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Domino's Petting Farm is helping to save the genetic
diversity of farm animals by showcasing them at our working farm. A breed is simply
"a group of animals with a uniform appearance and behavior that distinguishes them
from other groups of animals within the same species. When mated together, members of a
breed reproduce this same animal". When animals of different breeds are mated,
to form a new hybrid breed, it is possible for the original breed to decrease in number --
to become rare or extinct. In helping to preserve rare breeds, we are helping to
protect a broad genetic base of animals which, in turn, increases the ability to respond to
changing environmental conditions.
Please enjoy the photos you
see on this page. Your visits and contributions to Domino's Petting Farm helps ensure that many
of these beautiful animals will survive. |
Watusi, a rare breed from Africa |
Rare
domestic animals???
Most people have
heard about endangered species, but most of us think that refers to wild animals. But,
this is a crisis faced by many domestic animals as well. Among the better known are the
Clydesdale horse and Longhorn cattle, where it is estimated that only a few thousand exist
globally. At Domino's Petting Farm we are dedicated to helping preserve rare animals through
careful breeding and nurturing. |
Rare
breeds represent history
In our
pre-agricultural era, we domesticated animals while we still lived in caves. The first
four animals to be domesticated were the goat, sheep, dog and reindeer. But, these are not
the same dogs and goats we see today. Since our days of living in caves, the farm animals
we know today have evolved and changed, just like humans. The value in preserving rare
breeds is in the variety they represent and in the preserving our own history. Rare breeds
represent history. |
A Highland Cow. Highland cattle come to us from
their native Scotland Their long shaggy coats protect them from the harsh climate of
Scotland. |
Belted Galloway |
Factors
in domestication
How did this happen?
Why would we lose breeds through domestication? I'm sure you've heard of natural
selection, where nature plays a role in what species of animal survives based on natural
surroundings. For example, the Scottish Highland cattle has more fur than the Watusi because
it lives in a colder climate. Domestication is a process where humans help decide the
selection process. Our cattle today were bred to be smaller than their wild ancestors so
they could be easily controlled and fenced. Humans also breed animals to have coats of
unusual colors -- something that would not have happened in nature because animals need to
hide from predators. As you might expect, breeding for some qualities means that other
characteristics disappear and a species can vanish! |
Farming's
role in domestication
We
also domesticate animals to be better producers -- leaner animals for food and cows that
can produce more milk. In order for the modern farm to survive, it must do what it takes
to produce as much as possible with less and less pasture. In the United States and
Canada, most of our milk comes from the Holstein cow. But, if you've ever seen the beauty
of a Jersey or Guernsey cow, you know that these are worth preserving.
Looking at this Horned Dorset ram, just imagine a farm without such animals, simply
because farming is easier with sheep that don't have horns. |
A Horned Dorset, has become rare due to sheep
farmers preferring their polled (lacking horns) cousins. |
The
value of breeds
The value in rare breeds
is that they exist because of natural selection. They possess characteristics that might
some day be important in understanding human genetics or in helping to produce a better
breed of farming animal.
The Jacob sheep is a very ancient breed with origins in Persia
(now Iraq) from about 4,000 years ago. This is a 4-horned Jacob, but they can
have 2, 4 or even 6 horns. The name of the Jacob comes from a passage in Genesis. Jacob,
the son of Isaac, was a shepherd keeping the flocks of King Laban, a Syrian and his
father-in-law. He worked unpaid, but it was agreed that he could keep all the spotted
sheep in the flock. To increase his wages, he bred the flock with only spotted rams, so he
received the majority of the newborn lambs. He is the first recorded breeder to use basic
genetic techniques to produce more spotted lambs. |
Jester, a four-horned Jacob |
 Gisselle and Babbette, Poitou Donkeys |
The Poitou donkey originates from southern France. From
ancient drawings, historians believe the breed dates as far back as 54 BC.
Poitou. because of their immense size, were used for breeding with draft
horses to produce draft mules.
During WWII the donkey’s numbers were drastically
reduced and by 1977 there were only 44 purebred Poitou donkeys left. The
numbers have recovered a little bit since then, but the Poitou donkey
remains on the endangered list with only 400 registered donkeys in the
world.
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