Heritage Conservancy Livestock Breeds are traditional breeds that were raised by our forefathers. These are the breeds of a bygone era, before the rise of industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. Heritage is an umbrella term that embraces pure breeds of livestock and poultry with deep histories in the United States. These are animals that were bred over time to develop traits that made them suited to specific local environments. Because these breeds have been developed and selected over time, they tend to have better disease resistance, are well-adapted to their environments and thrive in pasture-based settings. Within the past 15 years, 190 breeds of farm animals have gone extinct worldwide, and there are currently 1,500 others at risk of becoming extinct. In the past five years alone, 60 breeds of cattle, goats, pigs, horses and poultry have become extinct. In the US, only a few main breeds dominate the livestock industry. An example would be that 83 percent of dairy cows are Holsteins, with only five main breeds comprising almost all of the dairy herds in the US.

These heritage animal breeds also serve as an important genetic resource, and when heritage breeds become extinct, their unique genes are lost forever and can’t be used to breed new traits into existing livestock breeds. Therefore, by raising heritage livestock breeds, sustainable farmers not only maintain variety within our livestock populations, they also help to preserve valuable traits within the species so that future breeds can endure.

Fields of Gold Farm believes in being an active part of livestock conservancy.  We have taken the extra efforts to locate and bring on-farm heritage breeds that are on the endangered list worldwide.  All of our main herds and flocks are made up of these special breeds.  We help to repopulate our region with high quality genetics and healthy wholesome livestock.  There is a role for each of us in helping conserve these breeds for future generations. We take great care with our herds and throughly enjoy them!

AMERICAN CREAM DRAFT HORSES

The breed was developed in Iowa during the early 20th century from a mare now known as “Old Granny,” a draft mare with a cream-colored coat, pink skin, and amber eyes, the three defining traits resulting from the “Champagne” gene. Those traits were then passed on to her offspring. After the Great Depression, several breeders in the Iowa region worked to improve the mainstay characteristics of the breed. However, as farming became mechanized in the mid-20th century, the need for draft horses lessened, leading to a decrease in the breed’s population. Subsequently, the American Cream Registry became inactive for several decades until it was reactivated in 1982. This breed is considered the ONLY true American draft horse in existence.  All other draft horses mostly originate from Europe.

American Cream Drafts are considered a medium-sized draft generally ranging from 15 to 16 hands. Mares run from about 1,500 to 1,800 pounds, and studs can get up to about 2,000 pounds. They have wide chests, sloping shoulders and strong backs in keeping with other draft breeds. At birth, the eyes of the American Cream foals are blue/green and change to amber as they mature, and the skin is bright pink. The Champagne gene dilutes any base coat color, and in the American Cream Draft, the underlying genetic base color is chestnut.  This is a true distinct genetic breed based on a color gene.

Today, the American Cream is listed as “Critical” on The Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List, meaning that the estimated global population of the breed is less than 2,000, with less than 200 registrations annually in the United States. Numbers of the breed have slowly increased, with much outreach and participation. In its 40 years, the Livestock Conservancy has not lost a single breed that it has worked with, and recovery will continue for the American Cream Draft.

OBERHASLI DAIRY GOATS

The Oberhasli (also known as the Oberhasli Brienzer) is a dairy breed developed in the mountainous cantons of Bern, Freiburg, Glarus, and Graubunden in Switzerland. The name loosely translates as ‘highlander’.

Oberhasli goats were first imported to the United States in 1906 and 1920, though it was not until mid-1930’s that purebred herds were established and maintained. In 1936, H. O. Pence imported five Chamois Colored Goats from Switzerland to the United States; all purebred Oberhasli in the USA descend from these. The breed was initially called the Swiss Alpine or Brown Swiss. Its registrations were included in the Alpine studbook, and its genetics contributed to the Alpine breed. In 1977, the breed name Oberhasli was adopted, and registration records were separated from the Alpines. This evolution of the breed’s name and identification has been one reason that its population in the United States has remained fairly small.

An association of breeders, the Oberhasli Breeders of America, was formed around 1977, and the Oberhasli was accepted as a breed by the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA). A purebred herd maintained with records by Esther Oman, a California breeder, was the foundation of the new breed. In 1980, ADGA retrieved part-bred Oberhasli-type goats from its other herdbooks. In 2010 a total of 1729 head, distributed over approximately 30 states, was reported.

The Oberhasli breed is also known for the sweet tasting milk it produces. It is a good choice for the person who wants dairy goats for milk, from hardy thrifty animals, who appreciates the vivid rust-red coloration, wants something slightly out of the ordinary, and likes the Swiss type head (upright ears).