In the preparation of the two articles refering to the “Garole microsheep of Bengal, India” and the “Goat and sheep of the Deccan plateau in the Maharashtra State of India”, a number of mistakes were introduced involuntarily.

The maps received from the authors (full map of India) were not printed in their entity on pages 77 and 85 of AGRI Vol. No. 12 due to a re-dimensioning of both maps to fit the publications standard page size.

The editors of AGRI wish to apologize for any incovenience caused by this errors introduced involuntarily in the originally published text.

Cet article analyse dans quelle mesure les nouvelles perspectives offertes par les biotechnologies de la reproduction s'appliquent aux activités de conservation des ressources génétiques animales. Ces activités ont été regroupées autour de cinq thémes: Décrire, Détruire, Défendre, Stocker, Recréer. Ces techniques n'apportent aucun plus pour la description des caractéristiques d'une population ou d'une race. La principals menace qui pése sur une race d'animaux domestiques est de disparaitre par croisement avec une autre, et l'insémination artificielle représente de ce point de vue un danger certain. Inversement, l'insémination artificielle peut devenir un instrument de défense des races locales. II serait plus difficile de trouver une justification A l'utilisation de la plupart des autres biotechnologies (transfert d'embryons, sexage, clonage) pour la protection et la promotion des races locales. Pour la conservation des ressources génétiques, la cryoconservation des spermatozdides et des embryons, mais également les ovocytes, voire des morceaux de gonades et des cellules somatiques est un outil irremplagable. La demiére partie présente des calculs sur les possibilités de re-création de races, selon la nature du matériel stocks.

On the front lines of Croatia's war areas live the Turopolje pigs, in danger of extinction. Immediate action is sorely needed. The new European Foundation SAVE (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe), an umbrella organization for the in-situ conservation of agricultural genetic resources, has started an international rescue project. The remaining pigs are listed and will be regrouped for a mating program, which avoids inbreeding. For an additional insurance, SAVE will also bring new breeding groups away from the front lines in, and outside of, Croatia. A breeding register has been set up provisionally at the herdbook office for endangered breeds with Pro Specie Rara in St. Gallen, Switzerland.

The Fayoumi (Oasis/Province of Fayotimi) or Ramadi (village of Dar-el-Ramad) breed of chicken is said to have been introduced into this area in the early part of the 19th century; phenotypically it recalls the Silver Campine from which it is reputed to descend. A hardy and well adapted breed it was saved through the creation of the Fayoumi Poultry Research Station in 194é, which also assured an active improvement policy of the breed. The creation in 1958 of the Fayoumi Poultry Cooperative Society further strengthened the conservation of the breed and its use through distribution of genetic material to farmers and smallholders of the Fayoumi province. Since the early é0's the breed is reported to have been successfully introduced to countries as different as the UK and the USA, Vietn@ Iraq, Pakistan and India. Its adaptability and resistance to the problems of xyrotherrnic tropical and sub-tropical conditions is confirmed by its actual prevalence in Southern Egypt.

The objective of this study is to present the local livestock breeds threatened with extinction as well to suggest an alternative initiative for their preservation and utilization. Both the geographical location and natural resources of Bulgaria are prerequisites for a large variety among species and strains of farm animals. Traditionally a considerable number of local breeds and strains have been bred on the territory of the country. In the recent 25–30 years an evident decline of their numbers is marked chiefly due to the introduction of high-productive, widespread breeds. This study presents the biological features of local indigenous breeds of farm animals threatened with extinction as well as the specificity of their region of location. The genetic research results based on polymorphism of serum blood proteins and blood groups are discussed. The diversity of indigenous sheep breeds is the largest, and 15 of them are under control. In latter years investigations show that they are 1.3 to 3.6 per cent from the total number of this species. The genetic analyses attest that these specific genetic resources can be used for keeping the genetic variety within and between sheep populations as well as for improving the adaptability of the newlyestablished breeds. Among the cattle two local breeds are of interest for genetic resources preservation purposes. As the most attractive emerges, Rhodope's Short-Horned cattle having unique biological characteristics as a representative of Bos Taunis in Europe and whose domain of location is over 1800 meters above sea level. The only impressive strain among the pig breeds has a different biological status from the well-known breeds on the European continent. The results of the present study show that the investigated indigenous breeds and strains are mainly located in mountainous regions considered as“hard”for farming. Thus, the preservation of genetic resources of local farm animals will contribute in using their valuable abilities of adaptation for breeding programmes in ecologically clear regions.

The Hanwoo cattle of Korea are probably one of the oldest autochthonous breeds in the world that are known to have populated a specific geographic region for over 2000 years. They are also a unique case of a domestic animal genetic resource (DAGR) that after having followed the classical tendency of dangerously and rapidly decreasing numbers (I 740 000 in 1940 down to 393 000 in 1950) moved slowly back to near 2 000 000 in 1993, following an exemplary and voluntary conservation programme and a well organized national improvement scheme. This wellplanned selection scheme made it possible for the average live weight of Hanwoo cattle to nearly double their measure adult weight since the first in official controls were made in the early seventies: sires from 290 kg to 477 kg and cows from 246 kg to 309 kg in a more than 30 year period. This is a unique reference case of D.A.G.R. conservation, of domestic preservation, development, and economic use within the traditional production ten-ns and management conditions of a specific geo-cultural environment.

La Rubia Gallega de montaña se localiza en el Norte de la provincia de Lugo. Presenta caracteres étnicos muy relacionados con el medio agreste en que se desenvuelve (menor formato, extremidades cortas, etc.)

Posee buenas aptitudes matemales y una especial predisposicién para aprovechar recursos naturales en zonas dificiles que le han asegurado su permanencia en estas Areas, compitiendo con otras razas de mayor formato y mejores cualidades carniceras. Palabras clave: Razas locales, bovinos, España

The present study was carried out with the aim of proposing the preservation of buffaloes not only as productive livestock, but also as a part of the diversity of the Greek wetlands. The total buffalo total population in Greece was in the late 40's over 100 000 animals. At present, only a few hundred animals are found in four Ramsar wetland sites in Macedonia and Thrace. This small population is threatened with immediate extinction because of the rapidly changing rural socioeconomic conditions and the expansion of cultivated fields in the old marshiands. Furthermore, consumers are rapidly losing contact with buffaloes and their products.

El autor describe la situación actual de los camélidos en América del Sur, aportando información sobre la geografia, distribución y número de las tres especies existentes: llama, alpaca y vicuña. Vienen presentados igualmente datos estadísticos importantes sobre las razas y sus sistemas de producción. Algunas indicaciones también sobre la escasa, pero cierta, erosión genética como consecuencia de las transformaciones ambientales y de gestión, asi como del cambio registrado en la demanda de productos.

The author gives information on the phenotypic and genetic characteristics, the history and the present state of the endangered breed German Coach Horse