Species and breed information
The Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN) keeps track of the status and trends of animal genetic resources in the Netherlands. By monitoring the breeds and advising breed societies, timely measures can be taken to ensure genetic resources – the diversity of breeds and their genes – are not lost.
Animal species and breeds
CGN monitors the number of registered adult animals in the Netherlands for cattle, sheep, goat, pig, horse, dog, chicken, rabbit, pigeon, goose, duck and honey bee. You can check the figures via:
Risk status of Dutch breeds
Of the over 140 Dutch farmed animal breeds, some 90% has a status of critical, endangered or vulnerable. CGN determines this status annually based on figures and internationally applicable criteria. The risk status per breed can be found below.
Downloads (in Dutch):
What are Dutch breeds?
A breed is considered Dutch when it has been in the Netherlands for at least 40 years plus six generations. There are over 140 Dutch breeds distributed over 12 animal species.
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These breeds originate in the Netherlands and have a function for the production of food (milk, meat, eggs) or the provision of services (such as shepherd dogs or workhorses).
The majority of these 140 Dutch breeds are rare, with several being of major importance to the global industry, such as purebred pigs and Dutch bred sport horses. CGN also monitors those populations of which the organisations have a head office and breeding programme in the Netherlands.
In this framework CGN works closely with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland), the Dutch Rare Breed Survival Trust (Stichting Zeldzame Huisdierrassen, SZH) and the breed societies and studbooks.
Interesting link: