Herd-book

The herd-book or stud book or genealogical register is a register of census of the individuals of a given race. There exists for almost all the races of domesticated species: bovine, ovine, porcine, equine, canine…
Un animal registered on the register has its own identifying code to the race constituting the proof of its membership of the race, it is the pedigree .

Origin

For a very long time, of the texts qualities of the animals propose coming from a precise area. César mentions the horse of the Camargue, the bolted or the shire; the oxen of the the Limousin or the charolais were known for their power; the packs of dogs of certain princes were very famous…
Au 18th century, the English stockbreeders anxious to develop their reproducers, will create races. The herd-book will become a register able to prove the genetic cause of an individual and thus to develop his qualities of ameliorative reproducer.
La mode is launched. It will give a great number of herd-book including one certain number will be abandoned, certain races not having proven their profitability.
Aux races " productives" has come to be added for a few decades a fashion of races of approval. The animals are selected on criteria of size (dwarf races) or beauty. (decorative races) Initially initiated in the dogs and cats, one finds today cows, hens and same of the pigs selected for approval.

Directions for use

Opening of the register

Before being open, the stockbreeders must describe the individuals of their race. The type of the race is thus defined by morphological criteria, the color, the physical capacities or of production…
Les individuals applicants at the entry in the herd-book is indexed. They must not only show the characteristics of the race, but as prove as they maintain them in time on several generations.
Après some time of observation, the deviating animals are eliminated and the most representative individuals can enter the register.

Inscription in the register

The young animals must come parents registered to be able to claim with the inscription. But also, they must pass a visual examination or performances showing that the racial criteria are maintained. The readjusted individuals do not have the right to be reproductive in the race.

Evolution of the race

For definite needs for improvement of racial criteria, selected and directed crossings can take place. One thus opens the register with mongrel animals. The race thus evolves/moves compared to the origin. In this case, certain stockbreeders can prefer to continue to work with the old race, even less powerful. If the differences become too important, there can be separation of the herd-book, giving two races at the same origin but which will evolve/move differently.

Maintains of a race

Consanguineous stability

To maintain stability without risks of consanguinity, it is necessary to maintain the population beyond a certain threshold, around a thousand.
Certains country which cannot maintain this population, keeps a low number of individuals but freezes a great number of spangles of seed even of embryos. It is thus possible to utilize a male for a long time died in order to regenerate the race.

Program safeguarding

Vis-a-vis the disappearance of genetic diversity, programs of safeguarding were initiated in Europe then by FAO. They aim creating herd-book on threatened races and at maintaining a population sufficient to be viable.

Program for the wild animals

This technique was used to manage consanguinity in weak populations of wild animals. Thus, of the introductions of animals or artificial insemination resulting from animalist zoos or parks makes it possible it to manage this problem.

Research program

Studies on the genome of species was undertaken in order to determine the bond between the races and to trace a family tree of these last. This work as will make it possible to create new races, knowing as the interest is all the more large to cross two races they are genetically distant.

Evolution of the species

Paradoxically, this work also solidified the races. Thus, in Europe, it is hardly any more created of bovine or ovine races. Certain stockbreeders practice crossings " améliorateurs" on their breeding, but the individuals are not intended to create another race.
Sur of other continents, the creation of races is in full boom. In the United States, private ranches work the genetics of their bovine herd with the test of many reproducers. When some individuals give satisfaction, their descent is tested and multiplied in order to create a race and to be able to sell reproducers.

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