The Uncommon Breeds Survival Belief (RBST) has known as on Defra secretary Steve Reed to re-establish the Ministerial Native Breeds Roundtable, after its newest annual Watchlist confirmed ‘critical considerations’ for quite a few very uncommon livestock and equine breeds.
RBST highlighted encouraging new indicators of stabilisation in a number of very uncommon breeds which had been beforehand exhibiting declining numbers, together with Massive White pigs and Gloucester cattle, as proof of the constructive impacts that may be achieved by concerted and co-ordinated motion.
The 2025-26 watchlist confirmed blended fortunes for a few of the UK’s iconic native pig breeds.
- Numbers of Massive Whites, or the ‘Yorkshire Pig’, highlighted as a breed of explicit concern within the 2022 Watchlist, at the moment are extra encouraging, with a 39% enhance in feminine registrations in 2024 in contrast with the earlier 12 months. RBST and the British Pig Affiliation launched a brand new joint conservation mission for this breed in 2022.
- The British Landrace pig, highlighted as a specific concern within the 2023 Watchlist on account of steeply declining numbers, can also be extra steady, with a really welcome 81% enhance within the variety of feminine registrations in contrast with 2023.
- Nevertheless, the Massive Black pig breed noticed a 32% lower within the variety of females registered in contrast with the earlier 12 months.
- British Lop registrations in 2024 had been barely larger than 2023. Nevertheless, the variety of sires and dams used to supply this had been down within the continuation of a regarding development from current years. The ‘Efficient Inhabitants Measurement’ has now fallen to a worrying 53.
In the meantime, two of the UK’s iconic native sheep breeds – the Manx Loaghtan and the Leicester Longwool breeds – have moved to essentially the most pressing ‘Precedence’ class, and there are considerations over White Park cattle numbers.
RBST mentioned survival of the UK’s uncommon native breeds is necessary for sustainable farming, regenerative land administration, biodiversity, meals chain resilience and genetic range; in addition to these breeds’ immense cultural and heritage worth.
Uncommon Breeds Survival Belief Chief Government Christopher Value mentioned: “It is extremely constructive to see indicators of stabilisation in a number of very uncommon breeds which had been beforehand exhibiting declining numbers, resembling Gloucester cattle and the Massive White pig, following concerted conservation exercise and breed promotion by breed societies along with RBST.
“Nevertheless our concern is deepening for others among the many UK’s irreplaceable native breeds that are seeing their numbers proceed to fall, together with the Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool sheep.”
Roundtable
The Ministerial Native Breeds Roundtable was designed to assist strategic and co-ordinated motion for native breeds, throughout departments and alongside uncommon breed organisations, beneath the earlier Authorities.
Mr Value urged Mr Reed to revive it to ‘be certain that motion for native breeds is co-ordinated throughout authorities departments, and to offer important authorities assist for the important work being carried out day in and day trip throughout the UK by RBST, our devoted members, and the breed societies’.
He added: “Farmers and smallholders throughout the UK are demonstrating on daily basis that our native livestock and equines are nice breeds for contemporary occasions.
“They’re promoting the very best high quality sustainable produce, utilizing native breeds to regenerate the pure atmosphere, and inserting their uncommon breeds on the coronary heart of farm variations and recreation enterprises.
“ We’re proud to work with these devoted people and breed societies in bettering the outlook for uncommon livestock and equines by scientific analysis, software of the newest conservation instruments and methods, assist for breeding networks, and promotion of those irreplaceable breeds.”
Defra response
A Defra spokesperson mentioned: “Native and uncommon breeds of livestock present genetic range and are an necessary a part of our rural heritage.
“We’ll proceed to guard our native breeds by the Countryside Stewardship Greater Tier, offering funding to assist their grazing habitats, and we’ll maintain working carefully with stakeholders to assist the sector.”