ORIENTATION

The 'Ferme Conservatoire' has never tried to establish a collection of breeds ; on the contrary, it has always tried to do in-depth work for every type of animal it has. Each breed is the subject of a study (bibliography, research, contacts with previous owners, observations of each generation, etc). The main flocks and herds are constituted so as to preserve different breeds, to rediscover original characteristics and to detect traces of cross-breeding.

The 'Ferme Conservatoire' has always participated in local and national conservation programmes. It has also worked just as well through contacts with other breeders as with numerous organisations such as :

'Institut d'Elevage', 'Institut Technique du Porc', 'Parc Naturel Régional des Landes de Gascogne', 'Conservatoire du Patrimoine Biologique de Midi-Pyrénées', 'Association Nationale de Sauvegarde de Porc Gascon', 'Association Française du Pottok de Type Originel', 'Association des Eleveurs de Brebis de Race Raioles', 'Caussenardes des Garrigues et Rouges du Roussillon', 'Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique' (which is involved in a study of caseins in the milk of Pyrenean goats).

A special mention should be made of the collaboration with the 'Conservatoire des Races d'Aquitaine' ('Association for the Preservation of Aquitaine Breeds'), which for ten years had its registered address at the 'Ferme Conservatoire', with the work of the two often confused. Today the 'Conservatoire des Races d'Aquitaine' has a much bigger work programme, covering the whole of the Aquitaine region and employing its own staff.

Nevertheless, for some breeds, the 'Ferme Conservatoire' has had to carry out work on its own, especially programmes of specific genetic management. We had to experiment with systems of reproduction, using a large number of males, to prevent an increase in the problems associated with inbreeding. We had to find a simple system, which could be used efficiently within the confines of one farm with few resources, and yet with a high success rate within a single flock or herd. For example, we keep about 80 rams to be used as stud animals.