As part of its Animal Production and Health Guidelines series, FAO has just published Breeding strategies for sustainable management of animal genetic resources whose aim is to help countries plan and develop effective genetic improvement programmes and to maximize the chances that such programmes will be sustained. The 132-page guidelines are intended for use by policy-makers and organisations involved in livestock development. They provide countries with advice on how to specify their objectives and priorities; identify the conditions necessary for sustainable development of their animal genetic resources; benefit from the experiences of other countries with similar conditions; and find practical guidance on how to initiate or improve breed development programmes (including whether to use reproductive biotechnologies such as artificial insemination). See http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1103e/i1103e00.htm or contact [email protected] for more information.

15/06/2010