The national Swedish programme

The national programme for farm animal genetic resources (AnGR) and the implementation of it are decided upon by the Swedish Board of Agriculture and concerns endangered breeds as well as the main-stream commercial populations.

Financial support

For owners to cattle, pigs, sheep and goats financial subsidies are given from the rural development programme based upon number of  ‘animal units’ ( one unit equal to a mature cattle). Subsidies can also be granted to breed and herd book associations for their information, education and projects aiming at strengthening the preservation work. For breeds given a preservation status there are breeding plans put in place by the respective breed association and approved by the Board of Agriculture

FAO's Global Plan of Action

The Board of agriculture has in collaboration with the relevant stakeholders launched a plan of action in line with the international Global Plan of Action (GPA) from FAO. The Swedish action plan contains 30 different defined measures concerning Documentation and Characterisation, Conservation and Sustainable Use, Information and Breed Specific Measures.

The plan also includes specific moments of research. Monitoring of the success of implementation of the plan will take place in intervals of approx. five years.

Two working groups

For the continuous work there are two expert groups with wide representation from different stakeholders as breed associations, zoologic parks, secondary schools and national institutions. One of these groups has the mission to improve information about breeds and conservation work and the other is an advisory committee for the Board of Agriculture in breeding matters etc.

Conservation measures

Conservation measures for farm animal breeds was started already almost since 50 years ago semen has been long-time stored from bulls from most cattle breeds in artificial insemination use  starting when the method with frozen semen was introduced. Since long time, in addition semen is collected and frozen also from a certain number of bulls, rams, and bucks of endangered breeds to secure breeding material and genetic variation for the survival of these breeds. Normally such semen collection is carried out for 12 – 15 males annually.

Funds available more than what is given from the rural development programme are very limited (approx. SEK 300.000 annually). Genetic material from females has been conserved in few specific cases, as has also semen from stallions.

All species

The Swedish programme includes all farm animal species: cattle, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, poultry, bees, reindeers, rabbits, cats and fish.

The commercial breeding for main stream production populations is completely international and Sweden has just as the other Nordic countries no longer any national breeding and breeding material is bought from large international companies.

Breeding for modern pigs is coordinated between some of the other Nordic countries. There is no longer any breeding with the Swedish Landrace, which has been clearly separated from the landraces in other countries and certain preservation measures are undertaken. The Linderöd pig is the only pig breed considered as endangered and after supporting efforts over years it has now a population of some 300 head. The gene banking in practice is handled by the association ‘Landtsvinet’.

‘Svenska Lanthönsklubben’ (Association for Swedish Landrace hens) is in the same way responsible for the work concerning the poultry breeds SkÃ¥negÃ¥s, ÖlandsgÃ¥s. Svensk BlÃ¥ Anka, Svensk Gul Anka, Svensk Myskanka, Gotlandshöna, Svarthönan, Kindahöna, Gammalsvensk dvärghöna Hedemorahöna, Orusthöna, SkÃ¥nsk blommehöna, Ã…sbohöna samt Svenskhöna. And the association ‘Allmogekon’ ( Swedish Native Cows) is responsible for the native cattle breeds Bohuskulla, Väneko,  och RingamÃ¥lako.

The association for Native Sheep (Allmogefåret) is similarly responsible for Skogsfår, Dala pälsfår and Roslagsfår). Göingeget and Jämtget have separate associations as well as Gutefår and Ryafår.

The dairy cattle breeding for the major red breeds – where the Nordic countries have conservation responsibilities – is now coordinated in two companies: VikingGenetics for Finland, Denmark and Sweden and Geno in Norway.

Not conservation responsibility for all breeds

As for the Holstein and jersey breeds there is no such responsibility for the Nordic region in spite of their large populations.

All breeding programmes for commercial populations are deigned from a Nordic model putting great emphasize on functional characteristics as fertility, still birth rate and workability in addition to production.

The Swedish Board of Agriculture informs about  rules, annual reports, statistics, brochures and other information at their web page www.jordbruksverket.se . Most of the relevant stakeholders as breed associations and similar also provide information continuously at their own web pages.

Sweden:

Responsibility:
Swedish board of agricultura

Postal adress:
SE-55182 Jönköping

Phone. +46 36 15 58 11
Homepage: Jordbruksverket

Contact person: Göte Frid
E-mail: gote.frid@jordbruksverket.se

• Action Plan for Swedish Animal Genetic Resources

Linderöd pig