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This study investigated national genebanking priorities based on information reported in the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) and feedback provided by gene bank managers. Only 3.2% of national breed populations are reported to have enough material collected to allow breed reconstitution in case of extinction. Depending on species, region and demographic risk status, there are substantial differences in quantities of germplasm collected when comparing breeds with a high risk status vs demographically important breeds. Most genebanks have small budgets and use pragmatic approaches for collecting germplasm by partnering with breeding organisations and/or artificial insemination companies. They also work with a variety of breed associations to implement collection strategies to ensure that the breadth of genetic diversity is captured. Future collection growth within countries will be driven by national programs that incorporate stakeholder participation, collection use, the scope of diversity captured; and will depend upon levels of public and private funding.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential associations between polymorphisms of microsatellite markers and various traits in the Lesvos dairy sheep. In total, 350 individuals using 11 microsatellite markers were genotyped and various traits including six body anatomical measurements as well as milk yield and litter size were considered. The adaptive Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator method was employed to detect significant associations between markers’ alleles and the various phenotypic traits. In all but one microsatellite loci, rare alleles were detected. Markers OARJMP29, OARFCB128 and OARCP38 were found to be associated with milk yield. Marker OARJMP29 was also associated with body weight, girth circumference and horn length. Marker OARFCB128 was also significant for tail length, tail width and girth circumference while marker OARCP38 was significant for body length, as well. Current results shed more light in the associations between marker polymorphisms with various phenotypic traits in dairy sheep, including traits of economic importance that could potentially be implemented in a marker assisted selection program for increasing production efficiency in the Lesvos breed. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

This study is part of the European Regional Focal Point (ERFP) project titled “Development of models assessing the breeds risk status by utilization of population and relevant georeferenced data”. The specific aim of this research is to develop a geographical model to be used to classify the breeds according to their degree of endangerment and to make decisions relevant with the management of animal genetic resources. The geographic distribution of eight local breeds (6 sheep and 2 cattle breeds from United Kingdom, Greece, Slovenia and Italy) was analysed with a GIS approach. We calculated the radius of a buffer including 75% of the population of the investigated breeds; the hypothesis is that 25% of the population of a local breed is the minimum percentage able to guarantee the recovery after an epidemiological outbreak. The results of this study showed that the geographical approach should be used for the definition of the risk status of local breeds.

The sustainable use of farm animal genetic resources is connected with the recognition of their contribution to the society and the environment and the assessment of the threats they are facing. The category of the heritage breeds, which are genetically distinct, geographically concentrated, adapted to their environment, commercially farmed to contribute to the local economy were considered in the frame of the HERITAGESHEEP project. The aim of this project was to deliver the potential of the heritage sheep breeds for a sustainable future for medium to low input production systems, which support local rural communities throughout Europe. This was achieved by addressing the conservation of these breeds, defining the current and future threats and developing new uses and markets for products.

Background SNP data of goats of three Mediterranean countries were used for population studies and reconstruction of geographical patterning. 496 individuals belonging to Italian, Albanian and Greek breeds were genotyped to assess the basic population parameters. Results A total of 26 SNPs were used, for a total of 12,896 genotypes assayed. Statistical analysis revealed that breeds are not so similar in terms of genetic variability, as reported in studies performed using different markers. The Mantel test showed a strongly significant correlation between genetic and geographic distance. Also, PCA analysis revealed that breeds are grouped according to geographical origin, with the exception of the Greek Skopelos breed. Conclusion Our data point out that the use of SNP markers to analyze a wider breed sample could help in understanding the recent evolutionary history of domestic goats. We found correlation between genetic diversity and geographic distance. Also PCA analysis shows that the breeds are well differentiated, with good correspondence to geographical locations, thus confirming the correlation between geographical and genetic distances. This suggests that migration history of the species played a pivotal role in the present-day structure of the breeds and a scenario in which coastal routes were easier for migrating in comparison with inland routes. A westward coastal route to Italy through Greece could have led to gene flow along the Northern Mediterranean.