Shouldn't we preserve this history for future generations?

Superbowl Commercial Highlights Rare Breed

2010-02-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

If you watched the Super Bowl on Sunday, you probably saw the most recent Anheuser-Busch commercial referred to us "Clyesdale's friend." This heart-warming commercial featured a Clyesdale who befriends a calf (which appeared to be a Texas Longhorn). The commercial was light-hearted with a bit of humor and the imagery was great. According to USA Today, the commercial was ranked 4th in the group of Ten Most Popular Commercials.

Anheuser-Busch is no stranger to Super Bowl commercials. The Clyesdales are always up to something new and often win the hearts of viewers around the country. But did you know the Clyesdale is an endangered breed with fewer than 2,500 registered animals remaining in the United States? Surprising huh?

A Little About the Breed:

The Clydesdale is a draft horse breed from Lanarkshire, Scotland, and its name was inspired by the River Clyde. The Clydesdale’s history goes back to the mid-1700s, when native stocks were mated with larger Flemish horses and then -selected for use in agriculture and for all types of heavy hauling, including transport through the streets of Glasgow. Clydesdale horses were first exhibited under the breed name in 1826, and the breed was further standardized through the -system of hiring out purebred stallions. The Clydesdale Horse Society was formed in 1877, and its breed registry records go back to the 1830s.

The Clydesdale was first imported to North America in the 1840s. The breed’s attractiveness and size led to its use in promotional hitches, such as one sponsored by the Chicago Stockyard Company. In the 1930s, the Anheuser Busch Company of St. Louis, Missouri, began to use a hitch of Clydesdales to celebrate the end of Prohibition and to represent the company’s products. The "Budweiser Clydesdales" were an immediate sensation when they delivered the first post-Prohibition beer to the White House, and the hitch has proven to be one of the most popular and successful advertising symbols of all time. Less well known is the fact that Anheuser Busch has maintained a Clydesdale breeding program since 1953, and that the company’s commitment to the breed during the 1950s and 1960s was critical to its survival in North America.

The Clydesdale combines strength and style. The breed's action is distinctive, with each foot lifted cleanly off the ground so that the bottom of the foot is visible from behind. The forelegs are well planted under the shoulders, the legs are straight, and the feet are durable. Clydesdales should have breadth between the eyes, with a flat facial profile and a wide muzzle. The withers are high, the back short, and the quarters long and well-muscled. The most common color is bay, though black, brown, chestnut, and roan are also seen.

The Clyesdale is such a recognizable character, yet it's in danger of extinction. Who would star in award-winning Super Bowl commercials if this breed were to perish? Food for thought.....

ALBC Updates

2010-02-02T10:29:00.001-08:00

This year is off to a whirlwind start. ALBC staff members have been very busy with many exciting projects. Just last month we launched our first E-Newsletter. It's a great way to stay informed about ALBC happenings and rare breed news. We've also had many inquiries about the new ALBC Member Logo. It seems like members are enjoying the opportunity to show their support for the organization.

Over the past few weeks, ALBC staffers have been busy finalizing the 2010 Conservation Priority List (CPL). This list is a critical part of our work and allows us to take a "snapshot" of a breed's population status at a given point in time. The updated listed will be published in the March/April 2010 ALBC News.

ALBC often fields questions about the Conservation Priority List. Many people wonder how the list is compiled, what we count, how breeds get on the list, and more. Below is a question and answer series that help explain the procedures behind the CPL.

How does ALBC determine a livestock breed’s status in the U.S.?
ALBC monitors most mammalian livestock populations through their respective breed associations. Each year, ALBC requests registration data from breed associations. These data are indicators of active breeding populations in a given year. For standardized breeds of American origin, this may determine the breed’s conservation category.

A few breeds do not have breed associations. These are mostly landraces. In these circumstances, ALBC works directly with breeders to understand their herds/flocks and estimate breeding populations. ALBC also tries to help breeders organize themselves to support conservation. Such organization often has as the valuable byproduct of easier access to population information.

Why does ALBC only count registered animals?
Registered animals are those with documented pedigrees. Assuming that registries are operated with integrity (an assumption we make), we know registered animals to be purebred. Generally, animals that are intended as breeding stock are registered and will contribute their genes to the next generation. Historically, unregistered animals had jobs other than breeding. Most breed associations for standardized breeds have no system for re-claiming presumed purebred animals that are not registered. Therefore, undocumented purebreds are both excluded and lost from the purebred population, as are any unique genes that individual animals might carry. This makes continuity of pedigree registration from generation to generation very important. While this approach results in an undercount to varying degrees, it does consistently count those animals most likely to contribute to the next purebred generation.

How does ALBC determine the status or conservation category for each poultry breed?
Poultry censusing is different than censusing for mammalian livestock. Poultry censusing requires a much more extensive approach to get a good picture. With poultry, ALBC contacts hatcheries, known major breeders, and ALBC members. ALBC also sends out surveys through the American Poultry Association, breed clubs, and the Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities. ALBC advertises its poultry census in magazines and makes the survey available on the ALBC website for anyone and everyone. We try to reach as many people as possible. We also gather information from individuals.

When ALBC performs a poultry census, what is counted?
When ALBC collects poultry census information only breeding stock are counted. These are the birds that will contribute to the next generation. If an individual is keeping just one bird, or a few hens with no intention of breeding, these won't be included.

How does ALBC determine global population numbers for poultry?
ALBC's mission is genetic conservation so we monitor global populations. This information provides us with a context for international breeds. This is a softer number but is a valid indicator of global population.

Global populations are estimated using data gathered by international conservation organizations including Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Rare Breeds Canada, Rare Breeds Australia, the Food and Agriculture Domestic Animal Diversity database (FAO DAD-IS), and similar organizations. ALBC also mines US and international publications to glean information about global population numbers. Additionally, ALBC staff communicates with colleagues and conservationists around the world to further explore international population numbers.

Global data is much more difficult to obtain for poultry. ALBC draws on the FAO DAD-IS database and information from sister international conservation organizations. ALBC asks many questions of the global data: is the breed in the other countries the same breed as that found in the US? Is the data source reliable? Does the data make sense, based on what we know and we are able to learn from national and international colleagues? Answering each of these questions will lead us to a determination of endangered status.

How is US and global information used?
ALBC has developed parameters for inclusion of breeds on the Conservation Priority List. These parameters also guide our annual review of the breeds.

For livestock parameters, visit: http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/parameters-livestock.html
For poultry parameters, visit: http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/parameters-poultry.html

ALBC seeks to put breed populations into a national and global context therefore ALBC uses both U.S. and global numbers in the annual review of its conservation priority list and to determine a breed’s status.

Move Over Bugs Bunny, There's a New Breed in Town

2010-01-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

Rare breed rabbits are furry, fun, and in need of good stewards. Here are some facts about rare breed rabbits!

The American Chinchilla rabbit is a large docile breed. At first glance they are salt and pepper colored but once the fur is blown into, four distinct bands of color will appear. They are a fast growing breed that in 8-10 weeks of age can be processed to produce 2 ½ - 3 lb fryers.

When the fur of the Silver Fox rabbit is stroked from tail to head, it will stand straight up until stroked in the opposite direction. This trait is found in no other breed and greatly resembles the pelt of the silver fox of the Arctic. They are large sweet rabbits suitable for first time rabbit owners.

The Belgian Hare is not a hare at all but is a true rabbit breed created to look like a wild hare. Their unique “rufous red” color and curious personalities endear Belgian Hares to their owners who find managing this active breed a pleasurable challenge.

The trademark of the Blanc de Hotot rabbit is its lustrous white fur with a black ring around the eyes. Their short fur makes them fairly heat tolerant. Some lines of Blanc de Hotot are even known to even thrive in the extreme heat and cold conditions of the high desert in California without fans, heat, or air conditioning.

The ancient Silver rabbit breed is one of the oldest known breeds of domestic rabbit. There exists in England to this day, continuously inhabited warrens of Silver rabbits whose origins can be traced back to the rabbits brought to England by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 1500’s.

The Beveren rabbit, although developed in Belgium, became a favorite of the royal family in England and has the distinction of having been kept at Buckingham Castle. They also served as the mascot for the Royal Air Force.

The Crème D’Argent rabbit is now extinct in its native land of France. All but a small handful of the remaining Crème D’Argent rabbits are now found in America. According to the Crème D’Argent Rabbit Federation, there are only 700-800 of these beautiful rabbits world-wide.

The Giant Chinchilla rabbit is an American original. Adults can reach 15-16 lbs at 8-9 months of age. The docile does are excellent mothers and can often foster kits from other litters.

The uniquely colored Lilac rabbit has a pelt of beautiful pinkish dove gray. They are docile and are reputed to be good with children when handled often.

The Rhinelander rabbit is an active rabbit breed that is known as the “calico of the fancy” due to its white coat with black and orange markings. Producing Rhinelanders with correct coloration is a relished challenge for breeders of these active and likeable rabbits.

American Sable rabbits were rescued from the brink of extinction through the “S.O.S.” (Save our Sable) campaign of dedicated breeders in the early 1980’s. They are docile and make excellent pets for first time rabbit owners.

Each of theses rare rabbit breeds has much to offer in terms of personality and production qualities for future aspiring rabbit fanciers. For more information about each breed, check out ALBC's breed profiles.

ALBC Member Logo Unveiled

2010-01-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

After years of requests from members, on November 14, 2009, at the Annual Members’ Meeting, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy officially unveiled a member logo for the organization. A crowd of over 100 people looked on as ALBC staff members revealed t-shirts and other merchandise displaying the new logo. Now that the holidays have past, ALBC is excited to share the new member logo with the world.

A Little History:

In 1993, when the American Minor Breeds Conservancy changed its name to the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), David Ashton and Company of Baltimore, Maryland, redesigned the ALBC’s logo into the exquisite image that is now a hallmark for ALBC's work. The new member logo is an adaptation of the main ALBC logo, but provides simpler lines and images for ease of reproduction. Because rabbits were recently added to the ALBC Conservation Priority List in 2005, this species has been added into the member logo to allow rabbit enthusiasts a “seat at the table.”

How to Use the Logo:
The member logo may be used by ALBC members in good standing to show support and association with the organization. The logo may be used in connection with a member’s or organization’s business and marketing materials including, but not limited to: stationery, letterhead, business cards, print ads, brochures, flyers, and signage. The logo may also be placed on a member’s website as a link to the ALBC website homepage (http://www.albc-usa.org/). ALBC has made a number of member products such as t-shirts, hats, bumper stickers, and more available through its online store located at www.cafepress.com/albcstore.

ALBC is very excited to be offering an additional way for members to support the organization and share their ALBC pride with others. The logo is also an added-value of ALBC membership since it will only be provided for member use.

To Access the Logo:
Members wishing to use the member logo may request high-resolution copies of the logo from editor@albc-usa.org or by calling (919) 542-5704. To use the logo, each member must sign a Member Logo Agreement. The agreement outlines how the logo can and should be used. Black and White and Reverse versions of the logo are available.

Best Wishes for the New Year!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T13:23:00.001-08:00

Dear Members and Supporters,

Thanks so much for your support this past year. The economy has been a challenge to each of us, but ALBC appreciates your continued support of our mission and projects.

Jeannette Beranger, ALBC's Technical Program Manager (and in-house photographer), has compiled a photo collection of some of ALBC's work this past year ----> Enjoy!

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

Best,

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Staff

Pictured: A Nigerian Dwarf goat

It Only Takes an Acre of Less...

2009-12-14T07:19:00.000-08:00

by Leslie Edmundson

When we read stories about how a dedicated individual has single-handedly kept a breed from extinction, it’s inspiring. It’s amazing. We’re reading about a fellow ALBC member who has achieved something that most of us would deem impossible, but has managed to succeed. We’d all like to do that, too. But for many of us, who don’t come from three generations of farmers and who don’t have large farms, the dream of saving a breed is, well, a little daunting. Especially to those of us who don’t know the difference between a cow and a heifer and who could never handle a large horse or an ass without looking like one.

Think again. We ‘little people’ can be important breeders, too. Look around you – your cat has had fresh water in her bowl every day for ten years and her coat looks great. Your dog is up-to-date on all of his shots and gets his walk even in inclement weather. You have what it takes to be a responsible breed steward, you just don’t know it yet. We need you to start thinking about it.

Look way back into your family tree. Someone there had some livestock in their backyard. Not a big operation with modern high-production, genetically-engineered livestock, but just a small handful of hardy stock. Heritage breeds. The kind that don’t need specialized treatment to raise and manage. The kind you could rely on to keep a family going. That’s what kept the good breeds going for so long. Surprisingly enough, many of the highly-endangered breeds are still being kept alive in the same manner. ‘Backyard breeders’ still represent the majority of breeders of many of the heritage breeds listed by the ALBC. Their role contributes significantly to the continued existence of these breeds, and we’d be lost without them.

If you only have an acre or two, you can successfully breed heritage livestock. Actually, you can do it on a quarter of an acre. Let’s see how it’s done, shall we?

Raising chickens is simple. Just build, buy, or order a coop. It doesn’t have to be big. Get five hens and a rooster, all of the same endangered breed. In the morning, fill a bowl with chicken feed (aptly named – it costs about $3.00 per month to feed six chickens), put out a 1-gallon bucket of fresh water, and open the door of the coop. Don’t worry, they won’t fly away. At night, once the chickens have all gone to bed of their own accord, close the coop. Pretty easy, huh? The eggs taste great, the chickens will eat all of the creepy-crawlies in your yard, and when you let a hen keep her eggs for awhile, she’ll hatch out a nice brood of chicks for you. And each time she does, you’ve successfully increased the population of that breed.

Maybe you don’t have enough room for six chickens. Perhaps you should talk to Alan Shrader of the American Blue and White Rabbit Club. He’ll tell you all you need to know about keeping rabbits; he’s incredibly interesting and very kind. Rabbits are gentle and rabbit hutches are compact. Your neighbors could never complain about a couple of rabbits in your back yard. There are only 150 American rabbits left. They really need more dedicated breed stewards. They’re friendly and easy-to-keep, and just because they’re a meat breed doesn’t mean you actually have to eat them. Just get a buck and a doe, and have fun playing with the baby bunnies until they’re old enough to sell to other responsible breeders (you might try eating a few of them, though).

If you have one or two acres, you may wish to bring that ‘pastoral’ look to your place. Nothing is more serene than a flock of sheep grazing on an open field of grass. Back yard breeders will be happy to learn that you don’t have to have twenty sheep in a flock. You can just have two. A sound breeding program is perfectly respectable even if it’s very small. Enjoy sitting back with a cold drink doing a bit of knitting while the sheep clip and fertilize your lawn for you all summer long.

Goats, perhaps? Goats are great fun. Baby goats and children are a natural match, and goats are hypoallergenic. Goats love fast-growing vines like honeysuckle and poison ivy. Hoof trimming is only as difficult as trimming the nails of a dog – tricky the first time, but after a few tries it just takes two minutes. San Clemente Island bucks are very gentle, and with a global population of 200 you may wish to commit to keeping a couple. They only live as long as dogs, so your commitment need not be for the rest of your life. But goats are easier to keep than dogs, as they won’t bark at the postman or drool on your cat.

People often avoid critically endangered breeds for fear that the animals, being so rare, are therefore very expensive. Untrue. We’re breeders, not poachers. Even the rarest of breeds are usually priced competitively, and are expected to earn their keep by production, not by exploitation. If you have just a couple of animals, don’t expect a large profit, but even hobby breeders should expect their animals to earn their own feed and to contribute food to their owners’ tables, one way or another.

Many rare breeds have a very limited geographical distribution. We need to increase populations, but we also need to spread them out geographically. This means that bringing breeding animals into your area, where none existed before, is a good thing. But it also means that you’re going to have to get creative with a logistical challenge: how to bring the animals home. When the nearest breeding pair of goats is three states away, is this an insurmountable obstacle? Not at all. Getting them is half the fun, and if you can’t travel, they can hitchhike a ride on a horse trailer, truck, or with a travelling relative. Chickens can travel by mail, and baby goats will fall asleep in the back seat of your car or in the cargo hold of an airplane.

Meeting the challenge of bringing your breeding stock home also means that you’ve greatly expanded the distribution of your breed. Now the breed is available to everyone in your area, and has become miles closer to the next area that needs to be populated. Other breeders who need to add variance to their gene pool will have a better chance of obtaining it, thanks to you. By importing a couple of breeding animals, you start a chain reaction that can result in a greater nationwide distribution and availability of endangered breeds. Backyard breeders can do this, whereas it might be prohibitive to the Big Guys who only keep Big Herds. This makes your little breeding program an invaluable asset to endangered breeds, doesn’t it?

As you can see, you can help to save an endangered heritage breed in your own back yard. If you don’t know anything about raising geese, ducks, pigs, or any of the other animals, don’t worry, almost every dedicated heritage breeder will help you learn and succeed. That’s what breed associations do, too. Try calling a breeder or a breed association and see what happens. You’re asking someone to talk about their favorite pastime. It’s really fun! And don’t forget that the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is here to help too. Not only are the ALBC staff always willing to go the extra mile to help you accomplish your goal of becoming a breed steward, but the +/-4,000 ALBC members are all on your team, too, even if you’re just an aspiring novice looking for a couple of turkeys. All Livestock Breeders Count.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T06:28:00.000-08:00

The staff at the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy wishes each of you a happy Thanksgiving. We hope your holiday is filled with family, joy, and relaxation.

There has been a lot of media buzz about Heritage Turkeys this holiday season. ALBC is excited to see growing consumer interest in saving rare breeds. By putting them back on the American dinner table, we can increase their population numbers and ensure genetic diversity and security for our agricultural food system.

In October as part of ALBC'S Master Breeder program, staff member Jeannette Beranger traveled to Kansas to do a walk-through of Frank Reese's flocks. Frank is the owner and operator of Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch and he's a notable heritage poultry breeder.

During her tour, Jeannette tried out her "turkey whispering" skills. And the verdict - see for yourself! (These are Bronze turkeys.)

To learn more about Heritage Turkeys, visit www.albc-usa.org.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Lost Art of Last Cuts

2009-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

This past week ALBC had the opportunity to partner with two talented local chefs to do a cooking demonstration with rare breeds. The event was educational, fun, and tasty!

Chef Scott Crawford of Herons at the Umstead Hotel and Spa and Chef Brett Jennings of Elaine's on Franklin shared their culinary expertise and passion for underutilized cuts from rare breeds. They invited us into the kitchen at Herons restaurant and allowed participants to see first hand how to break down a carcass and utilize multiple parts to make a delicious meal.

Byran Childress, the Hog Island sheep producer, was also on hand at the clinic to educate participants about the breed. Byran gave a brief history of the breed and answered questions. Many were amazed to learn that the Hog Island sheep is listed as critical on the ALBC Conservation Priority List, meaning there are less than 200 annual registrations of these animals in the United States.

An important part of saving rare breeds is developing a market for them - and with many of these breeds that market is food. Heritage breeds have different genetics from your standard industrial breeds; therefore, they have different tastes, textures, aromas, and flavors. The more ALBC can educate consumers and chefs about these breeds, the more we can support the mission of conservation. It may seem paradoxical, but by creating a demand for these breeds it will encourage farmers to raise more animals which in turn helps genetic conservation.

The breed that was prepared at the cooking clinic was the Hog Island sheep. The Hog Island sheep is a breed that has its beginnings in the 18th century. The breed was developed from British sheep living on Virginia’s barrier island, Hog Island, which was historically inhabited by America’s earliest colonists. The sheep evolved in response to the island’s natural selection for hardiness, foraging ability, and reproductive efficiency. In the 1930s, hurricanes destroyed Hog Island and forced inhabitants back to the mainland; however many of the sheep were left on the island and reverted to a feral state. In the 1970’s, the Nature Conservancy purchased Hog Island and most of the sheep were removed.

Today, the breed is extremely rare, with fewer than 200 animals registered annually. Hog Island sheep vary in physical appearance. Most of the sheep are white wooled, though about twenty percent are black. Ewes may be horned or polled. Rams can have horns or are somewhat polled. Mature animals weigh between 90–150 pounds. Hog Island sheep are excellent foragers and prefer to browse rather than graze, if given the opportunity to do so. They stay in very tight flocks and are extremely alert in nature. The breed is a rich part of American history and needs stewards to help it survive.

The best part of the cooking event - the food!

The menu was as follows:

Crispy Livers with Celeriac, Apples, Maitake, and Sherry-Brown Butter
Roast Lamb with Ratatouille, Lemon Confit, and Black Olive Jus
Warm Pumpkin Waffles with Autumn Fruit Compote and Calvados Ice Cream

To learn more about Heritage breeds or how to incorporate them into your farm plan, resturant, or dinner table, contact the ALBC office or visit www.albc-usa.org.

Northeastern Exposure Part 3 – Legends in Sleepy Hollow

2009-10-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Beranger

I left Tilley Foster Farm in Brewster, New York, and made my way south to meet with Craig Haney, Farm Manager of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, in Tarrytown. He and I were scheduled to give a presentation together at the famous Astor Center in New York City that evening. Along the way, I wanted to stop in the infamous community of Sleepy Hollow (yes, it actually exists!) that is adjacent to Tarrytown.

The first thing you notice coming into the town is the huge, historic cemetery where the famous author, Washington Irving, is buried. At the entrance to the cemetery is the former location of the bridge that Irving describes in his novel as “the place where poor Ichabod Crane meets the Headless Horseman.” The covered bridge is no longer there but there are the remains of a 17th century manor house. The property has become a living history museum that is open to the public. Philipsburg Manor is a beautiful facility that incorporates some rare breeds into its programs. I came upon an impressive Randall Lineback oxen team comprised of Jacob and Joshua. The two, led by farm manager Stephen Kozack, were busy pulling a load of hay from a nearby field on the property. Along the way, they passed numerous Wiltshire Horn sheep crosses that populate the entire farm and make visitors feel as if they have stepped back in time onto a working farm.

Time was growing short, so I made my way to Stone Barns in the next town over. Formerly an estate owned by David Rockefeller, the property is now open to the public and is dedicated to celebrating and teaching advanced community-based food production and enjoyment as well as “farm to classroom to table.” Several heritage crops and animals are raised at Stone Barns including heritage chickens, turkeys, and geese. I met up with Craig and along with his wife and new daughter and we made our way into New York City to the Astor Center.

The Astor Center, located in NoHo on the eastern edge of Greenwich Village, has the reputation of selling one of the most diverse collections of wine and spirits in the entire city. In keeping with the independent culture of “the village,” Astor goes beyond being just “another store” by offering a wide assortment of courses and presentations ranging from cooking, wine, food, and culture. ALBC was invited to the learning center at Astor to talk about rare breeds and how they are finding their way back onto farms and onto the American dinner table. Craig followed by talking about how rare breeds are incorporated into the sustainable farming practices of Stone Barns. The class was nearly filled to capacity and was well received by attendees. Craig and I were very pleased to see several familiar faces of friends from the Slow Food USA national office in NYC.

The trek northeast came to an end after NYC and I was very happy to finally make my way back to North Carolina and back to my own farm. My stay in North Carolina wasn’t very long as I had field work in Washington state and Oregon a couple of weeks later. On the road again….

Happy Halloween All!

St. Croix on the Ark of Taste

2009-10-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

ALBC is very excited to share that Slow Food USA has added the St. Croix sheep breed to its “Ark of Taste.” The US Ark of Taste is a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. Through the promotion and eating Ark products we can help ensure they remain in production and on our dinner tables.

To qualify for inclusion on the Ark of Taste, a product must be:
• Outstanding in terms of taste—as defined in the context of local traditions and uses
• At risk biologically or as culinary traditions
• Sustainably produced
• Culturally or historically linked to a specific region, locality, ethnicity or traditional production practice
• Produced in limited quantities, by farms or by small-scale processing companies

ALBC hopes that the St. Croix will enjoy population growth as a result of its recent listing on the Ark of Taste. We hope more people will learn about this breed and its great meat qualities.

About the St. Croix
The St. Croix is an American sheep breed that is part of the Caribbean Hair sheep family of breeds. Caribbean Hair sheep were developed from the hair sheep of West Africa and a few European wooled sheep that were brought to the Caribbean beginning in the 1600s. The sheep proliferated as subsistence livestock, and they were also valued for the manure critical to sugar cane production.

Over time, Caribbean Hair sheep became well adapted to the heat and humidity of their environment. The hair coat, which eliminates the need for shearing, is part of this adaptation. Today, there are several landrace populations within this breed family in the Caribbean. Two breeds, the Barbados and the St. Croix, are also found in North America.
In 1975, Dr. Warren Foote of Utah State University imported 22 ewes and three rams from St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Foote chose a relatively consistent group of polled, white sheep from a landrace called Virgin Islands White. Offspring of this imported group were further selected for consistency of conformation, and this process has resulted in the development of the St. Croix, a standardized breed in the United States.

The St. Croix is adapted to the heat and humidity of a tropical climate, and this adaptation has several manifestations. The breed has well documented parasite resistance, far superior to that found in most other sheep breeds. It is small, with ewes averaging 120 pounds and rams 165 pounds. St. Croix sheep are known for high fertility, and ewe lambs become fertile at about six months of age. Ewes often produce twins and have plenty of milk to raise them. Two lambings a year are not uncommon.

St. Croix sheep are excellent foragers and very easy keepers. Their browsing ability makes them useful for land management, including mowing grass in orchards and the control of invasive pest plants. Though heat tolerant, the sheep can be raised in many parts of North America. In colder areas, they grow a heavy winter coat of wool and hair that is shed in the spring. This combination of characteristics makes the breed an excellent choice for low input meat production. The St. Croix is increasing in numbers, and though it is still rare, the breed’s future seems promising.

Northeastern Exposure Part II: Preserving History at Tilley Foster Farm

2009-09-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Part 2- Preserving History at Tilley Foster Farm
By Jeannette Beranger

After leaving Rhode Island, the next stop on the road trip was Putnam County New York and Tilly Foster Farm Museum located in the city of Brewster. The farm itself is a beautiful historic property that once served as a premier Thoroughbred farm for the region. Horses can still be seen on the property, but instead of race horses, most are boarders whose owners enjoy the facilities that were once reserved for the cream of the equine crop in New York.

Through the efforts of George Whipple and The Whipple Foundation / Society for the Preservation of Putnam County Antiquities & Greenways, Tilly Foster Farm has been preserved to and will become a museum and home to an assortment of endangered American breeds of livestock and poultry. The primary goals of the foundation are to keep Tilly Foster Farm free and open to the people of Putnam County while making the farm self-sufficient to reduce the burden on the taxpayer. Whipple plans to build a a world-class farm museum that incorporates rare farm animals that will serve to educate the public about farming, local history, and animal husbandry. George’s personal commitment to rare breed conservation has made him a long-time member of ALBC since the organization’s early years. His relationship with ALBC has recently been broadened with his election to the ALBC Board of Directors.

George grew up in Putnam County and is deeply concerned with preserving the beautiful rural qualities of the area in and around the county. He still resides on his grandfather’s Pine View Farm in the rural town of Kent, not far from the farm museum. Outside of Putnam, George works in New York City and is known to New Yorkers for his celebrity interviews on Whipple’s World, a show he films for NY1 News. I had the pleasure of getting to know George when he first began thinking about livestock and poultry breeds on the farm. He called the ALBC office for advice on appropriate breeds for the farm and to determine where he could find them.

After much brainstorming, George walked away with a breed list. He extended an invitation for me to visit the farm if I was ever in the area so, as I made my way back towards New York City for my lecture, I decided to stop by. Upon arriving at Tilley Foster Farm, I was in awe at the beauty of the old buildings and the fine herd of Randall Lineback cattle in the front pasture. George greeted me by the newly renovated guest cottage that will supplement the farm’s income by being rented out to visitors wanting to experience the farm and enjoy the pastoral setting the property has to offer. We began the afternoon with a walk around the farm. We were accompanied by George’s Parson Russell terrier, Mayfair, who is retired from the show ring and enjoy her new job as master of all she surveys on the farm. (She takes particular delight in making sure the ducks and geese keep in line.)

As George and I visited the farm, we discussed the future of the facility and the development of programs to promote the rare breeds. Plans include utilizing a meeting facility and restaurant for on-farm seminars and classes. As part of the farm’s lecture programs, ALBC Board President Callene Rapp was scheduled to give a public presentation at the farm on raising heritage breed rabbits.

Among the breeds we saw on the farm were Jacob (American) sheep, Blue American rabbits, Guinea hogs, Narragansett turkeys, several varieties of Heritage Chickens and ducks, and their famous American Mammoth Jackstock, Nate. Children’s book author Sheila Mealy recently made him a local celebrity by publishing a lovely book about the donkey and the adventures that brought him to Tilly Foster Farm.

The basement level of one of the barns contains a wonderful display of antique farm equipment. A collection of tractors, valued at over one million dollars, is exhibited in the area. The machinery and displays are on loan to the farm by the Putnam County Antique Machinery Association. Some other assets of the farm include an impressive investment in infrastructure to make the property largely energy efficient through solar and wind power made on the farm. The solar array alone can produce up to 13,000 watts of electricity for the farm.

Beyond the animals, Tilly Foster Farm also serves as a home for a unique rock and roll museum called Avalon Archives. The museum’s collection is owned by a friend of George’s by the name of Ned Moran. Ned is a retired New York City firefighter and an amazing music guru to all that know him. Ned’s collection contains highly prized items and memorabilia that any rock and roll enthusiast would give their right eye for. Ned began his collection while living in San Francisco between 1969-1974, a golden age of rock for many. It seemed only appropriate to take a step into the museum as that day happened to be the 32nd anniversary of the Elvis’ death and the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Much of the collection consisted of highly coveted concert posters, cards, and artwork. I’ve visited Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I can say that in comparison, Avalon’s intimate setting gives visitors a more tangible and personal connection to the history on the walls. After leaving the museum, I had the distinct feeling of just having spent a quiet afternoon with old friends in that building.

By late afternoon, the temperature peaked (90°+!) and it was about time to finish the tour for the day. By then, most of the animals were in their barns or had the good sense to get in the shade and keep cool. Having spent a pleasant day in his company, I said my goodbyes to George and headed towards my next destination.

In the next installment, Jeannette will head to meet Craig Haney at the Stone Barns Center for Sustainable Agriculture.

Buckeye Broiler Breeder Clinic in Ohio

2009-09-14T19:37:00.000-07:00

Join the Countryside Conservancy and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) for a Buckeye Broiler Breeder Clinic in Peninsula,OH. The event will be held October 6, 2009, at the Happy Days Lodge.

The clinic will begin with a one-hour lecture. Learn about Heritage poultry breeds, their use in sustainable agriculture, ALBC's Buckeye Recovery Project, how to evaluate production traits, and practical breeding strategies for bloodlines improvements. The second hour of each session will be devoted to careful physical examination of Buckeye birds in order to understand how a breeder/grower can improve commercial traits over time.

All clinic participants will:

Receive preferential treatment for purchasing ALBC strain Buckeyebroiler chicks

Be eligible to participate in a new regional Buckeye breeders andgrowers network

Receive copies of several ALBC publications including: Selecting for Meat Qualities and Rate of Growth, Selecting for Egg Production, On-going Selection of Breeding Stock, ALBC Chicken Breed Comparison Chart

Buckeye Breeder Clinics
When: Tuesday, October 6th
Times: 10am-noon and 2-4pm
Cost: Registration: $100 per person or $150 per couple from the same farmoperation.
Location: Happy Days Lodge @ 500 W. Streetsboro Rd., Peninsula, OH 22264

Space is limited. First-come-first-serve.

To register for one of the Buckeye Breeder Clinics or to find outmore information about any of the events, contact swebb@cvcountryside.org or call (330) 657-2542.

The Tar Heels' Dying Breed

2009-09-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer M. Kendall

This Saturday, thousands of Tar Heel faithful will pack Kenan Stadium for the first Carolina football game of the season. As kick-off time nears, Ramses, the coveted UNC mascot will strut down the sidelines - beaming Tar Heel pride from his radiant blue horns. But behind the wooly coat and massive horns, Ramses hides a secret that few know – he’s part of a dying breed.

A Carolina tradition since 1924, Ramses the Dorset Horn sheep may soon be a mere legend. On any given game day the 60,000 fans that pack Kenan Stadium outnumber the estimated global population of Dorset Horns. In 2009, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy listed the breed on its Conservation Priority List under the Watch Category, citing a global population of fewer than 10,000 breeding animals.

On a hot, steamy August afternoon, I met with the Hogan family of Hogan’s Magnolia View Farm, just outside of Chapel Hill. The Hogan family has kept Ramses for the past 85 years, helping to give the Dorset Horn breed a future, blue-horned ram after blue-horned ram.

“My family has been on this farm since 1757. I’m a 9th generation farmer and 4th generation ram keeper,” said Rob Hogan. In 1924, the same year the ram was introduced as the mascot, Hogan’s great-grandfather assumed the duties of the ram keeper. “My great-granddad, Clay Hogan, had four sons and two were UNC alums. Henry Hogan played on the football team. I think between the farm’s proximity to campus and the family connection to the university - it just made sense,” said Hogan.

The current Ramses is the 18th Horned Dorset kept by the Hogan family to go by this name. University archives suggest the first UNC Horned Dorset came from Texas in 1924, when then head cheerleader Vic Huggins suggested UNC get a live mascot to honor famed Jack Merrit, known to his fans as the "Battering Ram."

The current Ramses is not a direct relative of the first UNC ram, but since 1996 there has been a direct line of succeeding males. Hogan, a cattle farmer by profession, says it’s a little different from raising cattle. “With cattle, you switch out the bull every so often to keep genetic diversity, but since we always have to have a male – Ramses regularly gets a new wife from another flock.”

This year, Ramses wife’s name is Tulip. Tulip was given to the Hogans from the Cassell family, in Wytheville, VA, right in the center of Hokie country. Yes, the baby Ramses may have some Hokie blood in its veins. One great benefit of the Horned Dorset breed is that they can reproduce out of season, a quality not seen in most wooled breeds. If properly managed, Horned Dorset ewes can give birth three times over the course of just two years.

So why is the Dorset Horn sheep an endangered breed? The “blow to the horns” came from one of UNC’s biggest rivals, North Carolina State University. The rivalry went beyond the football field and into the genetic arena. In 1949, a Horned Dorset ram on an N.C. State farm sired four hornless ewes. Over the next five years, the late livestock scientists Dr. Lemuel Goode and Sam Buchanan bred the Horned Dorset ram to those four ewes and all other ewes in the flock. Finally in 1954, a ewe delivered twin rams, one with horns and one without. Within 20 years, 70 percent of all registered Dorsets were hornless (polled).

Rob Hogan has his own ties to N.C. State. Hogan graduated from State’s Agricultural Institute in the late seventies. “People ask me that all the time,” Hogan said when I asked him how a State graduate felt about being the guardian of UNC’s prized mascot. “People say it doesn’t make sense, but it makes all the sense,” Hogan offered. “The only school in this area at that time that offered agricultural education was State and knowing I was going to take over the family farm, it made all the sense to go there.” When asked how his college peers felt about his family housing the ram, he jokingly responded, “Well, you knew not to bring something like that up.”

And that led me to my next question which Hogan also knew was coming, “Who do you pull for on State vs. UNC game days?” He replied with a nonchalant, “On those days, I can’t lose.”
And with that, it was time to go find Ramses the Horned Dorset for his one-on-one. In the heat of the afternoon, he was cooling his “heels” in the wooded area of the pasture and close-by was Tulip, his current mate. Hogan approached him and convinced him to give up his shady spot for a bit.

Hogan commented, “Obviously he has a good temperament. He goes down in front of 60,000 people on any given Saturday and the bands are playing, fireworks are going off, people are hooting and hollering, and Ramses is unscathed.” Hogan says Ramses’ docile nature is just part of the breed along with some proper handling and training.

And out into the pasture came Ramses in all his horned glory. He was quite muddy and his horns were faded, but Hogan assured me that come Friday night, game rituals will commence. “Every Friday night before a home game we put him out in the backyard and he gets a shampoo.” After his shampoo comes the most important part. “After he’s clean, we paint his horns blue.”

Hogan’s entire family joins in the pre-game prepping of Ramses. Hogan’s Aunt Carolyn makes Ramses game attire which is his Carolina blue blanket. Hogan’s sons help with cleaning and prepping the animal and on game day they all enjoy the ride to town, with Ramses in the back of the pick-up truck.

As Ramses grazed in the pasture, Hogan chuckled as he shared some of his favorite questions people ask. “They always want to know where I found a sheep with blue horns. Or, they want to know if it’s male or female – never mind the two foot long testicles on the ram.” Hogan’s wife Ann added, “They always ask if he’s real.” Ram-napping stories are also a regular source of laughter for the two.

As I touched the faded blue paint on Ramses horns I was reminiscent of seasons past. While admiring this symbol of Tar Heel tradition, I could not help but wonder about the future of the breed and many others. Over 170 breeds of livestock and poultry are considered a Conservation Priority by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and the list is growing.

So this Saturday and every game day, amongst the cheers, and bands and excitement – thank the Hogans for all that they do for this breed and thank all the other Horned Dorset breeders out there helping to keep the breed alive. And when Ramses the coveted UNC mascot struts down those sidelines - beaming Tar Heel pride from his radiant blue horns – don’t take him for granted.

For more information on how to help save heritage breeds of livestock, visit http://www.albc-usa.org/.

Northeastern Exposure, Part I

2009-08-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Beranger
ALBC Research & Technical Programs Manager

ALBC was invited to a couple of events in the Northeast region of the U.S. that spanned several days. The first event was a rare breeds meeting in Troy, New Hampshire, to commemorate the establishment of the new American Kerry Cattle Society and to bring together rare breed owners and enthusiasts for a day focused on rare breed efforts in the Northeast. Afterwards I headed to New York to meet with the folks at Tilley Foster Farm in Brewster, Stone Barns Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Tarrytown, and finally the Astor Center in New York City. This is the first of four installments about the trip.

Part 1- Learning from the Past in Rhode Island
Landing in LaGuardia Airport seemed logical since the trip in the Northeast would end in this area. After picking up the rental car, I made my way north for the meeting in Troy, New Hampshire. Having lived in Rhode Island for many years, I thought I would stop in and stay the night with friends before heading to the Kerry cattle meeting the following morning. As it turns out, before I got out of New York City, I received a phone call to inform me that the meeting was postponed due to extenuating circumstances with several of the organizers. It was a great disappointment to miss the opportunity to meet with the breeders in this region but hopefully the opportunity will come around again.

Since I had plans to stay with friends in Rhode Island that evening, I decided to make the best of the circumstances and the extra time that I had on my hands to visit some farms in the area.

Rhode Island was once a strong agricultural force in early America and what most people do not realize is that it also served as a great center of horse breeding during Colonial times in the 17th and early 18th centuries, especially in and around Narragansett. The most notable equine accomplishment came in the form of a breed called the Narragansett Pacer, which got its name from the local Native American tribe from the southeast portion of the state. Prior to the development of proper roads that could accommodate carriages, the Narragansett Pacer was the “Cadillac” of its day and was famed for the comfort of its gait and the ability to travel long distances without tiring. At the height of the horses’ popularity, a Rhode Island clergyman by the name of James MacSparran wrote of them “I have seen some of them pace a mile in little more than two minutes, a good deal less than three.” At that time the Narragansett Pacer was also the favored mount of General George Washington.

Local lore about the origin of the Narragansett Pacer tells of the breeds development beginning with Lt. Governor Robinson in the early 1700’s. The most famous of his stallions was an animal by the name of “Old Snip” which is said to be the father of the Narragansett Pacer breed. Some speculate he was an Andalusian while others ponder he could have been an Irish Hobby. His origins will never be certain but he was considered an important stallion for Robinson’s horse breeding efforts.

In Colonial Rhode Island horses were managed along the coast by fencing off peninsulas and allowing the horses to run wild, feeding on the salt grasses in the marshes. This management made for outstanding horses that were toughened by the feral lifestyle and admired for their vigor. The Narragansett Pacer became the most sought after riding animal in New England and for plantation use in the southern colonies and even in the Caribbean. This ultimately became the downfall of the breed when coupled with the decline in large scale horse breeding in the region. The enormous, early plantations began to diminish in size as families grew and land became subdivided among the owners’ children over subsequent generations. At the same time, horse buyers were sent to Rhode Island to secure large numbers of horses for plantation use. In particular, one un-named purchasing agent was said to have come to Rhode Island to acquire large numbers of the finest animals for importation to Cuba. It was said that no good horse available for purchase went unsold to this man upon his visit. The end result depleted the breeding population and had a dramatic impact on the future of the breed in Rhode Island.

By the time breeders realized that the breed was in danger of disappearing, the fate of the Narragansett Pacer was set for extinction. There are no conclusive dates for exactly when the breed disappeared completely. One of the later references to the breed appears in a footnote within James Fenimore Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans published in 1826. Cooper mentions that “Narragansett Pacers are still in much request as saddle horses” when he wrote the famous novel. Locals from coastal Rhode Island say they persisted in the southern coastal counties in small numbers until the later 1800s before they disappeared altogether.

This hard lesson about the security of domestic breeds made me wonder how many others have met the same ending over the years. To me, the idea drove home the importance of the work we do for ALBC and how easily a breed can slip away if we are not vigilant.

While making my way through Rhode Island, I made an effort to drive by the historic farm of Lt. Governor Robinson. Although the farm is not open to the public, the property is still owned and lived in by his descendants. Today there are no horses to be found on the carefully manicured grounds. I am told by friends of the family that a period painting of their famous Narragansett Pacers still sits above the mantel of their fireplace and is the last remnant of the family’s legacy with the breed.

Following the visit to the Robinson farm, I traveled a short distance up the road to another historic farm called Casey Farm. Unlike the Robinson property, this colonial period farm is open to the public and has been in continuous agricultural production since 1702. (An outstanding accomplishment by any measure!) The farm is currently owned by Historic New England and operated by its caretakers Polly and Mike Hutchinson. The farm operates a very successful CSA for its produce and also offers a summer camp and a very popular farmers’ market on Saturday mornings. I happened to be there on market day and enjoyed viewing a wide variety of products ranging from cheese, to honey, to a wide assortment of organic produce and meat.

While wandering around the farm, it was great to see that they have incorporated several heritage breeds into their organic production system including a sizeable flock of Dominique chickens, Heritage Turkeys, and Belgium draft horses. A reminder of yesteryear stood atop the barn in the form of a weather vane depicting an Old English Game chicken which, no doubt, would have been a resident on the farm during colonial times.

In the next installment, the trip takes me back to New York state and to the endangered breed farm project of George Whipple at the historic Tilley Foster Farm.

For more information about RI agricultural history visit:

Casey Farm, 2325 Boston Neck Rd., Saunderstown, RI, 02874, (401) 295-1030, CaseyFarm@HistoricNewEngland.org, http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/casey.htm

Pettaquamscutt Historical Society Museum on 2636 Kingstown Road, Kingston, RI 02881, (401) 783-1328, pettaquamscutt@yahoo.com, http://www.freewebs.com/pettaquamscutt/index.htm

Historic New England, Headquarters, 141 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, (617) 227-3956, http://www.historicnewengland.org/

A New Classified Service for Rare Breeds and Rare Breed Products

2009-08-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

I must admit that I am a CRAIGSLIST user. I love to look at the events going on in my area, the pets for adoption, and the random things that people try to sell. From jewlery to cars, to clothes and boats, Craigslist sells it all.

Over the years, many ALBC members and non-members have suggested that ALBC develop a similar "classified" site for rare breed breeders, animals, and products. Many members say that marketing is an essential part of being able to afford to raise these breedes, and they've been searching for a vehicle to help market their products.

After much discussion and development, ALBC is excited to announce the release of a classified section on the ALBC web site. The site was launched last Wednesday, August 12, and already we have nearly 100 registered users. We hope to increase this number as additional members learn about the service. The site will also be marketed to those who may not be ALBC members, but may be interested in rare breeds or their products.

Check out the new site and let us know what you think. You must be an ALBC member to post to the site, but anyone can view ads and respond to sellers.

Happy posting!

It's A (Rare) Girl!

2009-08-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

On July 18, 2009, the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, KS, welcomed a baby Poitou donkey. The Poitou, a young female named Vivienne, is the first of her kind born in a zoo in North America.

Poitous are categorized as Critical on ALBC's Conservation Priority List, meaning there are fewer than 200 annual registrations for this breed in the US and an estimated global population of less than 2,000.

The Poitou is an ancient French breed. The breed was developed in the Poitou region of western France, where mule breeding has been documented for over one thousand years. The breed nearly became extinct after World War II, when the demand for mules collapsed. The Poitou’s limited geographic area increased its vulnerability. Fewer than 80 Poitous survived in 1980.

Today, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy works with breeders around the country to help increase the number of Poitous. This breed has a rich history that need not be lost.

Congratulations and thanks to the Sedgwick County Zoo for helping to support rare breeds by breeding them and sharing them with the public.

Enjoy a video of the Sedgwick County Zoo's baby Poitou.

Click here for more information about the breed.

A Rare Visit With the Smithsonian

2009-07-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

By Jeannette Beranger

ALBC had the honor to be invited to a sneak preview of an upcoming exhibit created by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Entitled A Song For The Horse Nation, the exhibit focuses in on the relationship of Native American tribes and the horse. Because most of the historic tribal horses were Colonial Spanish, ALBC’s work with the remaining strains of those horses is of interest to the museum.

ALBC staff members Marjie Bender, Phil Sponenberg, and Jeannette Beranger made the trek to Washington D.C.. ALBC Board member Jamie McConnell and his wife Mary both helped to support the exhibit and arranged the invitation for all of us to meet with the exhibit curator, Emil Her Many Horses. The visit was timely in that it is about to be packed up and shipped to its first official showing which will occur on November 14, 2009 – March 7, 2011 at the George Gustav Heye Center, New York. Following New York, the exhibit will become larger and will open in Washington D.C. in 2011 at the Museum of the American Indian.

We began our visit at the NMAI Cultural Resources Center (CRC) which is where much of the research and conservation of the museum collection is accomplished. Angela Leipold, the NMAI Assistant Director for External Affairs, welcomed our group and we were then joined by Exhibit Curator, Emil Her Many Horses. Emil is of the Lakota tribe and a recognized expert on Native American art with an emphasis on bead work. His tour started in the main storage area of the CRC, where we were greeted by a large model of a horse that was adorned with a beautifully beaded lady’s saddle and tack created by the Absaroke (Crow) tribe circa 1885. Next to the ornate horse was a table covered with horse related artifacts that ranged from dance sticks, to pipes, to lovely beaded bags. Emil was gracious as he explained the significance of each item and enabled the group to understand the importance of every piece. It was interesting to note that many of the images of horses depicted the classic phenotype of the Colonial Spanish horses we know today. It was an exciting revelation for the ALBC crew! As the group viewed the priceless pieces of Native American art, clothing, and horse tack, it was clear that the horse had an immeasurable impact on tribes throughout the country.

We toured several areas where Emil pulled open draws loaded with precious artifacts. One particularly beautiful piece was a jacket commemorating the battle prowess of a Cheyenne warrior. The jacket was adorned with dark human hair and horse hair that was dyed yellow. Emil explained that the human hair was likely “donated” hair from the warrior’s family members and represented his slain opponents from battle.

Our final stop was to the conservation area where we saw artifacts being cleaned and repaired in preparation for the exhibit. There were lovely head masks for the horses, brightly colored hoof ornaments, and lovely beaded head stalls for horses. On one table were several old rifles, one of which actually belonged to famous Geronimo of the Apache tribe and another to Chief Joseph of the Nez Perez tribe. On another table was an intricate horse’s mask decorated with colored porcupine quills. In the end the group was humbled by the incredible history laid out before us and knowing that the Colonial Spanish horses ALBC works with are a living component of American Indian culture.

ALBC would like to thank Emil, Angela, and the SNMAI staff for their hospitality and taking the time to give us a unique look at their amazing museum collection.

For more information on the items in the exhibit, you can purchase the book A Song For The Horse Nation: Horses in Native American Cultures edited by George P. Horse Capture and Emil Her Many Horses available through the book store of the National Museum of the American Indian at http://www.nmai.si.edu/ .

Click here to learn more about the exhibit.

A Chicken Choosin'

2009-07-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

By Jennifer Kendall

This past Monday, I had the opportunity to visit Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA, for the fifth tasting in a series of tastings co-sponsored by ALBC. On the menu - CHICKEN! 10 different types to be exact. The purpose of the event was to allow chefs, foodies, farmers, media, and others to explore the differences in taste between various breeds of Heritage Chicken. (Breeds tasted: Dominique, Dorking, Speckled Sussex, Faverolle, Delaware, Buff Orpington, Barred Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Buckeye, and Corn/Rock Cross for comparison)

Each chicken was raised at Ayrshire Farm under the same conditions. They were all raised on pasture and fed organic feed. They were all slaughtered at 16 weeks, with the exception of the Corn/Rock cross (would not live to 16 weeks).

The event was a blind taste test. Each breed was assigned a number. Tasters were asked to rate the chicken on a scale from 1-10 with 1 being the lowest possible score and 10 being the highest possible score. There were 3 categories that each sample was graded on: taste, texture and appearance. Each attendee was asked to pick their first, second, and third place choice based on highest score. As the results were being tallied, each bird was referred to by a number. It was not until all the results were in that the number identities were revealed.

Several celebrity judges also participated in the event, providing a more educated palette for the chicken tasting.

So, which chickens took home top honors?

Public Results:
First Place: Dorking
Second Place: Rhode Island Red and Corn/Rock Cross tie
Third Place: Dominique and Buckeye tie

Celebrity Judge Results:
First Place: Dorking and Corn/Rock Cross tie
Second Place: Barred Plymouth Rock

Third Place: Faverolle

Over the next few days, I'll share more about the event. From the farm tour, to the identities of the celebrity chefs, to my own personal taste preferences. Stay tuned.

Annual Conference Update

2009-06-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

As many of you are aware, ALBC recently had to change the location of it's 2009 Annual Conference. The conference was scheduled to be in Houston, TX, but due to some last minute, unexpected circumstances, the conference was moved to Raleigh, NC.

These past few weeks the ALBC staff have been working extremely hard to re-work all the logistics for the conference in NC. We are very excited about the opportunities and programming that North Carolina presents - and we think it will be a great conference.

So, do we have you curious? Are you ready to start making your reservations?

The conference is still November 13-14, 2009

The host hotel for the conference will be the Clarion Hotel State Capital in Downtown Raleigh, NC. The hotel is in the heart of Raleigh's downtown area and it's a great central location for the conference. The hotel is about 13 miles from RDU International Airport.

Conference attendees will receive the promotional rate of $79.00 per night (Friday and Saturday). When contacting the hotel, be sure to mention the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy in order to receive the discounted rate.

Clarion Hotel State Capital

320 Hillsborough Street

Raleigh, NC, US, 27603-1786

Phone:(919) 832-0501

Fax: (919) 833-1631

http://www.raleighclarion.com/

Below are some images of the hotel:

Pre-conference clinics will include the following: (November 13th)
Breed Association Workshop

Rare Breed Pig Husbandry Workshop

The Lost Art of Last Cuts: Taking Advantage of Underutilized Cuts of Meat

Introduction to Micro-dairying with Rare Breed Cattle, Goats, and Sheep

Breeding Rare Breed Rabbits for Productivity

Selecting Heritage Chicken Breeding Stock for Productivity

Conference talks will include the following: (November 14th)
Ecology of Place: The Association of Rare Breed Foods & Where They Come From

The Kentucky Hamburger Alliance: Finding An Outlet For The Rest Of The Beef
Poultry Incubation: Hatching for Success
Incorporating Rare Breeds Into Your Farm Plan
Emergency Preparedness for Responsible Endangered Breed Stewardship
Introduction to Rare Meat Rabbit Breeds
New Genetics Technologies for Breed Conservation: DNA Analysis & Interpretation
Pork: The Other Red Meat
How to Work Productively with Your Processor
Because They Taste Better: The Competitive Edge of Heritage Breeds In Grass Based Production System
Demystifying Farm Economics
Navajo Churro Presidium: Direct Marketing Rare Breed Sheep
Marketing 101: A Closer Look at Marketing Strategies for Independent Producers
New Tools and Strategies For Rare Breed Producers

More information will continually be added to the conference website, http://albc-usa.org/Conference2009/ALBCconference2009.html - so check here for regular updates.

Also, all members will receive a conference packet within the next few weeks outlining the entire conference and all the presentations. The online registration form will also be available in the coming weeks. We are very excited about the event and look forward to seeing you all there.

ALBC in Historic Bethania

2009-06-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, June 13, 2009, the community of Historic Bethania near Winston-Salem, North Carolina, celebrated its 250th anniversary. Amidst historic demonstrations and period costumes, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy setup a booth featuring information about historic breeds of livestock. While it's important to know our cultural heritage, it's just as important to understand the history behind many of the historic breeds of livestock and poultry that are now threatened with extinction.

ALBC's exhibit included information about rare breeds, but the focus of the day quickly became the rare breed animals on display.

Jeannette and Fred Beranger brought their Marsh Tacky horses to help raise awareness for the breed. Many visitors were very impressed with the history of the horses as well as their hardiness and good looks. The horses were very relaxed and calm and enjoyed the visitors.

Charles Taft, ALBC Board member and rare breed raiser, brought his St. Croix sheep and Delaware chicken with chicks. Children flocked to the chicks and parents learned more about the history behind the breed. Mamma Delaware was very tolerant of the children holding her babies.

The St. Croix sheep were also a hit. Children and adults alike enjoyed petting the docile lambs and ewes. Charles Taft shared his experiences with raising the sheep and answered questions from the public.

Despite the 90 degree heat, the day was a success. Many people walked away from the exhbit realizing that many breeds of livestock and poultry are endangered. Being able to pet the animals and see the animals upclose made the experience more real. These were no longer just pictures in a book - these were real, live animals that need our help and protection.

Bringing the Buckeye Back to Ohio

2009-06-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

As part of efforts to recover endangered chicken breeds, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy are offering a unique, hands-on workshop opportunity for Ohio farmers with their “native son,” the Buckeye chicken.

Buckeyes were developed by Mrs. Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio, and appropriately named after the “Buckeye State.” Buckeyes are unique in the American Class of chickens in that it is the only breed created entirely by a woman. Mrs. Metcalf started by breeding a Buff Cochin male to Barred Plymouth Rock females. This produced what she considered a large, lazy fowl. The next year she purchased a Black-Breasted Red Game male and crossed this male over the half cochin pullets. This cross produced several red offspring and from there she developed the breed. It is interesting to note that her creation predated the introduction of Rhode Island Reds into the mid-west.

ALBC hopes to reintroduce this unique, dual-purpose breed back to Ohio - it's state of origin. Many of the birds used for the workshops will be kept by conservation breeders in Ohio. Also, some workshop attendees will receive hatching eggs to help further the conservation of the Buckeye.

Join us for this exciting event!

Buckeye Chicken Production Selection Workshops:

Time: Tuesday, June 23rd, 10 - noon and 2-4 pm Place: Old Trail School, 2315 Ira Rd. Bath, OH
The workshop is being offered at a $150 cost for indviduals and $250 for couples. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required and will be on a first come first serve basis. You will need to sign-up for either the 10-noon workshop or the 2-4pm workshop.

Protecting Endangered Livestock Breeds and the Future of Agriculture - Presentation
Join American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s Jeannette Beranger as she takes you on a trip of discovery to learn about the diversity of livestock and poultry breeds and the vital role they play in the future of agriculture. The event will also include a sampling of rare breed meats. a $15 donation from adults and $10 donation from children is requested to help cover expenses.
Tuesday June 23, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Old Trail School, 2315 Ira Rd. Bath, OH

For more information on either of these events and for registration information, contact: Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy
2179 Everett RoadPeninsula, OH 44264
Phone: 330.657.2542Fax: 330.657.2198

http://www.cvcountryside.org/

More Clarification on the Heritage Chicken Definition

2009-05-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

Mother Earth News attended the Heritage Chicken Definition kick-off event in Lindsborg, KS, on April 17, 2009. They were kind enough to record several videos helping to provide clarification on the new definition. Below are a few of the videos, courtesy of Mother Earth News. If you have questions about the Heritage Chicken definition, please feel free to contact ALBC.

What is Heritage Chicken?

How are Heritage Chickens "certified" as Heritage?

Heritage Chicken Defined

2009-05-11T13:45:00.001-07:00

(Picture: Charles Taft's Delaware chicken courtesy of ALBC)

On April 17, 2009, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy officially unveiled its definition for Heritage Chicken. ALBC held a press event and Heritage Chicken meal in Lindsborg, KS, with the help of Good Shepherd Ranch.

ALBC's new Heritage Chicken definition is outlined below. We hope this definition will help get some of these traditional or Heritage breeds back into the marketplace. If demand can be created, population numbers can be increased -helping conservation and genetic diversity. To learn more about the new Heritage Chicken definition and to find resources, visit http://www.heritagechicken.org/

DEFINITION
Heritage Chicken must adhere to all the following:
1. APA Standard Breed. Heritage Chicken must be from parent and grandparent stock of breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) prior to the mid-20th century; whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations; and with traits that meet the APA Standard of Perfection guidelines for the breed. Heritage Chicken must be produced and sired by an APA Standard breed. Heritage eggs must be laid by an APA Standard breed.
2. Naturally mating. Heritage Chicken must be reproduced and genetically maintained through natural mating. Chickens marketed as Heritage must be the result of naturally mating pairs of both grandparent and parent stock.
3. Long, productive outdoor lifespan. Heritage Chicken must have the genetic ability to live a long, vigorous life and thrive in the rigors of pasture-based, outdoor production systems. Breeding hens should be productive for 5-7 years and roosters for 3-5 years.
4. Slow growth rate. Heritage Chicken must have a moderate to slow rate of growth, reaching appropriate market weight for the breed in no less than 16 weeks. This gives the chicken time to develop strong skeletal structure and healthy organs prior to building muscle mass.

Chickens marketed as Heritage must include the variety and breed name on the label. Terms like “heirloom,” “antique,” “old-fashioned,” and “old timey” imply Heritage and are understood to be synonymous with the definition provided here.

Abbreviated Definition: A Heritage Egg can only be produced by an American Poultry Association Standard breed. A Heritage Chicken is hatched from a heritage egg sired by an American Poultry Association Standard breed established prior to the mid-20th century, is slow growing, naturally mated with a long productive outdoor life.

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has over 30 years of experience, knowledge, and understanding of endangered breeds, genetic conservation, and breeder networks. Endorsed by the following individuals:
Frank Reese, Reese Turkeys, Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch, Standard Bred Poultry Institute, and American Poultry Association;
Marjorie Bender, Research & Technical Program Director, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy;
D. Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PhD., Technical Advisor, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and Professor, Veterinary Pathology and Genetics, Virginia Tech;
Don Bixby, DVM, Independent Consultant, former Executive Director for the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy;
R. Scott Beyer, PhD, Associate Professor, Poultry Nutrition Management, Kansas State University;
Danny Williamson, Windmill Farm, Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch, and American Poultry Association;
Anne Fanatico, PhD, Research Associate, Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas;Kenneth E. Anderson, Professor, Poultry Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University.

Learning from a Master

2009-04-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

Learning from a Master : A Visit to the Holderread Waterfowl Farm and Conservation Center
By Jeannette Beranger

As part of the ongoing efforts to document the selection process for breeding stock to improve productivity, ALBC was awarded a grant from the Seimens Foundation to pursue this area of study with waterfowl and turkeys. In April 2009, the first step in this project began with a visit to the Holderread Waterfowl Farm and Conservation Center in Oregon to learn about the breeding practices that the noted master breeder, David Holderread, uses for his geese and ducks. I have to admit it couldn’t have been a more pleasant time of year to visit the northwest as the tulips were in bloom, the seafood was fresh, and spring was definitely in the air!

I was greeted by both David and his wife Millie and jumped directly into learning about production as David took me into the incubator room while he candled and turned hundreds of goose and duck eggs. Using tried and true cabinet incubators built in the 1930’s, David pulls the first of many trays that will need to be hand-turned and candled for their once a week check. While candling he checks for the tell tale “custard ring” around the air cell and lack of blood vessels within the egg that serve as indicators that the eggs have gone bad.

Eggs are incubated at the lowest possible temperature since to err on the low side (~99.25°F) is better than the effect high temperatures would have on eggs. As the breeding season progresses for the females, their eggs become more thin-shelled as their body’s resources are used. The temperature in the incubator may then be adjusted by 1 – 2 tenths of a degree to compensate for the change.

David has found that appropriate humidity within the incubator can be variable with the location of a farm but typically runs between 55-65%. Towards the hatch date this will increase up to 75%. Wet bulb thermometers are preferred on the Holderread farm for monitoring incubation. New thermometers are carefully compared for accuracy with at least two older reliable thermometers before a new one is accepted for use.

The eggs are hand-turned 180° once a day and also 90° while in the incubator via exterior cranks every two hours. Although it’s labor intensive, David has found if he does not hand-turn eggs once a day outside of the incubator he will have a 30% reduction in hatchability. He believes that the slight cooling the eggs experience as they are turned outside of the incubator helps to strengthen the vascular system and will produce slightly larger air cells within the eggs that are associated with strong, vigorous ducklings and goslings.

All of the eggs are lightly misted with water once a day as a supplement to the already humid incubators. If he does not mist with water once a day, David has documented that he will have a 20% reduction in hatchability.

All of his eggs are cleaned within several hours after the eggs have been laid. They are then stored at 55 – 60° for up to 1 week prior to being slowly warmed up and then set in the incubator. All of the eggs are moved to a hatcher unit one week prior to the expected hatch date. Hatching times can fluctuate for geese from 28.5 – 31 days and for ducks 26-29 days total.

After the birds hatch, they are physically evaluated at the age of 8 to 10 weeks. This is often the only time the birds will be physically handled in their life. As adults, they are only visually evaluated to minimize stress caused from handling. Dave added that unlike chickens, waterfowl are not tolerant of handling and you can blow an entire breeding season by doing so.

David owes the great success of their waterfowl program to highly detailed record keeping. Without it there is no way to track or target problems that can easily found through trends in the data.

Following the incubation room, I was given a tour of the farm and viewed many breeds I have never seen outside of photographs such as the West of England goose, the Shetland goose, and a wide array of colors I had not before seen in Indian Runner ducks. Notably, they had some of the finest and largest Silver Appleyard ducks I’ve ever seen!

As the tour brought us back to the farm house, David and I began talking of what he looks for in a good breeding bird. One of the key points that Dave felt was often overlooked is good leg structure. They should have strong legs to support grazing on pasture for long periods of time. He cautioned that even with strong legs, you should never pick up ducks or geese by them. You should also not run a goose or duck down in the process of catching them as this could also result in injury. A good indicator of bad legs is often poor body carriage. A horizontal carriage often means poor leg structure.

The Holderreads breed for uniformity and balance in their birds. David believes the ideal body starts with a basically rectangular structure with rounded corners that reflects a wide heart girth and width of back that follows to the back end of the bird. A well-bred goose can also be expected to be at their best production between two to five years of age. From five to eight years of age, production will fall off some but is still good. After eight years of age, production will decrease but the birds are still capable of breeding into their teens and even twenties in some cases. Ducks are at their best production levels at one to three years of age and begin to decline after approximately 5 years of age.

I can attest first hand that David and Millie have their hands full with round the clock work during the breeding season. Some time after this year’s season, David plans to keep busy writing a revised edition of his wonderful book The Book of Geese: A Complete Guide to Raising the Home Flock which was last published in 1981. Keep your eyes peeled for the new book sometime perhaps next year!

Additional Images:

Earth Day

2009-04-22T10:39:00.000-07:00

By: Jennifer Kendall

As I was walking on the treadmill at the gym last night, and watching American Idol (yes, I admit), I saw many commercials come on the television regarding Earth Day. There were ads for "green" cars, biodegradable potato chip bags, and more. The commercials kept coming, and they made me ask myself an important question: what am I planning to do to honor the Earth this Earth Day?

This morning, 7:00am, the alarm went off. As I saw the sun peering through the curtains, I thought to myself - "Goodmorning Earth and Happy Earth Day." I still hadn't come up with anything spectacular to do to honor the Earth today, but then it dawned on me in the shower that at the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, every day is spent honoring the Earth and particulary the rare breeds of livestock and poultry.

Every day my co-workers tackle projects that help keep breeds alive. Each day our members work hand-in-hand with rare breeds to ensure that our children and our children's children will have the opportunity to enjoy these animals. Each day our partners in conservation and sustainability work hard to ensure that other parts of our Earth are conserved and cherished.

So, on this Earth Day, I'm not doing anything too special. I'm sitting at my desk writing this blog post and its fulfilling and rewarding to know that the work that I am a part of is a critical part in the conservation of this Earth.

Thanks to all the ALBC members, supporters, breeders, and partners that make our work possible.

Mission in Florida

2009-04-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

2008 Pineywoods Cattle and Florida Cracker Sheep Field Investigation
Part II – Of Florida Crackers….
By Jeannette Beranger

I headed out of Mississippi early in the morning and made my way through Alabama after being stuck for nearly two hours on the bridge smack dab in the middle of Chacaloochee Bay, not far from the famous Bayou La Batre of Forrest Gump fame. Despite the delay, it wasn’t too bad a way to spend a pleasantly warm morning watching shrimp boats go by. I finally got to the panhandle by mid-afternoon and met with Jack Summers of Bristol, Florida, about Cracker cattle.

Mr. Summers has a herd of predominantly Ezell line Cracker cattle and some recently acquired Payne’s Prairie cattle to help increase the genetic diversity of the herd. According to Jake, the Ezell cattle are mainly red or black in color with very few being spotted. He continued saying that they were used for both beef and dairy production and were selected equally for both.

Jake manages his herd on approximately 1000+ acres of state land that he leases. The land is wire grass flat woods that are burned yearly. The cattle are offered hot mix containing cottonseed meal, salt, and minerals much like what the Pineywoods cattle often receive in Mississippi. The cattle are allowed to freely breed and typically follow a cycle of having a calf every other year with a few exceptional cows in the herd that have a calf every year with minimal input from the producer. (Every calf from these amazing cows is kept within the herd and never sold.) Jake told me he has no problem whatsoever selling stock and he continues to have good prices on his cattle. He only sells bull calves at this point in time and has a long waiting list for people wanting heifers and cows.

After seeing Jake’s Cracker mare he uses to hunt and move cattle, I made my way towards central Florida to spend the night and see Cracker sheep the following morning.

Bright and early I headed out to Ocala to meet with Cracker sheep breeders Carol Postley and Ralph Wright. Both have been leading the way with documenting the breed and rescuing lines in danger of dispersal. Through their work they estimate there are 500-750 Cracker sheep left in the state. They have identified approximately 9 lines within the breed thus far. Carol herself currently has animals from a good number of the lines including Cox, Wing, Wilson, Aldridge, and Kern.

Carol and Ralph have observed that 90% of the Florida Cracker sheep have faces and legs that are multicolored with only 10% being solid white or solid black. Their population is largely polled and a good number of animals within several lines have bare necks, bellies, and tail heads making them very easy to shear. Typical adult weights are 150-170 lbs for rams and 100-125 lbs for ewes. Both sexes take a good two years to reach full adult weight.

Cracker lambs are very vigorous and are almost immediately up and about with their mothers and never leave their side. Carol observed that the lambs are extremely quiet and she never hears them calling for their mothers because they are always within close sight of them.

While at the farm I got to see these really great mobile catch pens that Carol uses to gather up sheep for testing, etc. She can bait them without going inside the actual cage and while the animals are busy eating, it’s easy for her to close the door behind them. They are very effective, especially for the sheep that were fairly feral and skittish. The floor of the pens is constructed of a sturdy metal mesh so that in wet conditions the animals are kept dry and don’t get muddy while in the pens. The mesh is fine enough so feet don’t get caught in it.

The trip ended on a good note with loads of data not to mention over a thousand photos. It was well worth the time in gaining closer insight into what is happening with little known strains of critically rare breeds of the deep south. It is a critical time for many of these breeds and the future is not certain but with care, the outlook may be bright in the days to come.

More Images:

Mission in Mississippi

2009-03-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Pineywoods Cattle and Florida Cracker Sheep Field Investigation
By Jeannette Beranger

Part I: Mission in Mississippi

In an effort to continue the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s work on the Pineywoods cattle, Florida Cracker sheep, and Natchez Trace horses, Jeannette Beranger, ALBC’S technical program manager, traveled to Mississippi and Florida this past fall. The goal of the trip was to meet with breeders, collects hair samples, and document several lines of Pineywoods cattle, the Ezell line of Florida Cracker cattle, Natchez Trace horses, and several lines of Florida Cracker sheep.

Arrival in the Natchez Trace of Mississippi

The trip south began with landing in Jackson, MS, not far from the famous Natchez Trace. Landing in the area was an opportunity to learn about a group of horses in the trace that are suspected to be a remnant population of extremely rare Pine Tacky horses. Pine Tackies, or “Saddle horses” as the locals call them, are a suspected population of the Colonial Spanish horses brought to the area with the Spanish conquistadors and Native American trade routes of the early colonial period in America. There are only three Pine Tackies (all stallions) known to exist, thus far, and it’s of great interest to ALBC from a conservation standpoint to determine if there are some hidden pockets of these horses in the region.

Robert Clark and his wife Janice have two horses of the Natchez Trace. They invited ALBC to see their horses and learn what they have uncovered about the population in the area. Robert, a landscape architect and local historian, shared the historical data reaching back to the 1700s that he has managed to gather about the horses. Robert, who was born and raised in the area, has always had an interest in the local horses, but it was not until he spent time in the field photographing Pryor Mountain horses that he made the connection that the horses of his childhood might possibly be Spanish in origin. The Clarks recently bought two of the horses from locals and have been interested in learning as much as they can about their origin. Both horses had physical features consistent with Colonial Spanish horses and ALBC has subsequently submitted DNA samples from them to Texas A&M University and is now awaiting the results to get more conclusive evidence supporting the Spanish origin of the horses. In the meantime, the Clarks continue to search for other horses in the trace and hope to find some breeding stock that can be used to start a small conservation herd on their farm.

In Search of Pineywoods Cattle and Gulf Coast Sheep

The following day began with meeting Billy Frank Brown of Poplarville, MS. He and his son Jess maintain one of the largest herds of Pineywoods cattle and a large flock of Gulf Coast sheep. The Brown family has a long history with these breeds on their historic farm that still retains structures dating back to the 1860s.

The first step in the investigation was to visit several farms close to the Brown farm that keep cattle and sheep. ALBC is particularly interested in documenting the phenotype and status of sheep and cattle from the old lines including the Dedeaux line of Pineywoods since there are just a handful of them left in existence. Following the visits to surrounding farms, the day continued by documenting animals belonging to the Brown family. Their animals represent several rare lines found in both breeds and are vital to the overall genetic diversity of the breeds. Many of the cattle needed to be described for the studbook, so we photographed and documented as many as possible that afternoon.

While on the Brown farm, we spent some time with the Brown’s large herd of Gulf Coast sheep that seemed to follow Billy Frank as if he were the “Pied Piper.” The sheep came in all sizes and colors and it was a sight to see as 100 or more came running towards us. Among the sheep was one of the three Pine Tacky stallions that belong to the family. The original herd of horses dates back with the family to the 1800s and the three stallions are the last of their kind unless the Natchez Trace horses prove to be related. The three Brown horses have already been DNA tested and were found to be Colonial Spanish and most closely related to the Marsh Tackies of South Carolina.

Later in the afternoon Justin Pitts, a fellow Pineywoods breeder, joined Bill and Jeannette as they finished the day by visiting several sites off the farm where additional Brown cattle were being grazed.

Day two began with a stop at the farm of Charlie Carter. Justin, Bill, and Jeannette were welcomed by Charlie to his family farm that where Pineywoods cattle has been on the property since the late 1800s, primarily for logging. We drove into the fields to view Charlie’s 100+ cattle that came in every color imaginable. The Carter cattle are largely managed on natural forage available on the property and are supplemented with hay. Of particular importance is the native switch cane (Arundinaria gigantean) that is a winter staple for the cattle in the region. Charlie told the group of his family history and how the cattle have been bred and maintained throughout the years.

Following the visit to the Carter farm, Justin and Jeannette were joined by Robert Conway, a former Pineywoods breeder. They made their way to the farm of Fred Diamond. The Diamond family has been on this farm since 1800 and has raised Pineywoods cattle on the land for most of that time. The Diamonds keep a large herd of cattle that have been bred for both meat and dairy qualities and coupled with selection for good temperament. The Diamond herd is the only known herd being selected for dairy, making it an extremely important trait that would be a great loss for the breed should they disappear. Fred showed off several cows with impressive udders including his famous “purple cow” (an animal whose deep red roan color has an almost purple-like appearance) that provides up to two gallons of milk a day for the family.

The day’s journey continued to the farm of Lionel Ladner. Lionel keeps a small herd of Broadus line Pineywoods that offer nice beef qualities in the breed. Lionel prefers Broadus line cattle because he likes their look and productivity for meat, so he plans to breed this line exclusively. The day was getting late (and dark), but Justin decided to have us make one more stop up the road to the house of Lionel Ladner’s brother-in-law, Shoat Broadus. As expected, his cattle were much like Lionel’s herd reflecting meat- oriented phenotype versus the dual-purpose body type we saw earlier in the day at Fred Diamond’s farm.

The visit with Shoat ended and shortly afterwards Justin, Robert, and Jeannette made their way to the Brown farm to re-join Bill and have a Pineywoods roast dinner with the rest of the Brown family including his wife Julie and their son Jess. After dinner, Jess and Jeannette got to work reviewing photos of the Brown herd that had been taken over the past couple of days. Jess had an uncanny memory of every cow on their property and its lineage or at the very least the line it came from. Over a 4-hour period, hundreds of photos were reviewed making it possible to identify a majority of the cattle in every image. The information gathered will be used by Phil Sponenberg for the breed studbook and to help identify phenotype within the various lines of the Pineywoods breed.

The following morning the day started by heading straight out to the pastures with Jess to take a look at some of the old Ladinier line cows that he’s kept to ensure their genetics do not disappear. Some of these amazing 25+ year-old cows were still having offspring on a regular basis up until a year or two ago when they were retired from breeding, according to Jess. We pulled hair samples from each of his old “grand dames” for DNA analysis for comparison with other lines within the breed.

Before leaving for the next leg of the trip, Jeannette said her goodbyes to the Browns and gave a big thanks for their hosting the visit and for the huge amount of information they provided to ALBC to enhance our understanding of the native livestock breeds in the region.

Heritage Turkey Workshops Travel the Country

2009-03-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

Throughout the later half of 2008 and the early party of 2009, ALBC has been conducting heritage turkey workshops throughout the country. The first of these workshops we held in July of 2008 at Peregrine Farm in Pittsboro, NC. The workshop was full with 40 participants coming from all different locations including, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Frank Reese was the instructor for the North Carolina workshops. Frank operates Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch and he is the link for most of us to an era when what we now call “heritage turkeys” were highly productive and always raised outdoors.

Three more workshops are being held during the first quarter of 2009 – one a month. Danny Williamson is the clinician for these spring workshops. Danny has been raising turkeys for 13 years, learning under the tutelage and careful eye of Frank Reese. Over these 13 years, Danny has become a master breeder, General Manager, and CFO for Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch, the marketing arm for the 10,000 plus turkeys that Frank, Danny, and several growers raise for the holiday market.

The first of the 2009 workshops was held in January in Live Oak, Florida, a small town about half way between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. Elena Toro, an extension agent in Suwannee County, jumped on the opportunity to host the workshop, providing significant logistical support and fabulous publicity. The workshop was a success and provided a valuable learning experience for those who attended.

February’s event was held in Adams Run, South Carolina, about 25 miles west of Charleston. ALBC member Sam Ormont was the host. Sam raises Narragansett turkeys on his farm. In Adams Run we actually held two clinics – one for breeder selection and the second on husbandry. The breeders group was small but attentive. Several people had attended husbandry workshops in other states and were ready to begin managing their own breeding stock. In the morning we covered history, ideal conformation, and faults. In the afternoon we donned white biosecurity suits and booties and applied what we’d learned to the real thing. The goal was to develop an understanding of the ideal, an eye for ideal conformation, and a feel for the same. This was a good group of students.

The husbandry workshop began the following day, using the same pattern that had been established in Florida. While there were fewer attendees, there appeared to be a core group who are beginning to explore working cooperatively from breeding and hatching to purchasing feed and marketing.

In March, ALBC will be in Wheatland, Missouri, which lies midway between Springfield and Kansas City. Bill McBrayer will be the host.

These workshops have all been a great success for ALBC, but more importantly for the turkeys, the breeders, and the producers. There is a clear desire for more breeder selection and husbandry clinics on more breeds and species is clear. People are hungry for the information and the first hand knowledge that comes with years of experience and dirt under the nails. ALBC will pursue additional funding to make such offerings available.

Marsh Tacky Races

2009-03-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

On February 22nd, ALBC staff member, Jeannette Beranger traveled down to Hilton Head Island, SC, to be the emcee for the Marsh Tacky races that occured on Mitchelsville Beach. The races, which had not occured in more than 50 years, were a true success and testament for the breed. With fewer than 200 of these horses remaining, it's critical that conservation efforts are made.

Want to learn more about Colonial Spanish horses? Check out ALBC's breed abstract.

Missed the races? Don't worry, you can check out the video on Youtube by clicking here.

Images from the races:

Hog Heaven - National Pig Day

2009-02-26T11:33:00.000-08:00

Just around the corner is March 1st, time for spring flowers, warmer temperatures and bacon. Yes, crisp, juicy bacon.March 1st is National Pig Day. Started in 1972 by Texas art teacher Ellen Stanley, this holiday honors and gives thanks to pigs.

For some of us, the word “pig” conjures up images of Charlotte’s Web’s Wilbur or Babe the gallant pig. For others, it’s mud wallowing, curly tails and snorting sounds, but on this holiday and everyday, the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC), in Pittsboro, NC, and farmers around the country are working hard to save rare breeds of pigs from extinction. Modern agriculture has made it difficult for these breeds to survive. In 2009, seven breeds of pigs were listed on the ALBC Conservation Priority List as critically endangered meaning less than 200 of these animals are registered in the US. By favoring a few highly specialized breeds selected for maximum output, modern agriculture has made many heritage breeds “outcasts” because they cannot survive under modern agricultural pressures. Each rare breed pig is a remnant of our cultural and agricultural heritage, but more importantly, they are critical for the continued existence and future adaptation of livestock.

So, on this holiday, - bringing home the bacon takes on a whole new meaning. While it may seem counterintuitive to eat a rare breed to save it, it’s one of the critical components of rescuing these breeds. Without a market for these animals, farmers have no incentive to raise them.
The more demand in the marketplace, the more farmers are willing to raise these breeds.

Just last month, Ayrshire Farms in Upperville, VA, hosted a “Pig Pageant” where rare breed hogs were served to a crowd of journalists and invitees in hopes of raising awareness for these rare breeds.

ALBC is also making strides to raise awareness and production of rare pigs.
Through the Rare Breed Swine Initiative, ALBC is helping to train breeders
and develop a market for rare breed hogs. Many of these efforts are funded
through the Renewing America's Food Traditions Project in which ALBC has
teamed up with groups such as SlowFood USA, Chefs Collaborative, and others
in the hopes of raising awareness for all rare breeds.

So, on this National Pig Day, do a little something to make this rare pig-tale have a happy ending.

How can you help save a rare breed hog on National Pig Day?
-Visit a local farm that raises rare breed pigs to learn more about the breed.
-Eat at a restaurant that serves rare breed hogs.
-Have a BBQ or pork party and take up donations to send to one of the organizations helping to save rare breed pigs.
-Sponsor a herd sire at and help to provide feed, veterinary care and TLC for a stud boar
-Visit the ALBC website and learn more about rare breeds of pigs, http://www.albc-usa.org/

On this day, also remember that there are many other rare breeds that need saving. Visit ALBC's Conservation Priority list to learn more about other breeds that need a helping hand:
http://albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html.

By the Numbers:
Rare Breeds of Pigs in the US According to ALBC’s Conservation Priority List:

Status: Critical(Less than 200 annual registration in the US and an estimated global population less than 2,000)
-Choctaw(Feral)
-Gloucestershire Old Spots
-Guinea Hogs-Large Black
-Mulefoot
-Ossabaw Island (Feral)-Red Wattle

Status: Threatened
(Fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the US and an estimated global population less than 5,000) -Tamworth

Status: Watch(Fewer than 2,500 annual registrations in the US and an estimated global population less than 10,000)
-Hereford

Study:
Saddleback

In the Field and Into the Lowcountry - Day 3 & 4

2009-02-20T08:04:00.000-08:00

Day 3 & 4

Day 3
On a bright and sunny morning we found ourselves at the steps of the historic Honey Horn Plantation which has recently become the new site of the Coastal Discovery Museum. Because the Marsh Tacky horse was historically kept at the plantation and by the local islanders, known as Gullahs, the museum has been interested in supporting ALBC efforts to conserve the breed.

ALBC was invited to provide input for an event involving the horses as part of a month long cultural festival in February of 2009. The museum and festival organizers decided to bring back the Gullah tradition of beach races with Marsh Tackies as part of the festivities. After much discussion between city organizers, museum management, festival coordinators, and horse owners at the meeting, it was decided that the race would be possible and will be held on the historic Mitchelsville Beach on February 22. There is much excitement about the races and the event is expected to be a huge public draw for festival attendees.

Following the meeting on Hilton Head, Liz and Jeannette left the island and made their way four hours inland to Anderson, SC, in order to attend the start of the Carolina Farm Stewardship Conference (CFSA). During the opening banquet that evening, ALBC was astonished to be awarded the Non-Profit of the year award by CFSA. It was a nice surprise and an unexpected honor for the organization and we were pleased to have been able to accept the award on behalf of the office.

Day 4
The day began with an early morning speaking engagement at the CFSA conference. Jeannette presented a three hour lecture and workshop on rare breed genetics and conservation during the event. The talk was well received and helped to motivate attendees to incorporate more rare breeds on their farms.

Following the conference it was time to go home to North Carolina. We headed back and made it home to Pittsboro before nightfall. It seemed only appropriate (and very much appreciated) that Jeannette’s husband Fred had prepared a Buckeye chicken for dinner to welcome us back.

Although hectic, the trip was very productive and well worth the effort. There are a lot of exciting projects in process in South Carolina and ALBC’s partners in the state can be proud of their continued efforts with rare breeds in the region.

More pictures from Day 3 & 4:

Into the Field and into the Lowcountry: Day 2

2009-02-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Day 2
Jeannette and Liz were joined by Gray and another poultry breeder, Sam Ormont, as they continued into the heart of the Lowcountry to meet with Buckeye producer, Lee McKenzie. Together the group went through a training session lead by Jeannette and using Lee’s flock of Buckeyes.

The group reviewed the process of selecting breeders for productivity and collectively picked out the best candidates for the 2009 breeding season. (You can learn about this process by visiting the ALBC website’s Educational Resources page for the Chicken Assessment to Improve Productivity) Following the flock assessment, the group of poultry producers moved to discuss the possibilities of forming a co-op to support a small network of breeders and hatcheries.

Before leaving the farm, we all had the opportunity to see Lee’s prized herd of Marsh Tackies. Lee is a long time breeder of these horses that are rarely found outside of the Lowcountry. Lee’s pride and joy is his young stud horse, Rebel, who is an up and coming stallion that he will begin to incorporate into his breeding program in 2009. Rebel’s breeding was very carefully planned and represents years of understanding of the breed in order to bring out the best of what they represent.

We said our goodbyes to Lee and the rest of the group and headed to Sam Ormont’s poultry farm to plan an ALBC sponsored turkey husbandry workshop that will be held on the farm on February 21 & 22. As we arrived we were greeted by 100+ turkeys that have been selected for productivity and personality, making them a good fit for Sam’s breeding program. All of the birds were impeccably kept and it was clear the site will set an excellent example for people wanting to learn more about raising turkeys.

Following the visit to the Ormont farm, Jeannette, Liz, and Gray made one more stop that day to the plantation of ALBC Board of Directors member, Landon Thorne. The 110+ acre Hoota Plantation (named after the Lowcountry slang word for “owl”) is a project that Mr. Thorne has been working on to set an example and promote organic production in his region of the state. Landon needed advice on how to incorporate rare breed poultry and cattle into his project and asked that we stop by and meet with him while we were traveling in the area.

The habitat we viewed on Hoota Plantation offered a wide range of grazing opportunities for chickens and small herd of Pineywoods cattle, a breed that was once widespread in South Carolina in Colonial times.

We all thought that the most logical choice for a chicken breed would be the Dominique since historically, they too were widely used in the area. Landon’s idea of bringing the breeds back into the Lowcountry is one with promise and a good chance of success as he carefully plans the incorporation of the breeds into the overall land management strategy on his farm. The day ended with Jeannette and Liz saying goodbye to Landon and Gray and making their way to the next destination, Hilton Head Island.

More photos from Day 2:

In the Field and Into the Lowcountry: Day 1

2009-02-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Day 1

In late October 2008, a trip was planned for coastal region known as the “Lowcountry” of South Carolina to accomplish several conservation goals within that region. Joined by ALBC member and supporter Elizabeth Gordon, Research & Technical Programs Manager, Jeannette Beranger, hit the road with Liz and a breeding flock of Buckeye chickens hitching a ride to their new home in Pamplico, SC.

The Buckeyes were bred through a recovery project initiated by ALBC in 2005 and were going to a new breeder that will be starting a small regional hatchery to provide chicks for local producers.

Along the way to Pamplico, a brief visit was made to the farm of Marsh Tacky horse breeder, David Grant. David is an avid hunter and uses nothing other than Tackies as mounts and spends much of his time telling people about the breed. His excitement for Tackies is infectious as Liz soon discovered when surrounded by his curious and gentle horses. Liz left the farm smitten, as we continued along our way to the next stop which was literally…for the birds.

Jeannette and Liz arrived at Carolina Heritage Farms belonging to ALBC member Gray Moore and his family. Gray has been slowly developing a small regional hatchery at his farm and has had success in marketing heritage breeds chicks and poults locally. The newly arrived Buckeyes will provide hatching eggs for the 2009 breeding season that will aid continued efforts to recover the breed in South Carolina.

While at the farm, we were treated to a visit with Gray’s flock of Narragansett turkeys and a small herd of rare Guinea hogs.

Gray is following in his father’s footsteps with an interest in swine. His father had a long history with similar hogs, known as Essex, which he kept on small Carolinian islands in the 1940’s. Gray’s well-nourished pigs were supplemented with the fruits of his other interest which is heirloom corn propagation that includes over 20 varieties on the farm.

More Photos from Day 1: