Use traditional breeds of livestock

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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Background information and definitions

Traditional livestock breeds are often suggested to help enhance biodiversity, though motivations for doing so are often little studied and rely on anecdotal evidence (Rook et al. 2004).

Rook A.J., Dumont B., Isselstein J., Osoro K., WallisDeVriese M.F. Parente G. & Mills J. (2004) Matching type of livestock to desired biodiversity outcomes in pastures – a review. Biological Conservation, 119, 137–150.

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of using traditional breeds of livestock on wild mammals. This study was carried out in four European countries.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): A replicated, randomized, controlled study in Europe found that European hares did not use areas grazed by traditional livestock breeds more than they used areas grazed by commercial breeds.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2002–2004 on grassland in France, Germany, Italy and the UK (Wallis De Vries et al. 2007) found that areas grazed by traditional livestock breeds did not have more European hares Lepus europaeus than did areas grazed by commercial breeds. Too few hares were recorded to enable statistical analyses. At the UK site, where most hares were recorded, numbers were similar between areas grazed by traditional breeds (15 hares) and commercial breeds (14 hares). Traditional cattle breeds were Devon, German Angus and Salers, compared with commercial Charolais × Fresian, Simmental and Charolais, in the UK, Germany and France respectively. In Italy traditional Karst sheep were compared with commercial Finnish Romanovs. There were three traditional breed paddocks and three commercial breed paddocks (paddock size 0.4–3.6 ha) at single sites in each of the four countries. Hares were counted every two weeks in early morning, from May to October of 2002–2004, during seven minutes of observation and by walking a transect in each paddock.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Wallis De Vries M.F., Parkinson A.E., Dulphy J.P., Sayer M. & Diana E. (2007) Effects of livestock breed and grazing intensity on biodiversity and production in grazing systems. 4. Effects on animal diversity. Grass and Forage Science, 62, 185-197.

Please cite as:

Littlewood, N.A., Rocha, R., Smith, R.K., Martin, P.A., Lockhart, S.L., Schoonover, R.F., Wilman, E., Bladon, A.J., Sainsbury, K.A., Pimm S. and Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates. Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

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