Conservation, improvement and promotion of livestock breeds

Draft Royal Decree laying down zootechnical standards on the rearing, trade and entry into the Union of pure-bred breeding animals, hybrid breeding pigs and their reproductive material, and updating the national programme for the conservation, improvement and promotion of livestock breeds

The rearing of pure-bred animals is a fundamental part of livestock farming in terms of its economic, social and environmental implications. In this regard, indigenous livestock breeds are a source of income for the agricultural community, which benefits from the use of animals with a high genetic value; this contributes to the increased profitability and competitiveness of their produce, thus improving their position in the market.

Furthermore, the search for competitiveness or productivity should not result in a threat to indigenous breeds that are not highly productive but are resistant and hardy, thus giving them a high capacity to adapt to their environment and climate change, develop resistance to diseases and meet the needs of the consumer with regard to high-quality products obtained from production systems that are environmentally friendly and safeguard animal welfare, paying particular attention to endangered species, which provide an important gene pool that may contribute to achieving the aforementioned objectives.