This document discusses the conservation of indigenous poultry genetic resources in India. It notes that populations of indigenous chicken breeds have declined rapidly due to factors like the availability of commercial breeds. A total of 18 chicken breeds in India are now under threat. Conservation aims to preserve genetic variation for current and future economic and scientific uses. Methods of conservation include cryopreservation of genetic material and maintaining live populations. Both ex-situ conservation in gene banks and in-situ conservation of live populations are discussed, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Systematic steps are recommended to arrest the decline of poultry biodiversity in India.

1. PREPARED BY
DR SIDDHARTHA S. PATHAK
III Ph.D.
CONSERVATION OF
INDIGENOUS GERMPLASM

2. INTRODUCTION
• In India, rural backyard poultry is reared by poor people, especially
women.
• Over a period of time due to various reasons (availability of
commercial broilers and layers at cheaper rates, outbreaks of Avian
Influenza, New Castle disease etc.), the population of indigenous
birds has decreased at an alarming rate.
• Globally, FAO (2000) has listed 30 extinct chicken breeds in the
recent past with many more in critical list.

3. CONTD…
• The total percentage loss increases 51 to 63% in a matter of 4 years
indicating the alarming trend.
• In India also all 18 of poultry breeds are under threat.
• As a result of intense genetic selection over many decades, there is
loss of genetic variation in industrial stocks and many stocks may be
nearing physiological plateau in the near future.
• So there is need to review the urgency of conserving poultry
biodiversity.

4. CONSERVATION
Conservation is positive, embracing preservation,
maintenance, sustainable utilization, restoration and enhancement of
the endangered species particularly those of economic, scientific and
cultural interest to mankind for agriculture either at present or in the
future.

5. REASON FOR CONSERVATION
• Endangered populations should be conserved for their possible
scientific use. This may include the use of conservation stocks as
control populations, in order to monitor and identify advances and
changes in the genetic makeup and production characteristics of
selected stocks.
• Endangered populations should be conserved for their potential
economic use in the future.
• Cultural Interest - There are breeds which have been associated with
social and cultural development and religious ceremony.
• There are also many breeds which may be conserved for their
aesthetic value.

6. OBJECTIVES
• The idea of conserving animal genetic resources focuses on two
separate but interlinked concepts. The first is the conservation of
‘genes’ and the second, the conservation of ‘breeds’ or populations.
• The conservation of ‘genes’ characters inherent within a population or
group of populations. It could, for example, be Naked neck gene, frizzle
gene.
• The conservation of populations or breeds refers to action to ensure
the survival of a population of animals/ birds as defined by the range of
genetically controlled characteristics that it exhibits.

7. METHODS
• There are three methods for the conservation of animal genetic
resources.
A. In the form of living ova, embryos or semen stored
cryogenically in liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees centigrade).
B. Genetic information as DNA, stored in frozen samples of
blood or other animal tissue or as DNA segments.
C. Conservation of live populations.

8. CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES
• Ex-situ conservation
• In- situ conservation
• Gene pool
• Separate breeds

9. CRYOGENIC PRESERVATION OR EX-SITU
CONSERVATION

10. WHAT IS EX-SITU CONSERVATION ??
• Ex situ preservation involves the conservation of animals in a
situation removed from their normal habitat.
• It is used to refer to the collection and freezing in liquid nitrogen of
animal genetic resources in the form of living semen, ova or embryos.
• It may also be the preservation of DNA segments in frozen blood or
other tissues.

11. ADVANTAGES
• In particular, once the material has been collected, the cost of
maintaining a cryogenic store is minimal.
• Such banks require few trained technicians.
• A very large number of frozen animal’s samples from a large number of
populations can be stored in a single facility.
• Frozen animal genetic resources can be made available to livestock
breeding and research programmes throughout the world.
• No genetic loss due to selection or drift

12. DISADVANTAGES
• Availability of the necessary technology and access to the frozen
populations.
• Guaranteed supply of liquid nitrogen which must.
• No intrinsic value with respect to financial income unless material can
be sold for research and development.
• Semen collection and freezing, superovulation, ova and embryo
flushing and freezing not developed for all species.
• Potential risk to cryopreservative storage: human error, power failure,
loss of liquid nitrogen, fire, flood, storm, earthquake or war.

13. IN-SITU CONSERVATION

14. WHAT IS IN-SITU CONSERVATION ??
• In situ conservation is the maintenance of live populations of animals in
their adaptive environment or as close to it as is practically possible.
• For domestic species the conservation of live animals is normally taken
to be synonymous with in situ conservation.

15. ADVANTAGES
• requires no advanced technology.
• Live conservation projects involve animal utilization ensure that
financial commitment to the conservation of animal genetic
resources.
• numbers of breeding units must be established and maintained,
however, for each conserved population.
• enable breeds to be properly characterized and evaluated in their
own and related localities.

16. CONTD…
• adapt to changing environmental conditions and endemic diseases.
• The maintenance of live herds allows for selection and improvement of
populations within the sustainable constraints.

17. DISADVANTAGES
• Require land and people which are limited resources in some regions
of the world.
• Unpredictable financial and political change
• possible threat of disease.
• international transfer of animal genetic resources.

18. COMPARISON

19. GENE POOL
• Endangered breeds of the common species, however, may be
maintained as separate ‘breeds’ or may be combined or pooled into
groups of breeds or composites for the purposes of conservation.
• The conservation of genetic variation in a gene pool or breed
composite requires less resource than individual breed conservation.
• Gene pools or composites can be used effectively to conserve genes
that affect obvious morphological features which can be easily
identified. The gene pool is not a useful strategy for the conservation
of very varied populations. It may be used for the conservation and
selection of a number of closely related breeds with economically
important traits, whose physiology and adaptive characteristics are
similar.

20. DISADVANTAGES
• Described breed is by definition predictable in its appearance and
production, while a gene pool or composite population is not
predictable in the expression of those characteristics.
• Combination of gene pools.
area specific breeds like Aseel in different places of the country.

21. SEPARATE BREEDS
• The advantage of conserving a distinct separate ‘breed’ is that it has
a defined set of characteristics and parameters.
• Its appearance, behavior, production, and native environment should
all be known or can be determined.
• The disadvantage of conserving ‘breeds' separately, is that there are
a very large number of them, and that many have very similar
characteristics.

22. SYSTEMATIC STEPS TO ARREST DECLINE OF
POULTRY BIODIVERSITY
i. Training: It is important to take urgent steps to generate trained human resources
with knowledge of conservation biology especially genetics.
ii. Education: Veterinary/animal husbandry curricula may incorporate conservation
biology as one of core subjects.
iii.Research: Studies encouraged at post graduate and doctorate levels to assess
and compile database on biologically important indigenous varieties of chicken
species.

23. CONTD..
i. Data: Organization on the lines of American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
(ALBC).
ii. Standards: Compilation of Indian Poultry Breed Standards and Specifications like
British Poultry Standards and American Standards of perfection.
iii.Extension: Encourage local/fancy chicken breeding at their source locations.
iv.Coordination: Coordinate with zoological parks and wildlife personnel in assessing
the genetic worth of avian/chicken species available with them and apply conservation
genetics principles to maintain present levels of diversity.
v. Participation: Encourage private sector pharmaceutical, biotechnology,
bioinformatics firms to invest in conservation of valuable avian genetic resources of
India.

24. THANK YOU