Livestock breeds
The following charts show shares of livestock breeds in the total population of animals registered in a herdbook. Breeds representing less than 5% of the population in 2006 were united in the “Various breeds” category. Their number as recorded in 2008 is listed in the chart keys.

Comments
• A small number of breeds has much larger populations than all other breeds.
• Throughout all livestock species, the shares of various breeds in herdbook animal numbers have hardly changed since 1999, with the possible exception of the “Various breeds” category in goats and sheep. While a few new breeds have been introduced in Switzerland, their populations are negligible.
• Populations of most rare breeds have been increasing since 1999. Switzerland’s Federal government supports rare or endangered livestock breeds by means of special conservation programs.


Crop plant varieties
The following charts reflect the development of relative shares held by varieties of select plant species using individual examples. In each case, the “Various” category unites varieties reaching only minor proportions. Data are based on two different units: sales shares (seed potatoes and cereal seed) on the one hand, and crop areas (fruits and vines) on the other.

Comments
• A small number of varieties dominates extensive crop areas.
• Crop areas planted with rare varieties are increasing.
• Perennial crops such as fruits and vines display a distinct constancy in varieties. It is still present in potatoes, if less so.
• The change in varieties is more pronounced in cereals

Genetic diversity increases along with the number of breeds/varieties. Within a breed/variety, genetic diversity increases along with the size of the population/crop area, since every individual generates a new genetic variation—unless it has been cloned. Genetic diversity offers an important response potential in case of parasite infestations, infectious diseases or epidemics.

The largest populations or crop areas are being claimed by high-performance breeds/varieties. Often rare and endangered, low-performance breeds/varieties are merely kept or cultivated for niche production purposes. As a result, their populations or crop areas are much smaller, even though biodiversity would benefit from the opposite. While populations or crop areas of rare breeds/varieties have been increasing in recent years due to support programs, traditional breeds/varieties continue to be more widespread. For economic reasons, this imbalance is almost impossible to even out. Crop plants show a nonuniform trend: Perennials such as vines, apples and pears develop along rather similar lines as livestock breeds. Cereals and potatoes, however, are undergoing a change in varieties, at least as far as the dataset used for this indicator is concerned.

Diversity may also be lost within a breed or variety, if they are selectively bred for one particular feature only or if the same sires or pollinators are chosen again and again. Nowadays, these problems are somewhat toned down by breeding animals being selected for differing performance traits and by breeding populations being refreshed on a regular basis.

Responsible for Z2
Meinrad Küttel, meinrad.kuettel@bafu.admin.ch, +41 (0)31 322 93 24

Additional sources of information
> Swiss Ordinance on Livestock Breeding; not available in English
> list of recognized breeding associations in Switzerland; not available in English
> vine growing statistics; not available in English
> fruit growing statistics; not available in English
> Swiss Suckler Cow, formerly Swiss Association of Keepers of Nurse and Suckler Cows; no information in English
> Swiss Association of Seed Producers; no information in English