ANP6226B Animal Genetic Resources Management

Livestock biodiversity is essential to food and livelihood security, particularly in the developing world. Livestock provide meat, milk, eggs, fibres, skins, manure for fertilizer and fuel, draught power for cultivation and transport, and a range of other products and services. Many of the world’s rural poor – an estimated 70 percent – keep livestock and rely on them as important components of their livelihoods. Domesticated animals also contribute to the ecosystems in which they exist, providing services such as seed dispersal and nutrient cycling.