The Dutch animal genebank is one of the most elaborate genebanks in Europe. However, analysis of the status of the core collections in the Dutch animal genebank reveals that there is insufficient genetic material stored to recover a lot of the endangered breeds in case of extinction.
This is the conclusion of researchers of the Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) of Wageningen University & Research in a report about the status of the core collections of the Dutch genebank for animal genetic resources.
CGN manages the genebank for livestock breeds in the Netherlands. Genetic material is stored of eleven different livestock species: cattle, pigs, horses, sheep,
goats, dogs, ducks, geese, rabbits, chickens and pigeons. The purpose of the genebank is to secure the genetic diversity of livestock breeds in the Netherlands for the future. To reintroduce lost genetic diversity for in situ breeding populations or in the worst case scenario to recover a lost breed by a backcross breeding programme.
Core collections in the animal genebank
The CGN genebank is one of the largest genebanks in Europe. It contains a collection of over 350.000 samples (mainly sperm) of almost 9.000 different donor animals and more than 135 different livestock breeds. The genetic material can, for example, be used to reduce inbreeding or recover a population by a back-cross breeding programme.
The goal is to establish a core collection for all Dutch native breeds. A core collection is a collection of sufficient, high-quality genetic material to recover an entire population in case the breed goes extinct. How large this core collection should be depends on a number of factors, for example the reproductive characteristics of the species and the type of genetic material that is stored.
New report - is there sufficient material available?
CGN evaluates on a regular basis to what extent the goals of the genebank are realised. To get a clear picture of the size of the current genebank collection and to identify where additions are required to reach the desired core collections, researchers Mira Schoon and Malou van der Sluis wrote a report that exhibits the current status of the core collections for the Dutch native breeds. They calculated three scenarios, each with different rates of inbreeding in 50 years of a recovery breeding programme.
Their conclusion is that for most breeds in the genebank there is insufficient material available for a full recovery. This means that there is insufficient genetic variation to, in the most extreme case, recover an entire population of healthy animals. Assuming a set number of male donors of 50% of the desired effective population size, there is sufficient material for a reconstruction of 9 out of 11 cattle breeds, 10 out of 14 pig breeds, 1 out of 5 goat breeds, 7 out of 14 sheep breeds, 2 out of 11 horse breeds, 1 out of 31 chicken breeds, 1 out of 5 duck breeds, and none of the 9 dog breeds, the 10 rabbit breeds, and the one goose breed.
Expansion of the core collections
The results of the analysis show that it is necessary to collect additional genetic material over the coming years for all the breeds for which the core collection is currently incomplete. For each breed and animal species the researchers determined the level of priority to take action within the coming five years. In addition, the researchers provide indications for the required number of donors and doses for the core collection per animal species.
Parallel to expanding the genebank collection by means of constructing the core collections, CGN also offers advice to the breeding organisations of the Dutch livestock breeds about sustainable breeding programmes.
