Breeding and managing the main species of ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats), in France, come under the Code Rural , Book VI, section V. The genetic improvement of each under recognised race is enured by a collective, transparent organisation, each stockbreeding organisation having its specialised role. Prospective management of each race comes under a specific unit, the UPRa (Union pour la promotion de la race : union for the promotion of races), which includes not onlybreeders and owners but also all departmental, regional and national stockbreeding organisations : EDEs ( Etablissement de l'élevage : stockbreeding establishments), performance monitoring organisations, CIAs ( Centres d'insémination artificielle :  artificial insemination centres), seed production centres, and users of the race's produce.

Within large-population-size races, more and more attention is being paid to proper management of genetic diversity, it determing future progress in breeding. Unless care is taken, genetic variability could easily decrease through the immense dispersive capacity of elite studs and modern reproductive techniques.

For very small-population-size races, conservative management of maximum genetic variability is encouraged by targeted aid from the Ministry in charge of Agricuture and, in some cases, by the regions concerned by the races' future. Funds are made available for the routine collection and freezing of bull, ram or buck sperm, used both for planned management of livestock reproduction ( in situ conservation) and to constitute a genetic reserve (conservation ex situ ).

Seed and embryo cryoconservation is now functionnal for all three species of ruminant concerned, and its responsability comes under approved centres ofor seed and embryo production and implementation. The centres are partners in the overall genetic-resource conservation and management system and back up the National Cryobank by acting as "duplication" sites.

For further information on this pilot group, contact :
J.-C. MOCQUOT ( Institut de l'Elevage : stockbreeding institute) : mocquot@inst-elevage.asso.fr

Group composition

Mr Jean-Claude MOCQUOT (moderator) Institut de l'Elevage (Breeding Institute)

Mrs Annick AUDIOT, INRA Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Mr Laurent AVON, Institut de l'Elevage (Breeding institute)

Mr Bernard BIBE, INRA Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Mr Didier BOICHARD, INRA Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Mr Jacques BOUGLER, INA-PG Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon (Paris-Grignon National Agronomics Institute)

Mr Pierre-Louis GASTINEL, Institut de l'Elevage (Breeding Institute)

Mrs Katayoun GOUDARZI, INRA Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Mr Laurent GRIFFON, Union Nationale des Livres Généalogique (National union of stockbooks)

Mr Eric JULLIEN, Institut de l'Elevage (B reeding institute)

Mr Alain MALAFOSSE, UNCEIA Union Nationale des Coopératives agricoles d'élevage et d'insémination arficielle

Mr François MENISSIER, INRA Institut National de Recherche Agronomique (National Institute for Agronomic Research)

Mr Régis RIBEREAU-GAYON, Conservatoire des Races d'Aquitaine (Conservatory of the breeds of Aquitaine)

Mr Olivier ROSSET, Conservatoire des Races d'Aquitaine (Conservatory of the breeds of Aquitaine).

Mr Olivier CATROU, Ministère de l'Agriculture, de la Pêche et de l'Alimentation (Ministry in charge of Agriculture, Fishing and Food)

Mr Yvon Brunel, Espace Naturel Nord Pas-de-Calais (Nord Pas-de-Calais natural space)

Among pigs, races are differentiated according to whether managed collectively, bred commercially (varieties or lines) by private companies, or landraces.

Selection is done on the grand-parents of production pigs. Following this comes a multipliction stage (and perhaps crossover) for the parents' generation : so-called "pyramid" selection. As a result, the population of high-incidence gene lines or varieties could be very small (a few hundred grand-parents for several million porkers). Sustainable management of these lines'genetic diversity is to be set up with private partners.

Pig management is governed in France by the Code Rural (Book VI, section 5). The ministry in charge of Agriculture provides aid for the management of small-population-size landraces. The funding has faciliated management by the creation of an association, the LiGéRaL ( Livre Généalogique des Races Locales : Landrace genealogical records) and promrted the development of niche markets.)

Artificial insemination using fresh seeds is used on a routine basis. Boar seed can also be frozen. A collection of landrace sperm, aided by European funding, is already under the way.

Group composition

Mr Jean-Pierre BIDANEL, INRA (Institut National de Recherche Agronomique : National agronomic research institute).

Mr Bernard COUDURIER, Agence de la Sélection Porcine : Porc selection agency.

Mrs Céline DESAUTES-SAWADOGO, Agence de la Sélection Porcine : Porc selection agency.

Mr Christian LEGAULT, INRA.

Mr Michel LUQUET, Institut Technique du Porc : Pig technical institute.

Mr Louis OLLIVIER, INRA.

Mrs Danielle PREVEL, Ministère de l'Agriculture, de la Pêche et de l'Alimentation : Ministry in charge of Agriculture, fishing and Food.

Mr José RUIZ, Ministère de l'Agriculture, de la Pêche et de l'Alimentation : Ministry in charge of Agriculture, fishing and Food.

Mr Jean-Marie BOISSIERE, Cobiporc.

Mr Étienne VERRIER, INA-PG.

France has numerous domestic species of poultry : chicken, turkey, duck, goose, guinea-fowl, pigeon...

For each of these species, breeding for genetic improvement is essentially done behind closed doors by companies on the grandparents of the production animals. Following this comes a multiplication (and, generally, crossover) stage for the parents' generation : the so-called "pyramid" selection. As a result, the population of the original lines or variety at the top of the pyramid can be very small (a few hundred grandparents for several million table chicken or layers).

Small-population-size landraces are kept up by amateur breeders looking for morphological characters corresponding to a certain standard. The breeders belongs to clubs federated to national associations.

Sustainable management of the genetic diversity of each race, where each bird species has its own biological constraint (reproductive physiology, behaviour, etc.) will require the cooperation of private partners of breeding companies and amateurs.

Artificial insemination is used by breeding companies on chickens, turkeys, guinea-fowls, geese, ducks and Muscovy ducks. Freezing cock sperm can be done, but it is not a routine procedure as yet.

For further information on thi pilot group, contact :
Mrs TIXIER-BOICHARD ( Institut National de Recherche Agronomique : National agronomic research institute) boichard@jouy.inra.fr

Group composition

Mrs Annick AUDIOT, INRA SAD ( Institut National de Recherche Agronomique : National Agronomic Research Institute).

Mrs Catherine BEAUMONT, INRA, Station de recherches avicoles : Poultry research station.

Mr Jean-Pierre BRILLARD, INRA,  Station de recherches avicoles : Poultry research station.

Mr Gérard COQUERELLE, INRA, Laboratoire de génétique factorielle : Factorial genetic laboratory.

Mr Pierre-François KOEHL, ITAVI ( Institut Technique en Aviculture : Poultry farming technical institute).

Mr Jean-Claude PERIQUET, Fédération Française des Volailles : French poultry federation.

Mrs Marie-Hélène PINARD-VAN DER LOAN, INRA, Laboratoire de génétique factorielle : Factorial genetic laboratory.

Mr François SEIGNEURIN, SYSAAF.

Mr Pierrick THORAVAL, INRA, Pathologie aviaire et parasitologie : Avian pathology and parasitology.

Mrs Michèle TIXIER-BOICHARD, INRA, Laboratoire de génétique factorielle : Factorial genetic laboratory.

Mr Hugues VALANCONY, CNEVA

In the rabbit, male lines (the fathers of production rabbits) on commercial animals are bred by private companies, female lines (the mothers of production rabbits) by both the INRA and private companies.

Small-population-size "farm" races are kept up by amateurs breeders looking for morphological characters corresponding to a certain standard. the breeders belong to  clubs federated to a national association, the Fédération française de cuniculture (French rabbit-breeders'federation). A European programme funds the inventory, characterisation, assessment and conservation of rabbit races in several Euopean countries.

Sustainable management of the genetic diversity of each race or lines will require the cooperation of private partners, breeding companies and amateurs, each with their own particular motivations.

It is possible to freeze embryos and seed, and creating a cryobank for the conservation of races and lines is under way.

For further information on this pilot group, contact :
G. BOLET ( INRA, Station d'Amélioration Génétique des Animaux : INRA, animal genetic improvement station) : bolet@toulouse.inra.fr

Group composition

Mr Jacques ARNOLD ( Fédération Française de Cuniculture : French rabbit-breeders's federation).

Mr Gérard BOLET , (moderator) INRA SAGA ( Institut National de Recherche Agronomique : National Agronomic Research Institute).

Mr Samuel BOUCHER, LABOVET.

Mr Jean-Michel BRUN, INRA SAGA.

Mr Nuno FERRAND, Facultade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto.

Mr Thierry JOLY, ISARA ( Institut Supérieur d'Agriculture Rhône-Alpes : Agricultural superior  institute of Rhône-Alpes).

Mr Pierre-François KOEHL, ITAVI ( Institut Technique d'Aviculture : Poultry-farming technical institute).

Mr Thierry LAUBE, Bergerie Nationale.

Mrs Marina LOPEZ, UNIZAR.

Mr Giorgio MASOERO, Istituto Sperimentale per la Zootecnia.

Mrs Monique MONNEROT, CNRS ( Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique : National centre of scientific research).

Mr Richard PICCININ, European Association of poultry, pigeon and rabbit breeders.

Mr Georges SALEIL, INRA SAGA.

Mr Wessel VAN DER LOO, Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

Mr Jean-Marie ZIMMERMANN, Fédération Française de Cuniculture : French rabbit-breeders's federation.